15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (2024)

We love prioritizing all things warm and comfy—from lounging in fuzzy socks and slippers to cozyfying our beds, to—of course—hot drinks. After all, when the temperature drops, what's more soothing than wrapping frozen fingers around a piping hot mug of rich hot cocoa or spicy mulled wine?

Whether you're in the mood for eggnog, warm apple cider, a creamy caramel latté, or a spirited hot toddy, we have hot drink recipes to warm you up from the inside out. Make one (or several), grab a blanket, light a fire, and settle in until spring.

If mixing your own hot drink isn't for you, pick up a store-bought warming beverage or a bottle of wine for cold weather.

01of 15

Sweet and Spicy Mulled Wine

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (1)

This warm, boozy beverage is super simple to make and perfect for a crowd. Make a big batch, keep it warm on the stove, and let guests ladle it themselves. Thanks to a hearty dose of black peppercorns and spicy fresh ginger, this mulled wine recipe delivers a balanced (not sticky-sweet) co*cktail.

GET THE RECIPE

02of 15

Easy Chai Tea

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (2)

This café classic is easier to make than you think. Simply bring crushed spices, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and milk to a boil. Next, add tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. For an extra caffeine kick, add a shot of espresso for a DIY dirty chai.

GET THE RECIPE

03of 15

Spiced Vanilla Almond Milk

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (3)

This warm drink recipe calls for almond milk, but any milk, whether that's dairy or non-dairy, will work. If you don't have nutmeg in the pantry, swap it with a sprinkle of allspice or ginger.

GET THE RECIPE

04of 15

Warm Mulled Cider

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (4)

Aromatherapy meets delicious in this hot drink recipe! Simmer apple cider with mulling spices, orange zest, and ginger to make this warming drink that smells as good as it tastes. Sip while mulling over a good book to read on a cold winter day.

GET THE RECIPE

05of 15

Creamy Caramel Latté

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (5)

You can make this luscious latté without fancy ingredients, an espresso machine, or a milk frother. For a barista-quality beverage, replace espresso with extra-strong coffee from a French press or pour-over machine. Froth the milk in a Mason jar, and drizzle caramel sauce on top for an extra-sweet way to start the day.

GET THE RECIPE

06of 15

Mexican Hot Chocolate

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (6)

To turn up the heat in this winter classic, add an extra touch of ground cayenne pepper and cinnamon. This hot chocolate recipe calls for all-natural unsweetened cocoa, but you can use a package of hot cocoa mix in a pinch.

GET THE RECIPE

07of 15

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (7)

Change up your favorite hot chocolate by adding molasses and traditional gingerbread spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Mix up a batch in the slow cooker for your family and guests to sip all day (or night) long.

08of 15

Spiked Hot Apple Cider With Molasses

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (8)

Apple cider is a classic for good reason, but adding molasses, fresh ginger, and rum takes this fall favorite over the top. Pair with a cozy sweater and serve with pumpkin pie on the side.

GET THE RECIPE

09of 15

Magic Cocoa

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (9)

This hot chocolate recipe calls for just two ingredients, making it a speedy and effective antidote for winter chills. Just add cocoa candy melts or semisweet chocolate chips to hot milk, stir, and let the coziness begin.

GET THE RECIPE

10of 15

Chai Hot Toddy

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (10)

This unique, warmingco*cktail is worlds away from a traditional hot toddy. We punched up dark rum with a hearty dose of warming spices, milk, and black tea for a deep, complex flavor you'll love curling up with.

GET THE RECIPE

11of 15

Chai and Irish Cream

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (11)

All you need is the two titular ingredients to make a warming co*cktail you'll crave all winter long. Somehow, magic happens when a glug or two of Irish cream mingles in a mug of spicy, freshly brewed chai tea, resulting in rich, sweet, and creamy in every sip.

GET THE RECIPE

12of 15

Pink Hot Chocolate

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (12)

For a warm drink that's fun and whimsical, you can't beat a pink hot chocolate. To make it, start with grated sweet white chocolate, and then add your milk of choice with a bit of natural beet juice (instead of artificial dye) for color. Finish with whipped cream, a dash of cinnamon, and smiles all around.

GET THE RECIPE

13of 15

Spiked Cider Tea

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (13)

What happens when you mix hot apple cider, freshly brewed black tea, a little vanilla, and gin? This recipe answers that query with a cozy co*cktail that's flavorful, rich, and satisfying.

GET THE RECIPE

14of 15

Spiced Hot Toddy

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (14)

Created as a whiskey-based cure for colds and sniffles, today's hot toddy and its many variations are more than medicinal. To create this spicy version, we use honey to draw the flavor of baking spices—namely cardamom and star anise—into an infused simple syrup. Add bourbon, and let the healing begin.

