A hot drink on a chilly day warms the soul and brings cheer to dark December. In the Aegean city where I live, we rarely get snow, but the last week we’ve seen lots of rain. Cold, cloudy afternoons find us inside enjoying our Christmas lights and sipping something warm. My family’s favorites are hot apple cider, spiced chai latte and peppermint white chocolate mocha.
Here are recipes for you to try. They’re just a wee bit of extra trouble, but oh-so-worth it.
Hot Apple Cider
1 liter apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
5-6 cloves
1 piece of dried orange peel
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP molasses
1 tea bag
Juice of ½ orange
Add all the ingredients except for the orange juice to a pot, and let it simmer 20-30 minutes. Add an extra cup of water to prevent it from boiling down too much. Add orange juice before serving.
Spiced Chai Latte
To make chai spice mix, grind the following in a spice mill or coffee grinder:
1 TBSP cardamom seeds
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
Store in the refrigerator for maximum freshness and use it to make chai latte.
Boil ½ tsp. of the spice mix in 2 ½ cups of water for 5 minutes. Add 3 tea bags. Turn off, cover and let the tea steep for 5 minutes. Add 1½ cups milk and bring to a simmer. Add 1 TBSP sugar and stir. Pour through a tea strainer into cups and serve hot.
Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
2 heaping TBSP white chocolate chips
2 mini candy canes, crushed
2/3 cup brewed coffee
1/3 cup 2 % milk
Optional: Whipped cream and crushed candy canes
Put the white chocolate chips in a large mug and heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Add the crushed mini candy canes and the hot coffee. Stir for a few minutes until the chocolate and candy canes are dissolved. Add the milk and reheat in the microwave. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with crushed candy cane if desired.
expectantlylistening says
Have a great weekend! We love hot apple too, I hadn’t thought to add a tea bag before though – I’ll try that next time, perhaps this weekend! Hot chocolate made with milk is another favourite here.
betsydecruz says
What REALLY makes it, in my opinion, is the dried orange peel. The tea bag idea I got from a Kiwi (New Zealand) friend. 🙂 We love hot chocolate around here, too.
Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Betsy,
Hoping you are having a nice time away! The Peppermint white chocolate mocha is calling my name…gotta give it a try! Advent blessings to you,
Bev xx
betsydecruz says
You too, Bev. I hope you like the peppermint white chocolate mocha.
Jeannie says
That peppermint white chocolate mocha also sounds wonderful. Thanks for the recipes!
betsydecruz says
Thanks for stopping by, Jeannie.
Renee Griffin says
These recipes sound so stinkin’ good!
betsydecruz says
We love them!
Abby says
Mmmmm…Betsy. You are making me smile with this post. One of my favorites is peppermint mocha. Warm drinks make me so happy this time of year! Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes. I am bookmarking these for sure.
betsydecruz says
My daughter especially likes the peppermint mocha too, Abby.