Cocktail Recipes

Sometimes even the warmest sweater layered under a cozy coat isn’t enough to ward off that chill you get from being outdoors. No, sometimes you need to be re-thermalized from the inside!

A delicious hot drink is just the ticket, and right now these are the ones we’re mixing up, whether it’s for a cozy night in a deux, or for a winter’s nigh gathering with family and friends.

Spanish Coffee
Let’s start with giving your coffee a kick. There are almost as many different recipes for Spanish Coffee as there are companies making coffee beans!  You can add brandy, Cointreau, or coffee liqueurs like Tia Maria or Kahlúa. We recommend you use a glass mug or double-walled coffee or tea cup and don’t forget the whipped cream!

Another version of Spanish coffee uses rum, Triple Sec, and coffee liqueur all at once for more depth of flavour:

• 3/4 oz rum
• 1/4 oz triple sec
• 1 oz coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua or Tia Maria
• 3-6 oz hot coffee, freshly brewed
• whipped cream, for garnish
• nutmeg

Amarula Chai 
You won’t find this at your local coffee shop! Amarula is a cream liquor made from fermented marula fruit which grows in southern Africa. It pairs very nicely with the spices found in chai tea, like the cardamom, cinnamon and ginger. 

To make Amarula Chai at home, brew chai tea and heat up honey and milk in a saucepan. Pour some Amarula Cream into a mug, add chai tea and top off with the milk and honey mixture. 

Want to take it to another level? Add a splash of a delicious honey liqueur called Medica. You can find Burwood Distilling Medica at your local Calgary Co-op Wine Spirits Beer store. Top it all off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a deliciously complex-tasting latte. 

Spiked Peppermint Hot Chocolate
You can make this very artsy, or you can whip it up using instant cocoa. We promise that either way, you and your guests will want to have this instead of your basic hot chocolate any day. 

If you’re using instant hot chocolate, use both milk and water in the mix. Add an ounce of Peppermint Schnapps and half an ounce of Crème de Cacao per glass and top with marshmallows for a delicious minty treat. 

If you’re feeling inspired, you can make hot cocoa from scratch with chocolate chips, sugar and whole milk. Add an ounce (or more) of Crème de Cacao and Peppermint Schnapps. You can also pour an ounce of vodka into your mug if that’s more your thing. Be sure to try one of the many locally distilled options like Wild Life Vodka, Confluence Vodka or Park Distillery’s Classic Vodka (or Espresso Vodka!)

Traditional Hot Toddy
You can’t go wrong with this traditional hot toddy and they’re ridiculously simple to make, consisting of just honey, lemon juice, hot water and brandy, Alberta Premium Whisky or rum (even something like Captain Morgan Spiced Rum), garnished with a cinnamon stick or star anise. 

For a spicy or more flavourful edge, boil the water with the cinnamon or anise, rather than adding it at the end as a garnish. You could also go bold and swap the traditional liquors for a delicately flavoured but herbal gin like Eau Claire Equinox or their frankincense and myrrh-kissed Eau Claire Christmas Gin.

Grown Up Milk & Honey 
This recipe puts an adult twist to a child’s favorite hot drink. Best of all, it’s super simple to make. Heat milk and add an ounce and a half of Burwood Medica Honey Liqueur. You can garnish with a cinnamon stick or add it steeped chamomile tea with milk for a more complex drink.  

Hot Carruther's Irish Cream
Carruther's Irish-style Cream doesn’t even need to be mixed–it’s one of those liqueurs that is delicious on its own. This is another simple recipe to keep around for the holidays. Just add hot water to 2 ounces of Irish Cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. It’s just as easy as making tea, and absolutely delicious!  

Why not shake up your cocktail repertoire this winter season by nixing the shaker and ice cubes next time you have folks over, and getting hot?