A hot cocktail is a great way to beat the winter doldrums with a bit of indulgence. And with more people opting to socialize outdoors during the pandemic, these warm libations can also help stave off the chill. Here are seven hot cocktail recipes we like.
The Sultan
(shown atop)
1 ½ oz. High West campfire whiskey
½ oz. Utah honey
½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Scrappy’s Seville orange bitters
3 oz. Hot water
Combine and stir honey, hot water and lemon juice in a glass. Add the bitters and whiskey. Garnish with cinnamon, an orange peel, and fresh-grated nutmeg.
The mixologists at The Brass Tag in Deer Valley, UT, created this recipe.
Brown Butter Toddy
1 ½ oz. Brown butter-washed rum*
1 tbsp. Honey
1 Lemon wedge
Cinnamon stick
Black tea
Combine rum and honey with juice from a lemon wedge in a mug. Steep a black tea in boiling water for 2 minutes then pour into the mug. Garnish with a lemon or orange peel, skewered with a clove around a cinnamon stick.
* For Brown butter-washed rum
(makes enough for 3 cocktails; most aged liquor will work, such as bourbon, Cognac or even Scotch)
Combine 1 ½ tbsps. of brown butter (melted butter that’s begun to brown) with 3 ½ oz. of aged rum in a container. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and strain to remove butter solids.
The mixologists at Troutbeck in Amenia, NY, created this recipe.
Adult Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
8 oz. Chocolate chips
1 cup Whole milk
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
4 drops Red food coloring (or more if deeper color desired)
1 oz. Vanilla- or cream-flavored vodka
In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the chocolate chips. Once they start to melt, start adding in the milk, while stirring with a silicone covered whisk. Stir until all melted and smooth. Bring to a low boil, stirring often, and add flavored vodka, red food coloring. Stir and cook for about a minute. Serve it in a clear cappuccino cup and top it off with whipped cream and more chocolate chips.
The mixologists at Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, IL, created this recipe.
Blackberry Lemon Pancake Hot Toddy
1 ½ oz. Gentleman Jack or other whiskey
½ oz. Maple syrup
½ oz. Blackberry jelly
¼ oz. Concentrated lemon juice
8 oz. Hot water
Combine all ingredients in glass. Stir until dissolved. Garnish with lemon and blueberries.
The mixologists at Lumac at The Bristol Hotel in Bristol, VA, created this recipe.
Southern Pecan Toddy
2 oz. Cathead Pecan vodka
½ oz. Hoodoo Chicory liqueur
½ oz. Ceylon black tea syrup*
Dash Angostura bitters
Combine all ingredients in a coffee cup. Add 3 oz. hot water. Express orange peel on top and discard. Garnish with cinnamon stick.
*For Ceylon black tea syrup
1 bag Ceylon black tea (apple Ceylon if you can find it)
⅓ cup Boiling water
Cover and let it steep for 5 minutes. Measure out tea and add equal amount of sugar.
The mixologists at Cathead created this recipe.
Sun in Sagittarius
2 oz. Monkey 47 Gin
3 oz. Hot apple cider
¼ oz. Fresh lemon juice
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine hot apple cider with gin, lemon juice and bitters. Garnish with a lemon wheel and any aromatics you have on hand, such as cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, etc.
The mixologists at Monkey 47 created this recipe.
Hot Buttered Rum Runner
2 oz. Kirk and Sweeney 12 Reserva rum
1 tbsp. Hot buttered rum batter*
3-4 oz. Hot water
Place hot buttered rum batter in the bottom of an Irish coffee glass or mug. Pour in rum and top with hot (not boiling) water. Stir, garnish with a cinnamon stick and enjoy hot.
*For Hot buttered rum batter:
Stir 1 lb. of butter, 2 ¼ cups packed brown sugar, 2 cups sugar, 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground cloves and 1 tsp. ground nutmeg in a bowl to combine. Add 1 qt. of softened vanilla ice cream and stir again. Use immediately or freeze for future libations.
The mixologists at 3 Badge Beverage Corp. created this recipe.