It’s finally Fall! That means it’s time to get out the jackets and enjoy some much-needed cool weather. In some places, it’s already snowing—Colorado we’re looking at you!
Fall also means that one of our favorite holidays is coming up, Halloween!
There’s just something magical about Halloween, beyond the witches, wizards, goblins, and ghosts that show up at the door asking for candy. It’s a holiday that brings friends and family together for a night of fun, mischief, and sugar-overload.
There’s just one problem, dressing up and walking around door-to-door for Trick or Treating can be the perfect way to end up an icicle. That’s why we recommend carrying around a warm Halloween drink in a 64-oz Ranger Pro tumbler to stay toasty no matter the weather.
What are our favorite hot Halloween drinks? That’s easy.
Halloween Hot Chocolate
You can’t go wrong with traditional hot chocolate with a slight Halloween twist that turns it green! Lil’ Luna’s recipe takes just 11 minutes to make and is absolutely delicious and fun. All you need are:
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Green food coloring
- Halloween-shaped marshmallows
- Gummy worms
Heat up the milk and white chocolate chips on a stove over low-medium heat. Whisk until chocolate is melted and milk is hot. Remove from heat and stir in the food coloring until desired color is reached. Add marshmallows and worms for garnish and pour into a tumbler to take on the go.
Apple Cider
For Fall, you can’t go wrong with hot apple cider. In particular, we love Add a Pinch’s recipe, which includes apples, oranges, cinnamon, and cloves. It’s refreshing, mouthwatering, and easy to make. Prep time is just 10 minutes with a three-hour slow cooker time. To get started, gather:
- 10-12 medium apples, cut into wedges
- 2 medium navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 gallon water
- dark brown sugar, to taste
Place the apples and oranges in a slow cooker. Then, add the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves within a cheesecloth. Next, add the water (enough to cover the fruit plus 1 inch). Heat on high for three hours.
Then, remove the spices and mash the fruit as much as possible and then strain the mixture removing the cooked fruit. Finally, add brown sugar to your desired sweetness and enjoy.
Hot Pumpkin Pie Cocktail
For adults only, there’s the Hot Pumpkin Pie Cocktail from The Cookie Rookie. This pumpkin pie in drink form is not only decadent; it takes just 12 minutes to make before you head out for some Trick or Treating. All you need is:
- 4 cups milk
- 2 cups Cinnamon Vanilla Bailey’s Irish Cream
- ½ cup vanilla or pumpkin pie vodka
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1 and ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Cool whip for topping
Boil the milk, Irish Cream, and vodka in a large pot. Once boiling, turn down the heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Viola! Serve hot in your favorite tumbler and garnish with whipped cream.
Milky Salted Caramel
Forget hot chocolate, a cup of milky salted caramel is the new indulgence you should be trying. And Joy the Baker has one of our favorite recipes. It’s sweet, salty, and everything you could want in a hot drink. All you need are a few key ingredients:
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbs unsalted butter
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- Whipped cream for topping
The first step is to make the caramel. Start with a medium saucepan and bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Allow sugar and water to brown to a medium amber color and then remove from heat. Immediately stir in 1/3-cup heavy cream and butter. Bring back to a boil, stirring well. Then, add the sea salt.
Next, in a new medium saucepan warm up the milk before adding the caramel. Stir to incorporate and serve immediately with whipped cream on top.
Mulled Wine
Last but certainly not least is another recipe just for the adults. Traditional mulled wine is incredibly easy to make and one of our favorite fall flavors. And Gimme Some Oven has an amazing recipe that checks all the boxes. Gather these ingredients to get started:
- 750ml bottle of dry red wine
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- 2-4 tbs sugar, honey, or maple syrup
- ¼ cup brandy
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a low simmer (be careful not to boil or you’ll boil off the alcohol). Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Let the wine simmer at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain and serve hot.
What’s your favorite hot drink recipe for Fall? Let us know!