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4 Hot Drink Recipes to Make this Winter

Hot drinks in mugs

If your seasonal plans involve curling up on the sofa with a warm mug to catch up reading or watch favorite holiday movies (*raises hand high*), then we think you’re going to love this roundup of hot beverages that are deliciously easy to pull together.

Read on for four hot drink recipes to help you stay blissfully cozy on blustery winter nights.

Champurrado (Mexican Chocolate Atole)

Champurrado is a thick, hot chocolate-like drink. It is a type of Mexican atole, traditionally made with masa de maiz or masa harina.

Champurrado

Recipe courtesy of Crate and Barrel associate Mariela Perez, Brand Marketing

PREP:
10 minutes
COOK:
20 minutes
YIELD:
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 36 ounces whole milk
  • 1 tablet Abuelita chocolate
  • 2 ounces piloncillo or dark brown sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ cup Maseca white corn flour
  • ¾ cup water, room temperature

Directions

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the milk, cinnamon stick and piloncillo. Once it begins to bubble, lower the heat and add the chocolate. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate dissolves.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the water and corn flour until the flour is completely dissolved. Strain the mixture into another medium bowl.
  3. Slowly pour the corn flour mixture into the pot, stirring constantly. Continue to stir the champurrado over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve it hot, preferably in a Mexican clay mug.

Hanukkah Hot Toddy

This is a perfect hot beverage to enjoy after a long day or as a nightcap. It’s also great with Hanukkah gelt or Sufganiyot, the traditional jelly donuts served during Hanukkah.

Hanukkah Hot Todday

Recipe courtesy of Crate and Barrel associate Dana E. Lerner, Brand Marketing

PREP:
5 minutes
COOK:
5 minutes
YIELD:
2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon
  • 1½ cup water
  • 3 ounces whiskey
  • 4–5 teaspoons honey, to taste
  • 2 cinnamon sticks or 4 star anise pods

Directions

  1. Thinly slice half of the lemon, creating rounds that you’ll use as a garnish. Juice the other half of the lemon.
  2. In a teapot or saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Divide the hot water between two mugs. To each mug, add 1 ½ ounces of whiskey. Stir in 2–3 teaspoons of honey and lemon juice, to taste. Garnish each hot toddy with a lemon slice and a cinnamon stick or a couple of star anise pods.

Ponche Navideño (Mexican Christmas Punch)

Ponche is typically enjoyed in Mexico around the holiday season and is made in large batches to serve the entire family. Ponche traditionally includes sugarcane, tamarind, tejocotes and guavas, which you can usually find in the frozen food section or at your local Mexican or Asian grocery store. Although the recipe calls for green apples and pears, you can adjust the fruit quantities based on your family’s preferences. The ponche itself is non-alcoholic but is delicious with a dash of tequila or rum.

Mexican Christmas Punch

Recipe courtesy of Crate and Barrel associate Mariela Perez, Brand Marketing

PREP:
15 minutes
COOK:
1 hour 15 minutes
YIELD:
20+ servings

Ingredients

  • 10 liters water
  • 6 green apples
  • 2 pears
  • 4 guavas
  • 1 pound tejocotes, fresh or frozen
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup hibiscus flowers
  • 1 pound sugarcane, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup tamarind pods, peeled
  • 2 cups sugar
  • Rum or tequila, to serve (optional)

Directions

  1. In a stock pot or other large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the cinnamon sticks, hibiscus flowers and tejocotes, if you’re using fresh ones. Boil the liquid for 15 minutes.
  2. Core the apples and pears and slice them into 2” pieces. Add the apples, pears, guavas, tamarind pods, sugarcane and sugar to the pot. Simmer the punch for 1 hour.
  3. Serve the punch hot, ladling some of the fruit to each mug. Spike with rum or tequila, if desired.

Classic Hot Cocoa

There’s nothing like hot cocoa on a cold day—delicious and comforting, it comes together in a snap and can be easily customized to your personal tastes. So whether you’re all about the whipped cream, love a dash of rum, or you’re a firm believer that hot cocoa is just an excuse to pile on marshmallows, the mix-ins and toppings are endless. After all, there are only right ways to enjoy this classic wintertime treat.

Classic Hot Cocoa
PREP:
5 minutes
COOK:
5 minutes
YIELD:
1 serving

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk (almond or oat milk are great non-dairy alternatives)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 square semi-sweet chocolate or 1 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Mix cocoa, sugar and 1/4 cup of milk in a small saucepan over low heat to dissolve cocoa and sugar. Whisk in remaining milk and chocolate, continue over medium heat, whisking continuously, until hot. Turn off heat and stir in the vanilla.
Classic Hot Cocoa

Our go-to instant hot cocoa mix. Double Chocolate Cocoa topped off with whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.

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