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31 Delicious Winter Drinks

Warm up winter with a special mocha, hot cider, mulled wine, glass of bubbly, or fizzy mocktail.

Sunset Staff

While every season has its selection of delicious seasonal drinks, winter’s lineup is particularly stacked. With all the spices, sweets, and fruits connected to the season, plus the added decadence of hot drinks, winter brings with it lots of opportunities to create impressive drinks that really taste like the season.

For boozy drinks, mulled wines and spiced ciders are always good, perfect for big gatherings, and full of spice and holiday flavor. Of course, there are plenty of new twists on the classics too, like a coconut eggnog or a hot mojito tea.

Or if you’re looking for something a little more family-friendly, you can go classic with all kinds of hot chocolate, from white chocolate with marshmallows to rich chocolate with vanilla bean and caramel sauce, or a non-alcoholic take on a classic Christmas kir. But there are also new creations like a hot cranberry and ginger punch with lime for a little acidity, and a fall take on a hot cider, with honey and star anise. And with a splash of your favorite spirit, most of these can be turned into adult drinks anyways.

All of these drinks recipes are great for any winter day, whether you’re at a big holiday gathering or just spending a cozy night in away from the cold.

1 /31 Iain Bagwell

Layered Mocha

Sip hot chocolate through layers of hot espresso and thick, cold cream in this deconstructed mocha.

Recipe: Layered Mocha

2 /31 Thomas J. Story

Orange-Scented Mulled Wine

Warm coriander and pungent cardamom―instead of the usual cinnamon―give this traditional spiced wine an earthy floral twist.

Inspired by Megan Nordtvedt, Seattle

Recipe: Orange-Scented Mulled Wine

3 /31 Thomas J. Story

Cranberry and Spice Tea “Toddies”

Perfect for revelers of all ages, this lightly sweet herbal tea goes well with cookies and other desserts.

Inspired by Dianne Yoss, Tustin, CA

Recipe: Cranberry and Spice Tea “Toddies”

4 /31 Thomas J. Story

Coconut Eggnog

Try this rich Puerto Rican–style treat with or without the rum.

Inspired by Mike Siwek, Phoenix

Recipe: Coconut Eggnog

5 /31 Thomas J. Story

Pomegranate Fizzies

You can throw these sparklers―dressed-up kir royales―together as guests walk in the door.

Inspired by Cassandra LaValle, Seattle

Recipe: Pomegranate Fizzies

6 /31 Thomas J. Story

Warm Apple Pie Cocktail

This dessert-themed beverage, a cousin of rum punch, lives up to its evocative name.

Inspired by Elizabeth Hummert, Boise

Recipe: Warm Apple Pie Cocktail

7 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Brandied Hot Chocolate

On a chilly day, our grown-up version–rich with bittersweet chocolate and punched up with French brandy–will warm you to your toes.

Recipe: Brandied Hot Chocolate

8 /31 Scott Peterson

Thanksgiving Star Cider

Our favorite new holiday beverage is a delicious hot cider made with honey and steeped with dried hibiscus blossoms.

Recipe: Thanksgiving Star Cider

9 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Pear Tree

A tart, refreshing, nonalcoholic drink that’s appealing to mojito fans.

Recipe: Pear Tree

10 /31 Leigh Beisch

Pear Sidecar

This sweet (but not too sweet) drink should be made one at a time in a cocktail shaker. Energetic shaking and a proper drink-to-ice ratio―possible only in a shaker―are key: The ice dilutes and softens the cocktail, encouraging the otherwise sharp flavors to meld together.

Recipe: Pear Sidecar

11 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Negroni

Much of a negroni’s flavor comes from Campari, a bitter Italian aperitif.

Recipe: Negronis

12 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Marmalade Sours

This take on a classic whiskey sour uses marmalade in lieu of simple syrup to sweeten the mix. The extra citrus flavor and chewy bits of orange peel will convert any neophyte to the magic of this versatile drink.

Recipe: Marmalade Sours

13 /31 Iain Bagwell

Spiced Rum Cider

Steep warm spices in cider, then spike the drink with a generous dose of dark rum.

