Cocktail recipes perfect for the cold nights ahead
Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned
Cozying up with this Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned. Homemade spiced chai simple syrup, mixed with warming bourbon, winter citrus, a touch of vanilla, and fizzy sparkling water. This old fashioned makes for the most perfect cozy fall and winter cocktail that everyone will love. Make the syrup ahead of time and keep in the fridge to mix up a quick drink in a moment’s notice. This will be your go-to this Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Chai Simple Syrup
- 4 chai tea bags
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chai Old Fashioned
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) bourbon
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 dash orange bitters
- 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) chai tea syrup
- sparkling water, for topping
- cinnamon and star anise, for serving (optional)
Instructions - Chai Simple Syrup
In a medium pot, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the chai tea bags, cover and steep 10-15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the maple syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Instructions - Old Fashioned
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, orange bitters, and 2 tablespoons of the chai syrup. Shake to combine.
2. Strain into a glass. If desired top with sparkling water. Garnish with cinnamon and star anise.
Recipe and photo by Tieghan Gerard
Cranberry Hot Toddy
This delicious Cranberry Hot Toddy recipe is lightly spiced with winter spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and orange. If you like mulled wine, you will LOVE this toddy recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1 mandarin orange, sliced
- 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
- 2 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 5 star anise
- 1/2 – 1 cup maple syrup, more, to taste
- 2-4 cups of bourbon, depending how strong you like your cocktails
Instructions
Pour the cranberry juice into a medium-sized pot. Add the mandarin orange slices, cinnamon sticks, ginger, peppercorns, cloves, and star anise and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Strain the juice to remove the spices.
4 cups unsweetened cranberry juice,1 mandarin orange,2 3-inch cinnamon sticks,2 inch piece of ginger,1 teaspoon black peppercorns,1 teaspoon whole cloves,5 star anise
Add a ½ cup of maple syrup to the pot. Taste and add more maple syrup, to taste.
Pour 1 ounce of bourbon into your glass and top with 1 ounce of the spiced cranberry juice.
2-4 cups of bourbon
Recipe and photo by The Endless Meal
Spiced Maple Bourbon Fizz
This Spiced Maple Bourbon Fizz is the perfect cozy cocktail. Homemade spiced maple syrup, mixed with warming bourbon, lemon, and orange, then topped off with bubbly champagne for that special November touch. Perfect for the cold nights ahead and upcoming Thanksgiving. Make a large batch to serve to family and friends over the holidays, this is so easy to create.
Ingredients
Spiced Maple Syrup
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon cardamon pods
- 1 star anise
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
- zest of 1 orange
Maple Fizz
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) bourbon
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1-2 dashes orange bitters
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) spiced maple syrup
- champagne, for topping
Instructions
1. To make the spiced maple syrup. In a medium pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the maple, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the orange zest. Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar. This syrup makes enough for about 6 drinks.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, the bourbon, lemon juice, and orange bitters. Add ice and shake. Strain into a glass. Top off with champagne. Garnish with an orange slice and star anise, if desired.
Recipe and photo by Tieghan Gerard