There’s nothing better than a cozy drink to warm you up in the cold! Here are the best winter drinks, from boozy to sweet hot chocolate.

Best winter drinks

If you’re not a cold weather person, here’s our winter survival tip: winter drinks! Yes, it’s possible for hot drinks to make up for some of the warmth the sun’s rays. Snuggle up with a fuzzy blanket and one of these drinks, and you’ll be channeling inner cozy in no time!

Here Alex and I put together all our best winter drink recipes for when the days are gray and the evenings are chilly. There’s everything from winter cocktails like our jewel-toned apple cider sangria, to hot drinks like our spiced mulled cider and homemade hot chocolate. We’ve even got that old favorite the hot toddy, perfect for sipping on a cold winter’s night.

And now, our best winter drinks!

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Mulled cider

Top Winter Drinks: Mulled Apple Cider & More!


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Description

The epitome of cozy winter drinks, mulled hot apple cider is seriously easy to make at home! It’s infused with spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 10 allspice berries
  • 10 cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ gallon apple cider*
  • ¼ cup rum, optional
  • 1 small orange, for garnish
  • Whole cranberries, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add the nutmeg, allspice, cloves, star anise and cinnamon to the bottom of a pot. Toast over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. (If you have a slow cooker or Instant Pot, go to Slow Cooker Apple Cider for the next step.)
  2. Turn the heat to low. Pour in the apple cider and bring to below a simmer, just barely bubbling. Warm for 1 hour on low heat (don’t let it simmer). Skim off any particulate if desired, or stir to re-incorporate it.
  3. If using, stir in the rum. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries, then serve.
  • Category: Drinks
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Winter Drinks, Winter Drink Recipes, Mulled Apple Cider, Apple Cider with Mulling Spices

More drink recipes

Of course, we’ve got more where those came from! Here are a few wintery drink recipes you might enjoy:

Last updated: December 2020

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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