Recipe: Spiced Rum Cider

14 /31 James Carrier

Mulled Cranberry Wine Punch

Replace red wine with apple juice and omit liqueur to make a non-alcoholic punch.

Recipe: Mulled Cranberry Wine Punch

15 /31 James Carrier

Hot Cranberry-Ginger Punch

Cranberry juice gets infused with a kick of ginger and spiked with lime juice for a warming winter drink that the whole family can enjoy.

Recipe: Hot Cranberry-Ginger Punch

16 /31 Alex Farnum

Hot White Chocolate

It’s everything we love about dessert, only more portable and fun to hold in your hands.

Recipe: Hot White Chocolate

17 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Champagne Cocktails

Once a widely popular and sophisticated drink, the Champagne Cocktail fell out of favor for decades, deemed sweet and silly. We find it to be neither. The sugar and bitters balance the natural acidity of sparkling wine, and the cocktail pairs very well with both creamy cheese and earthy mushrooms.

Recipe: Champagne Cocktails

18 /31 James Carrier

Infused Vodkas

Our infusions range from traditional caraway to updated saffron-orange.

Recipe: Infused Vodkas

19 /31 James Carrier

Crimson Spice Champagne Cocktail

Lemon-lime or club soda can be used in place of cognac and Champagne for a nonalcoholic version.

Recipe: Crimson Spice Champagne Cocktail

20 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Sparkling Spice Mocktail

A lively, aromatic, fizzy fluteful that makes a good non-alcoholic stand-in for a kir royale.

Recipe: Sparkling Spice Mocktail

21 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Upside-Down Martini

Combine Interrobang Recipe No. 73 white vermouth, London dry gin such as Tanqueray, Angostura bitters and a lemon twist to make this drink.

Recipe: Upside-Down Martini

22 /31 Annabelle Breakey

West Coast Manhattan

Combine Matthiasson sweet vermouth, rye whiskey, and orange bitters to create this drink.

Recipe: West Coast Manhattan

23 /31 Annabelle Breakey

Wine Country Americano

Make this cocktail with Vya sweet vermouth, Aperol, and brut sparkling wine.

Recipe: Wine Country Americano

24 /31 Time Inc. Food Studios

Christmas Kir

This wintertime take on the classic French aperitif substitutes cranberry elements for crème de cassis.

Recipe: Christmas Kir

25 /31 Time Inc. Food Studios

Mocha Nog

This decadent spin on egg nog involves chocolate, Kahlua, and Frangelico.

Recipe: Mocha Nog

26 /31 Time Inc. Food Studios

Hot Mojito Tea

Mojitos are traditionally served cold. In this winter party-ready version, we’ve turned the temperature up but still keep the mood tropical with mint sprig and lime slice garnishes.

Recipe: Hot Mojito Tea

27 /31 Time Inc. Food Studios

Sleepy Hollow Cider

Pumpkin- and vanilla bean-infused vodka mixed with spiced cider forms the ultimate cool-season drink.

Recipe: Sleepy Hollow Cider

28 /31 Time Inc. Food Studios

Totally Decadent Hot Chocolate

If the combo of chocolate and vanilla bean wasn’t enough to get your attention, we’ve got two words for you: caramel sauce. As in, mixed in.

Recipe: Totally Decadent Hot Chocolate

29 /31 Caitlin Bensel

Cranberry-Wine Aperitif

We recommend making this at least one week ahead (or even up to four weeks in advance) for maximum flavor.

Recipe: Cranberry-Wine Aperitif

30 /31 Mulled Pineapple Wine Punch

Mulled Pineapple Wine Punch

This fruity punch is made with a dry white and a dessert wine, but for a nonalcoholic version, you can substitute white grape juice for the wines.

Recipe: Mulled Pineapple Wine Punch

31 /31 Caitlin Bensel

Aromatic Ginger Tea

A cardamom- and ginger-warmed tea that can be served hot (with milk) or on ice.

Recipe: Aromatic Ginger Tea