8 Cold-Weather Libations That’ll Take You From Cold To Cozy In Minutes

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Santa and his raindeers have come and gone, but it’s still cold as heck outside. Unfortunately, we no longer have Christmas music and the promise of holiday vacation to get us through these frosty winter days. That’s why we’ve decided to swap out our traditional Moscow mules and vodka sodas for these eight cold-weather cocktails that promise to warm us up (and lift us up) in an instant. Whether you’re a fan of spiked coffees, hot wine or beer, we’ve got something for you on this list. Just because the holidays are over, that doesn’t mean that we should stop celebrating the New Year!

1. Il Bombardino

Francesca Broggini

This is the go-to cocktail for avid skiers in the Italian Alps. It’s the perfect way to warm up after a long day of skiing — or commuting in frigid weather. The drink is reminiscent of eggnog and it’s made with brandy, egg liquor (like Vov or Zabov) whipped cream and cinnamon. It’s a tried-and-true sweet indulgence that’ll warm you from the inside out. This Bombardino recipe from Eataly shows you exactly how to make the libation.

2. Glühwein

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Glühwein is German mulled wine and a wine lover’s dream come true. It’s popular in cold-weather countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. The warming drink is traditionally served at Christmas markets, but there’s no reason that we shouldn’t be sipping on it post-holidays. To make this libation you’ll need dry red wine (like Merlot, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon), water, granulated sugar, a medium orange, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise. To give the drink an added kick, opt to add rum or amaretto. This Glühwein recipe from Kitchn will get you on your way to making the perfect warming wine that you crave.

3. Amaretto Coffee

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This winter cocktail combines amaretto liqueur with strong coffee, various spices and whipped cream. If you’re looking for a drink that’ll give you the guts to go dancing in your favorite LBD (Little Black Dress) in the dead of winter, this is the one. If you’re not familiar with amaretto liqueur, here’s the lowdown. Amaretto is a sweet Italian liqueur that originated in Soronno, Italy. It has a distinct almond-like taste and can be used to add flavor to both alcoholic beverages and desserts like Tiramisu. To make amaretto coffee, you’ll need amaretto liqueur, black coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and whipped cream and cinnamon sticks for garnish. Check out this amaretto Coffee recipe from the Food Network for a detailed list of instructions.

4. Hot White Russian

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We’re big fans of the White Russian cocktail in general. What’s not to like about a mixture of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream? Although the traditional White Russian recipe calls for serving the drink on ice, we’re not so keen on drinking it cold during these frigid winter months. That’s where this heated-up version of the cocktail comes in. It’s made with the exact same ingredients, except that the coffee will be warm, not cold and the cream is warmed up in a saucepan. Here’s the full cocktail recipe from The Spicy Apron.

5. Mulled Ale

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Mulled wine gets all the hype, but beer-lovers will rejoice in knowing that a similar cold-weather drink can be made with ale. Mulled ale has been popular since the sixteen hundreds, hence it’s frequent appearance in medieval saga “Game of Thrones.” To make this cold-busting drink you’ll need ale, brown sugar, cloves, star anise, ground nutmeg, brandy, orange peel and cinnamon sticks to garnish. Get the full mulled ale recipe from Craft Beering.

6. Coquito

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This coconut-flavored libation is a traditional holiday drink in Puerto Rico. It’s made with white rum, condensed and evaporated milk, cream of coconut and cinnamon. You can also add vanilla extract to make it taste even sweeter. It’s super easy to make — it’ll take you a maximum of ten minutes and all you’ll need is a blender. Try this Coquito recipe from Simply Recipes the next time you host your friends for pre-drinks.

7. Whiskey Skin

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If you’re a whiskey-drinker and you’re sick of having limited options when it comes to cold-weather cocktails that aren’t sweet as heck (we’re looking at you, eggnog), then this drink is perfect for you. The cocktail is typically made with boiling water, Scotch, sugar and lemon peel. This Whisky Skin recipe from Liquor.com is easy to follow and will warm you up in minutes.

8. Snow Cap

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As you could probably guess by its name, this is the perfect winter cocktail to make on a snow day. This Snow Cap recipe from The Cocktail Project requires only five ingredients: half & half, whiskey, triple sec, sugar syrup and ice cubes. Garnish the end product with nutmeg and orange peel to make it look extra classy.

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