The wind is howling outside as I write this post and sip my copycat Starbucks medicine ball tea. I get really excited over a good beverage. It really sets the mood! A cocktail for a light fun evening or a burning hot coffee to wake up all your senses in the morning...you know what I mean right? I was debating what to post here since I just have to many good drink recipes for you. I decided to put them all up! Let's jump into 4 cozy drinks you need to try this winter.
What recipes are included in 4 cozy drinks you need to try?
1. S'mores hot chocolate
Level up your hot chocolate with toasty marshmallows. It's just the best!! I know it looks pretty fancy, something you would expect from a cafe, but it's way easy to make.
S'mores hot chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 packages hot chocolate mix
- 16 oz hot milk
- mini marshmallows
- fudge sauce
- graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Pour one envelope of hot chocolate mix into each mug. Add in 8oz hot milk per mug.
- Top with mini marshmallows and toast with a kitchen torch, or place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until toasted. (watch them really carefully!)
- Drizzle on fudge sauce and add graham cracker crumbs. Enjoy immediately.
2. Matcha latte
Matcha is a powdered form of green tea that has become super popular in the past few years. You’ll find it in lattes, smoothies, and even some desserts, like brownies. I love making this easy hot drink as a comforting alternative to coffee. It does contain caffeine, but less then a cup of coffee.
Matcha Latte
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a blender, blend milk, matcha powder, cinnamon, and vanilla extract for 1 minute. Serve immediately.
- *Variation: In a bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon matcha powder and 1 tablespoon hot water with a matcha whisk. Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour into a mug and top with frothed milk.
3. Copycat Starbucks medicine ball
Also known as the honey citrus mint tea, this Starbucks favorite is the perfect thing to make when you have a sore throat. You can customize the drink to your liking with less honey or with the addition of fresh mint and/or lemon slices. This is my new favorite winter drink!
Copycat Starbucks Medicine ball
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups lemonade
- 1 ½ cups water
- 4 tablespoon honey
- 2 mint or citrus mint tea bags
- 2 peach or peach and honey tea bags
Instructions
- Heat the lemonade and water in a pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pour 2 tablespoon of honey into each glass. Divide the hot lemonade between the two glasses. Mix well until the honey is dissolved.
- Add 1 mint and 1 peach tea bag to each glass.
- Let the bags steep for 3-5 minutes then toss, or leave in while you sip.
4. Homemade apple cider
This is what we make when we come home from apple picking sweaty and pretending it's fall. I'm sure there are lots of apples in your crisper drawer, and it makes the most perfect drink to sip Friday night or in front of the fireplace. Prepare for your whole house to smell amazing.
Homemade Apple Cider
Equipment
- Slow cooker (optional)
- Cheesecloth or a very fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 8-10 medium apples chopped into 4 pieces, core discarded
- 1 navel orange (optional) cut into 4-6 sections
- 5 whole cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup brown sugar, or honey
- 1 teaspoon all spice (optional)
- 8 cups water
Instructions
Stovetop method
- Combine chopped apples and a navel orange with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
- After 1 ½ hours, I like to remove the orange to it doesn't give off any bitter notes. Next, mash the very soft apples with a potato masher and cook for an additional 1 ½ hours.
- Cool and strain with cheesecloth.
Slow Cooker method
- Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Cook for 3 hours on low.
- Remove the orange, mash the apples, and cook for another 3 hours.
- Cool and strain with cheesecloth
