Hot Cocktails for Your Winter Reception

It’s cold outside, but that doesn’t mean your guests need to be. A fantastic wrap-up to a hearty and delicious reception meal is a nice hot drink from the bar with a touch of whipped cream, shaved chocolate or even a slice of apple as a garnish. Check out some of our favorite hot cocktails.

Hot Caramel Apple Cocktail

1 quart + 1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups Apple liqueur
1 cup spiced rum
1/2 cup caramel-flavored syrup
3 apples, chopped
4 cinnamon sticks

Place everything in the slow cooker. Cook on the low setting for 1-2 hours. Serve warm.

Tipsy Mochacchino

1 1/2 cups Milk
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Instant Espresso or Coffee
4 ounces Irish Whiskey
Chocolate Sprinkles

Chocolate Whipped Cream

1 pint Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoon Instant Espresso or Coffee
Sweetner to taste

Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Add whiskey last. Pour into mugs. Top with mocha whipped cream & sprinkles.

Chocolate Whipped Cream

Add cream, cocoa, coffee powder & sweetener to a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on low for a few minutes until the cream starts to thicken. As it thickens increase the speed slightly, and then to maximum speed. Whip until you have nice peaks. Sweeten more to taste if necessary.

Mulled Wine

4 cups apple cider
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Zest and juice of one orange
4 whole cloves
3 star anise
Peel of 4 oranges, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel and serve.

Maple-Fig Bourbon Hot Toddy

2 oz Bourbon
1 oz Fig-Infused Maple Syrup
1 oz Lemon Juice
6 oz Hot Water

To infuse the syrup, combine a cup of chopped figs, with the stems removed, and a cup of maple syrup in a sauce pan and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover. Let the syrup sit for about an hour, then strain out the figs and bottle the syrup. Combine the bourbon, maple, and lemon in a mug and add boiling water. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and garnish with a whole cinnamon stick.

Want your drinks to look even more beautiful? Check out the accessories at Best for Bride for something to add as a decoration to the bar, or even for the type of glass you’d like the drink served in!