25 Hot Drinks for the Coziest Winter

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Let’s get cozy around the campfire with hot drinks that warm you from the inside out! 

We absolutely love hot drinks for winter. There’s just something about chasing the chill with a comforting, piping-hot mug of mulled cider, hot cocoa, or—especially!—a strong hot toddy.

3 Winter Cocktails in mugs

Fall and winter might have plenty of dark, dreary, and cold days, but if that gives us an excuse to load up on the warm winter drinks and hot fall cocktails, we’re in!

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There’s not much better than wrapping up in a blanket and heading out to the backyard bonfire with a hot drink in a big, cozy mug. So we thought we’d gather up some warm drink inspiration to help warm up these chilly days and nights. 

With recipes like chai hot chocolate, campfire mulled wine, spiced cider hot toddies, and more, there’s a warm winter drink for everyone!

Irish Hot Chocolate in a mug

Irish Hot Chocolate

What’s better than hot chocolate? Boozy hot chocolate! Rich Irish cream pairs perfectly with hot cocoa for this homemade Irish Hot Chocolate!

For two servings:
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
3 oz. Irish cream, divided
Toasted marshmallows

  1. Pour the milk into a small pot and gently heat over medium-low until steamy. Whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.
  2. Split between two mugs, then add 1.5 oz. Irish cream to each. Stir to combine. Serve with a toasted marshmallow and enjoy!
A blue enamel mug next to a bottle of whiskey

Bourbon Apple Cider

Bourbon brings warm, caramelly notes of flavor to mulled cider in this Spiked Bourbon Apple Cider. This hot apple cider is easy to scale up, and it’s a total crowd pleaser—in our opinion, it’s one of the best hot winter drinks for a crowd.

Two mugs of hot toddy clinking for a cheers

Classic Hot Toddy

The warm drink with a combination of whiskey, tea, honey, and lemon is a classic for a reason! This Hot Toddy recipe couldn’t be more perfect for sipping around the campfire on a chilly evening. 

Homemade apple cider in a mug.

Homemade Apple Cider

Yes, you can make amazing Homemade Apple Cider yourself! Fresh apples, oranges, ginger, and spices cook together to make the most amazing apple cider you’ve ever tried.

A pot of mold wine with oranges and cinnamon sticks sitting on a campfire

Campfire Mulled Wine

Make this Mulled Wine over the campfire, then enjoy it as you cozy up near the flames! This spiced hot red wine is easy to make and couldn’t be more perfect for cold-weather sipping.

Two mason jar mugs filled with frothy spiced chai latte are topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, and star anise; they sit on a light surface dusted with cinnamon next to a white cloth.

Cozy Hot Buttered Rum

This decadent hot drink is one of the best winter cocktails of all time. Cozy Hot Buttered Rum is made one serving at a time (but can can be scaled up to three servings)—so no need to make and store a big bucket of hot buttered rum mix. Impromptu warm winter drinks for the win!

A ceramic mug filled with hot chocolate, topped with toasted marshmallows, has chocolate drips down the side, a spoon nearby on a white cloth, and a softly focused background.

Extra Creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

If you’re like so many and avoid dairy, you don’t need to avoid hot chocolate! This luxuriously creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate uses coconut milk and almond milk, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar (which adds a wonderful caramel note). It simmers together easily in a pan, which makes it a perfect camping cocktail to make over the fire. Then toast some marshmallows for serving over the top!

A glass mug with deep red juice garnished with lemon sits on a cloth next to a cutting board with lemon slices and ginger, while a small bowl of blueberries and a spoon rest on a red cloth in the background.

Blueberry Ginger Hot Toddy

When you’re craving warm winter drinks but want a fruity spin, this Blueberry Ginger Hot Toddy is the solution! Fresh blueberries and ginger are simmered with boiling water, then muddled and strained. Lemon, honey, and bourbon complete the cozy scene.

A creamy cappuccino in a yellow mug sits on a wooden table, garnished with a cinnamon stick and dusted with cocoa powder, alongside a metal sifter, a jar of coffee beans, a glass container with syrup, and an espresso machine.

Gingerbread Latte

If you’re looking for a hot drink that’s caffeinated (and delicious!), how about a Gingerbread Latte? With steamed milk, espresso, and gingerbread syrup, it’s an extra cozy way to fuel the day.

A mason jar with hot cocoa and a ¼ cup scoop inside. The label reads “hot cocoa, use ¼ cup hot cocoa per cup hot water.”

Easy Hot Cocoa Mix

Whip up a batch of this Easy Hot Cocoa Mix for thick, rich, and chocolatey hot cocoa whenever you want it! Just add hot water (and marshmallows!) for one of the easiest hot drinks around.

A warm drink in a glass with a cinnamon stick sits on a dark slate coaster, accompanied by a lit candle and a pear nearby, with another similar drink visible in the background.

Spiced Pear Cider

Spiced Pear Cider is a spin on mulled cider, using sweet pear juice instead of apple. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves make this warm winter drink perfect for the season.

A glass mug filled with hot apple cider is garnished with a cinnamon stick, surrounded by apples and autumn leaves.

Spiced Apple Hot Toddy

Mulled cider with hot toddy vibes! This mash-up drink brings mulled cider, honey, and brandy together for a hot winter drink that’s great for sipping at home but also makes a great camping cocktail.

A glass mug of hot mulled wine with steam rising, a slice of lemon on the rim, and a cinnamon stick inside sits on a wooden table next to a sprig of evergreen and red plaid fabric.

