5 Hot Fall Cocktails Fri, Dec 02, 22 | recipes spirits It’s officially fall, and while that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to margaritas and sangrias, we do get to start enjoying some delicious fall and winter drinks. There’s something special about hot drinks: the steam and aromas, the heat in our hands, the way the warmth of the drink and the fire of the alcohol pulls over us like a warm blanket. Below are five of our favorite cold-season drinks, some old favorites and some new friends we’d like you to meet. Hot Peppermint Patty The only thing better than a peppermint patty is a hot peppermint patty you can drink. The only thing better than a hot peppermint patty you can drink is a hot peppermint patty you can drink that has peppermint schnapps. Thank the folks at About.com for this great recipe. 1 ounce peppermint schnapps 1/2 ounce dark crème de cacao 1 teaspoon crème de menthe Hot chocolate Whipped cream Shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles for garnish Pour the liqueurs into a mug or Irish coffee glass. Fill with hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles. Cinnamon Toast This quick cocktail is a great way to enjoy one of the great sweet drinks of fall: rum. The taste of spiced rum and cinnamon mixes with the cider, making a sweet drink reminiscent of apple cinnamon toast. This recipe can be found on Delish. 1 1/4 ounce Spiced Rum 6 ounces hot apple cider 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon Add hot apple cider and Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum to a glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon. Buttered Rum Sweet and well-spiced, this buttered rum recipe makes four servings that are both savory and hearty. This recipe is one of Rachael Ray’s and can be found on The Food Network. Garnish with cinnamon sticks that serve double duty as stirring rods. 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/4 cup honey 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Pinch salt 3/4 cup spiced rum 2 cups boiling water Using an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup (or larger) measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Divide the buttered rum among 4 mugs. Hot Apple Cider with Rum The ultimate in hot apple cider, this recipe is part show with an entire apple studded with cloves brought into the mix. The end result is a richly flavored drink this is almost as much of a pleasure to smell as it is to taste. This recipe is also from The Food Network. 1 apple 2 teaspoons whole cloves 1 orange, thinly sliced 2 quarts apple cider 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon allspice Pinch grated nutmeg 1 cup dark rum Cinnamon sticks, garnish Stud the apple with the cloves. In a medium pot, combine the studded apple and remaining ingredients except the rum. Slowly bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Discard the apple. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick. Serve immediately. Spiced Christmas Wine Perfect for any time during the holidays, this spiced wine combines the best flavors from red wine, white wine, oranges, cloves, and brandy. (Brandy is optional but recommended). This Germany-inspired recipe can be found on allrecipes.com. 2 oranges 2 (750 milliliter) bottles red wine 1 (750 milliliter) bottle white wine 1 (3 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 3 cinnamon sticks 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/3 cup brown sugar, or to taste 1/4 cup brandy (optional) Use a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the oranges in strips, being careful to remove only the orange part, leaving the pith behind. Then, juice the oranges into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Pour the red wine and white wine into the pot with the orange juice. Place the strips of orange zest, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and brown sugar into the pot with the wine mixture; stir to dissolve the sugar. Cover and heat over medium-high until heated through, but not boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and heat for an hour or longer to bring all of the flavors together. Adjust the sweetness by adding more brown sugar, as necessary. Strain and serve hot with a splash of brandy, if desired. We hope these hot drinks will put the “happy” in your “happy holidays.” At Julio’s Liquors we’ve decked the halls with fall and winter spirits, wine, and beers—including the liquor you’ll need for the drinks listed above. Need more ideas? Come on by today to talk to our staff while you pick out the perfect holiday schnapps and spiced rum.
