Whether you’re having guests round this Christmas or simply looking for a hot drink to warm you upon an evening, a winter warmer is a great idea this festive season. From mulled wine to hot toddies, there’s plenty of great recipes to try out when the temperature drops. Express.co.uk has spoken to some of the biggest brands to find the best cocktails to dazzle your visitors or brighten up a cold winter’s night.
Spiced Passionfruit Gin Punch
This seasonal punch combines the exotic flavours of Kopparberg Passionfruit & Orange Gin with the aromatic flavours of ginger and bitters to create the perfect warming cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 50ml Kopparberg Passionfruit & Orange Gin
- 200ml ginger beer
- 2 drops angostura bitters
- Cinnamon stick and orange wheel to garnish
Method:
Pour 50ml Kopparberg Passionfruit & Orange Gin over cubed ice.
Top with ginger beer and 2 drops of angostura bitters and stir gently to ensure ingredients are combined.
Garnish with an orange wheel and stick of cinnamon. Skål!
Candy Cane Lane
Ingredients:
- 50ml GREY GOOSE® vodka
- 30ml Fresh espresso
- 20ml Candy cane/peppermint syrup
- Crushed candy canes
Method:
Crush candy canes onto a small plate.
Wet the rim of your glass and gently dip the rim onto the plate, ensuring it gets a nice coating.
Fill a cocktail shaker with a 50ml (double shot) measure of GREY GOOSE® vodka, espresso, and candy cane syrup.
Shake and strain the liquid into your glass and enjoy.
Juniperium Winter Negroni
Ingredients:
25ml Junimperium Winter Gin,
25ml Sweet Vermouth ( we recommend Cocchi Dopo Teatro)
20ml Campari
hot hibiscus tea
Method:
Add your winter gin, sweet vermouth and Campari into a mug or heatproof glass.
Pour over the hibiscus tea, stir and enjoy.
Hot Spiced Apple
Ingredients:
- 150ml Hendrick’s Gin
- 750ml spiced apple juice
- 2 cloves
- 2 crushed cardamom
- 2 star anise
- Juniper berries
- Peel of 1 orange
Method:
Simmer the apple juice with spices in a pan, add Hendrick’s Gin then strain into a tankard or teacup.
Garnish with three slices of apple and a dusting of nutmeg.
Coconut Rum Hot Chocolate
Warming and decadent, this hot chocolate will keep your insides toasty long after enjoying. Use coconut milk for a lovely dairy free alternative.
Ingredients:
- 50ml Aluna Coconut
- rich drinking chocolate
- coconut milk
Method:
Stir Aluna into the hot chocolate or serve as a shot to sip neat alongside it.
Spiced Honey Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
- 25 ml Burning Barn Spiced Rum
- 25 ml Burning Barn Honey & Rum Liqueur
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon of honey
Method:
Add all the ingredients to your favourite mug and top with boiling water.
Add a slice of lemon and slice of fresh ginger, then sit back with your feet up!
Hot Buttered Gin
Ingredients:
- 35ml 58 Gin London Dry
- 50ml Cloudy Apple Juice
- 10ml Monin Gingerbread syrup
- 10ml Benedictine
- 5ml Honey
- Teaspoon of butter
- Gingerbread for garnish
Method:
Warm all ingredients in a small saucepan or on a steam wand. Pour into a teacup and garnish with a gingerbread.
Mulled Gin Cider
Or if you don’t want to make your own, London’s sustainable 58 Gin Distillery has developed a pouch of ready-made fresh mulled gin cider.
Just heat up to the recommended serving temperature of 60C, and enjoy its heady, spicy aroma. Once opened the cider will stay fresh for 48 hours.
Carmen O’Neal, Managing Director, 58 Gin says: “Spiced warming drinks are synonymous with Christmas and we wanted to offer our customers something different from the traditional mulled wine”.
“Apples and gin are a perfect flavour combination, the taste profiles work so well together and with the spices thrown in, this is a perfect all-natural winter warming treat you can enjoy while dancing to some Christmas jingles.”