Gluhwein

This simple mulled red wine recipe will make you feel like you’re strolling through a German holiday market! With light red wine simmered with a clove-studded orange, cinnamon, lemon peel, and sugar, then amped up with brandy, this Gluhwein recipe is a hot fall cocktail that packs a punch.

Nutella hot chocolate in a mug next to pinecones

Nutella Hot Chocolate

We all know Nutella is delicious, but did you know it also makes an unbelievably delicious hot cocoa?! Bonus: With only three ingredients, Nutella Hot Chocolate is super simple and easy to make.

A glass mug filled with hot apple cider is garnished with a cinnamon stick and apple slice, placed on a wooden board, with a sliced apple and a bowl of cinnamon sticks in the background on a blue surface.

Apple Cinnamon Tea

Sweet fresh apples are simmered with water, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and maple syrup in this homemade Apple Cinnamon Tea recipe. Bonus: This is a warm drink that will make your house smell amazing!

A glass jar filled with red sangria, containing slices of orange, apple, and a sprig of rosemary sits on a white napkin with an open lid, and a slice of orange is visible in the background.

Fall Sangria with Apple Cider, Red Wine & Bourbon (Hot or Iced)

This flexible Fall Sangria recipe can be served hot or iced! With red wine, oranges, apples, apple cider, bourbon, ginger, cinnamon, and rosemary, it couldn’t be more winter themed if it tried. 

A festive white mug decorated with colorful holiday gnomes and polka dots is filled with hot chocolate and topped with marshmallows, while a blurred mug and blanket are visible in the background.

Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Make the whole crowd feel cozy with a big pot full of warm hot chocolate! This Crockpot Hot Chocolate is one of those warm drinks that’ll take you from the early days of fall through to the end of winter. Snowy days, holidays, playdates… this one’s a hit with all ages!

A mug and a jar of pumpkin butter on a log

Spiked Pumpkin Chai

With warming spices and fall’s favorite flavor, pumpkin, this creamy Pumpkin Spice Chai Cocktail hits all the cozy cocktail marks! Made with chai tea, milk, pumpkin butter, and whiskey, this is one of those warm winter drinks that’ll have you feeling toasty from your head to your toes. 

Two clear glass mugs contain creamy coffee topped with whipped cream, accompanied by a cinnamon stick and set against a background of another mug, a red cloth, and blurred festive lights.

Eggnog Latte

Step away from the coffee shop and make your Eggnog Latte at home—it’s easy! With espresso or strong coffee, eggnog, brown sugar, vanilla, rum extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, this latte’s a winter warmer through and through.

On a marble surface, two clear mugs filled with spiced apple cider feature apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise, accompanied by fresh apples and a red-striped cloth.

Slow Cooker Spiked Apple Cider

This Slow Cooker Spiked Apple Cider is actually perfect for all ages. It’s served up in the slow cooker with a bottle of brandy alongside as an optional addition that transforms it into a hot fall cocktail for the adults. With oranges, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves, it’s warmly spiced and perfect for the season.

A person in a cozy gray sweater holds a glass mug filled with hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and crushed peppermint, against a softly blurred background.

Cozy Homemade Peppermint Mocha

An easy homemade mocha zipped up with mint syrup, this Cozy Homemade Peppermint Mocha is a wonderful hot winter drink for when you’re craving a treat. Perfect for holiday mornings and fueling gift-wrapping nights!

A mug of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows sits on a white plate with a spoon, surrounded by scattered marshmallows, with a bowl of chocolate chips and a pot in the background.

Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips

If you have milk in the fridge and chocolate chips in the pantry, you have all you need to make this Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips! This hot drink is easy and fast to make, perfect for gathering around an impromptu backyard bonfire. 

Michael pouring ginger apple cider from a pot into a mug

Ginger Apple Cider

This spicy spin on mulled cider, with fresh ginger thrown into the mix, makes for hot apple cider that truly warms you from the inside out. Ginger Apple Cider is simple to make, too, calling for only five ingredients (six if you want to make it a hot fall cocktail by adding whiskey).

Two white mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and star anise, surrounded by scattered spices, a dark napkin, and measuring spoons in the background.

Chai Hot Chocolate

This Chai Hot Chocolate is a warm fall drink that delivers on the cozy factor! With hot chocolate AND chai tea, it’s double the comfort. This one’s dairy-free and paleo but delicious for all.

A glass mug of creamy chai tea garnished with mint leaves sits on a wooden table, with a stack of books and autumn leaves in the background.

Peppermint Chai

With chai spices, black tea, and zippy peppermint, this warming sipper is an excellent hot fall drink (or winter drink too!) This one’s a very flexible recipe, with options for making without the tea for a decaf version, or you can switch up the sweetener and/or spices.

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6 Comments

  1. Had the whiskey spiked chai hot toddy after a New Year’s Day hike. Just the ticket for a great way to warm up!

  2. JoanneWhiting says:

    Your recipe will help me for this season winter to keep warm . Thank you for sharing dear. I love cocktail and feels to take a sip now

  3. Linda Witte says:

    All three are great! Tried them all in the last few weeks. Keep up the amazing recipes! Can’t wait for summer to try some on my adventures! http://www.wittesworld.com

  4. Oleg Gordeev says:

    Thank you for the winter recipes! The temperature is -10 Celsius in my place. It’s high time for a cup of mulled red wine to warm up!

  5. Just found your blog & I friggin love it! Thank you!

    1. Fresh Off the Grid says:

      You are very welcome!