Warm Winter Drinks

[Amaranth]

Started this in another thread and then realized it might go better here.

Do you have some favorite warm winter drinks? Especially looking for nonalcohol ones, but others might enjoy them, so any ideas would be appreciated. Flavored waters, Spiced Juices, Coffees/Teas similar to your favorite coffee shops, Cocoa with a twist, Flavorful broths, Spiced nut milks, and other warming delights?

[Amaranth]

Here is Rosemary's response:

Amaranth - warm winter drinks. Besides the obvious (coffee, tea, chai, cocoa), I sometimes simply add hot water to about 1/3 mug of fruit juice, or add a spoon of buckwheat honey to a warm mug of water. My favorite hot tea is a rooibos chai with a little unsweetened almond milk. Spiced apple cider is also good - I prefer it diluted with water. My family always made Gluehwein on New Year's Eve, and I've been contemplating making a nonalcoholic version with some grape juice diluted with water. I think the recipe would be pretty similar, without adding the sugar that always went into the wine.

Gluehwein
4 each orange and lemon slices
1 quart burgundy wine
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick broken into 3 pieces
sugar to taste (try about 1/2 c)
Combine in saucepan and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until flavors are well blended. Serve as is or mixed with sparkling water.

[Amaranth]

Rosemary, some of my friends have made the spiced wine or done the same with apple juice for holiday open houses. Not only does it taste great, but it makes the whole house smell wonderful.

[Mrs. Hermit]

Vanilla Milk: Warm a cup of milk. Add brown sugar (or maple syrup) and vanilla extract to taste.

[IshbelRobertson]

Mulled wine. We make batches for the carol singers who visit our door each year, with spiced apple juice for the under 18s (legal age to drink alcohol in UK). I also make it for our open house on Boxing Day.

[fidgiegirl]

We made this spiced cider (http://thefrugalgirls.com/2009/10/spiced-apple-cider-recipe.html) at Thanksgiving. It was delish. We omitted the brown sugar because we figured the cider itself would be sweet enough, and it was.

[frugal-one]

Was feeling rundown so made some cold-infused nettle tea. Not my favorite drink so I used about 2/3 nettle tea and 1/3 apple cider. Served cold. It was DELICIOUS!!!

[AmeliaJane]

I really like a chai tea bag steeped for about five minutes in hot milk, with a little sweetener added.

[libby]

I am on a Mexican Hot Cocoa kick. It is very easy to make. Mix 1 tablespoon cocoa with 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a mug. Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Make a paste with a little hot water stirred into the cocoa mixture then fill mug with hot milk. Stir and enjoy!

[catherine]

I'm definitely trying the Gluehwein recipe!

ETA one of my favorites: Wassail--this recipe is from City Tavern, Philadelphia which is where I first had wassail

Wassail

Serves 6, Makes 24 Ounces

From the City Tavern Cookbook ©1999 by Walter Staib Running Press Book Publishers, Philadelphia & London

2 tablespoons grated orange rind (about 1 medium orange)
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind (about 1 medium lemon)
10 whole cloves
5 sticks cinnamon
1 bottle (750 ml) red Burgundy wine
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg

Place the orange and lemon rinds, cloves and cinnamon sticks into a piece of 100% cotton cheesecloth and tie up with kitchen twine to make a sachet.

Pour the wine into a large saucepan.

Place the sugar and sachet in the wine over low heat. Add the nutmeg.

Heat until the wine is very warm. Do not let it boil, as boiling will burn off the alcohol content.

Remove from the heat and discard the sachet.

Serve in a fondue pot or ovenproof punch bowl.

[fidgiegirl]

Oh you all, I am ready to go tank up on some delicious drink or another! :D

[Sparrow]

This isn't all that fancy, but Celestial Seasonings has some holiday teas out that I'm really enjoying right now - Candy Cane Lane (geen tea), Sugar Plum Spice, and Gingerbread Spice (herbal teas),

[Mrs.B]

We enjoy Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnaps! It's a Peppermint Patty! Yum.

[Gardenarian]

Cocoa with Bailey's Irish Cream. Yum.
Costco has the most delicous Starbucks cocoa right now - the only ingredients are sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Superb.