8 Ways To Have A Merry Caffeinated Christmas For Grown Ups

For many of us, coffee provides a jump-start to the morning, welcome pick-me-ups through the day, and a welcome evening or after-dinner warmer. But it can also be the perfect festive drink too.

If you’re ready to swap good old eggnog for an exotic coffee, these Christmassy drinks are sure to give you the caffeine jolt you crave.

A delightful guest post, by Lina Becker. Thank you, Lina! 💚

1. Hot Boozy Coffee

Warming, flavorful, and moreish, Hot Boozy Coffee is the perfect drink for a gathering with friends on a cold December evening.

Ingredients:

Half a shot of brandy
Half a shot of Grand Marnier
Half a shot of Kahlua
4 to 5 oz of hot coffee
1 strip of orange peel
Half a cup of cream
Half a teaspoon of sugar

Put the cream in a bowl or blender and whip until soft peaks form, and then add sugar to taste. Burn the orange peel lightly with a lighter, which will bring the oils out for flavoring the coffee later.

Pour the brandy, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, and freshly brewed hot coffee into a mug, stir the mix with the orange peel, and then top with some of the whipped cream.

A winter warmer with a kick, ODB is always a winner.

Ingredients:

16 oz of hot coffee
8 oz of bourbon
2 oz of heavy cream
A few drops of Kahlua
2 oz of Grade B maple syrup (or maple-flavored syrup)
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
A quarter teaspoon of Mexican vanilla
A pinch of sugar

Mix the coffee, bourbon, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla, and heat with a cappuccino machine steamer. Pour 4 oz of this heated mix into a tempered glass coffee mug. Dry shake the heavy cream with a few drops of Kahlua and then layer it over the surface of the coffee in the mug.

Dust the cream with a pinch of sugar and then, using a kitchen blowtorch, torch the sugar lightly like a crème brûlée, taking care not to break the glass.

3. Gingerbread Latte

Gingerbread has been a traditional Christmas treat in Austria and Germany since the Middle Ages. Take the flavors of this seasonal treat to the next level with a Gingerbread Latte.

Ingredients:

Three-quarters of a cup of strong-brew coffee or 4 shots of espresso
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of molasses
One and a half cups of milk for foaming

Combine the coffee, spices, sugar, and molasses in a glass measuring cup. Whisk to mix the spices into the coffee very well and divide the mixture between two mugs.

Use a milk frother to steam or froth the milk. If you don’t have a frother, you can warm the milk on the stove before pouring it into the two mugs.

4. Anatolia Café

Anatolia Café brings together two favorite Christmassy flavors in one gorgeous drink that’s definitely for grown-ups.

Ingredients:

1 oz of cognac
1 oz of cherry liqueur
A quarter ounce of cinnamon syrup
Coffee
Cream for whipping
A pinch of ground cinnamon

Mix the cognac, cherry liqueur, and cinnamon syrup in a mug. Pour the coffee over the mixture, leaving some space for the cream topping.

Whip the cream, spoon it onto the surface of the coffee, and garnish with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

5. Hot White Russian

The cold version is famous, but the hot version? Even better!

Ingredients:

Two and a half cups of freshly brewed coffee
Half a cup of heavy cream
Half a cup of Kahlua or another coffee-flavored liqueur (or to taste)
A quarter cup of vodka (or to taste)
Whipped heavy cream to garnish (if you want a garnish

Stir together the coffee, half a cup of cream, Kahlua, and vodka in a saucepan over moderate heat until the mixture is hot.

Divide the mixture between heated mugs, garnishing each with the whipped heavy cream.

6. Classic Irish Coffee

While Irish Coffee isn’t associated with the holiday season, it certainly does the job if you want to have a merry caffeinated Christmas.

Ingredients:

1 cup of freshly brewed dark roast coffee
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of Irish whiskey
Slightly whipped heavy cream

Fill a mug or glass with hot water and let it stand for a few minutes to heat up before pouring the water out.

Pour the hot coffee into the warmed mug until it is three-quarters full. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely.

Stir in the whiskey. Top with the slightly whipped heavy cream by pouring the cream gently over the back of a spoon and onto the surface of the coffee.

7. After Eight Coffee

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this is the perfect way to enjoy your coffee during the festive season.

Ingredients:

Freshly brewed hot coffee
An After Eight® or another small chocolate with a soft center
Three and a half ounces of milk
3 or 4 pieces of nougat chocolate

Froth the milk using a cappuccino machine steamer or milk frother (or warm on the stove). Top the hot coffee with the milk froth. Sprinkle nougat chocolate shavings on the milk foam, and then place a chocolate on the milk foam to finish.

8. Boozy Orange Mocha

The Boozy Orange Mocha takes the irresistible holiday season flavors of chocolate and orange and combines them in a truly decadent caffeinated treat.

Ingredients:

4 cups of coffee
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
A quarter cup of cocoa powder
The peels of two oranges
A quarter cup of chocolate vodka

Combine the coffee and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder in batches to avoid forming clumps.

Stir the mixture thoroughly before adding the orange peels and letting them steep for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chocolate vodka, stir the mixture, and then strain it to remove the orange peels. Pour the mixture into mugs and enjoy!

If a merry, caffeinated Christmas sounds good to you, give any of these recipes a try. You can even mix things up a bit by trying different types of coffee to find your favorite. You’re sure to feel warmer from the inside and full of festive energy.