GET THE RECIPE

15of 15

Easy Blender Eggnog

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (15)

To save time without sacrificing taste, use your blender to prepare this holiday classic. The recipe calls for whirling heavy cream, sugar, and nutmeg until frothy and then adding brandy (or Bourbon or cognac—or not). Serve warm.

GET THE RECIPE

15 Hot Drink Recipes to Heat Up Your Soul, With and Without Alcohol (2024)

FAQs

What are common hot drinks? ›

8 Hot Beverages that Will Warm Your Bones Over the Campfire
  • HOT CHOCOLATE. You know we had to include this. ...
  • IRISH COFFEE. ...
  • GINGER TEA. ...
  • MULLED WINE. ...
  • CHAI TEA. ...
  • HOT TODDY. ...
  • HONEY MILK. ...
  • SPIKED HOT APPLE CIDER.

Can you name some hot drinks? ›

More warm drinks

Espresso drinks like Cortado, Gibraltar, Breve, Latte, Americano, Macchiato, Cappuccino, Flat White, or Pumpkin Spice Latte. Coffee like Spanish Coffee, Pour Over Coffee, or Moka Pot Coffee. Tea drinks like How to Make Tea, French Press Tea, Perfect Tea Latte or 8 Tea Latte Recipes.

What hot drink gives you energy? ›

Green tea

Green tea packs enough caffeine to substitute for coffee, even if you're an avid coffee-drinker. Cozying up with a mug of something warm is half the appeal of coffee. Swap it for antioxidant-rich green tea, which still has plenty of caffeine for an energy boost.

What foods heat the body? ›

7 Food And Drinks Scientifically Proven To Warm You Up (And One That Won't)
  • Coffee. Would you believe us if we said iced coffee will heat you up best? ...
  • Fresh Ginger. “Break me off a piece 'o that ginger root.” ...
  • Cayenne Pepper. ...
  • Peanuts. ...
  • Brown Rice. ...
  • Coconut Oil. ...
  • Ice Water. ...
  • NOT Alcohol.

What is the most popular hot drink in the US? ›

Coffee is more popular than tea in the United States, with an estimated 83% of adults drinking coffee, compared to around 50% who drink tea.

What hot drink burns fat? ›

9. Oolong tea. Like other teas, it also contains caffeine, which helps promote weight and body fat loss. Drinking a few cups of green tea, oolong tea, or a combination of the two on a regular basis may promote fat loss and provide other beneficial health effects.

What hot drinks lower blood pressure? ›

Black or green tea may lower blood pressure, according to a 2020 review and meta-analysis. Meta-regression findings suggested that drinking more tea over extended periods of 3 months or more resulted in greater decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

What is the best hot drink at night? ›

Here are just 10 of the drinks you can make at home to help improve your sleep.
  • Warm Milk. ...
  • Almond Milk. ...
  • Malted Milk. ...
  • Valerian Tea. ...
  • Decaffeinated Green Tea. ...
  • Chamomile Tea. ...
  • Herbal Tea with Lemon Balm. ...
  • Pure Coconut Water.
Aug 12, 2016

What hot drink can I have instead of tea and coffee? ›

Other caffeine-free hot drinks
  • Hot spiced pear juice.
  • Hot pumpkin molasses mug.
  • Golden milk tea (This recipe uses turmeric and ginger, which are both in the “Foods Worth Trying” category.)
  • Vanilla almond steamer.
  • Hot spiced molasses mug.
  • Vanilla steamer.
Jan 14, 2022

What is a healthy morning drink? ›

Water and lemon

This will provide a healthy dose of immune-boosting vitamin C. If you crave a soothing hot drink first thing, simply go for the good old hot water and lemon. You can't go wrong. If this is a tad too bitter for your taste buds, try a small drop of honey to sweeten it.

What is the fastest way to warm up your body? ›

Go for a walk or a jog. If it's too cold outside, hit the gym, or just do some jumping jacks, pushups, or other exercises indoors. Not only will it warm you up, it helps build and keep your muscles, which also burn calories and make body heat.

How can I warm up my body fast? ›

Here are some activities you can try.
  1. Jumping jacks. While “getting your blood flowing” does help increase core body temperature, intense or long-term cardio exercise (such as running) can actually lead to a short-term decrease in skin temperature as you sweat. ...
  2. Walking. ...
  3. Putting your hands in your armpits. ...
  4. Clothing.
Jan 5, 2021

How can I make my body warm? ›

Drink warm beverages, such as warm water or hot tea. Bring blankets when traveling on the bus. When going outdoors, remember to bring clothes, hats, and gloves so that you can use them when needed in the cold season. Always protecting the body to avoid cold is the best measure to prevent hypothermia.

What is a good warm drink before bed? ›

Chamomile Tea: Chamomile tea, also known as "sleep tea," is the best choice, as the added herb has been scientifically proven to help people fall asleep quickly. Lemon Tea: Citrus fruits are also great for promoting sleep, so consider adding a bit of lemon juice or a few lemon slices in your drink.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 5985

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.