10 Texas Hot Alcoholic Drinks for Winter

As the temperatures start to dip a little lower, you may find yourself craving a cozy adult beverage to keep you warm on long winter nights. Thankfully, a Zipps Liquor is likely nearby to stock your bar with the essentials for the colder months. As you weigh which hot alcoholic drinks will be your favorite for the season, be sure to check out our Texas proud selection. Whether you like moonshine or rum drinks for winter, or a cocktail in between, there is something for everyone at Zipps. Find out which hot alcoholic drinks for winter will keep you warm and how to make them with Texas proud ingredients. 

Traditional Hot Port 

Ingredients

• Haak Vineyards Reserve Tawny Port or any Port wine 

Directions

1. Pre-warm your port glass or a snifter with warm water
2. Over a candle burner or the stove, warm your port at very low heat until hot to the touch 
3. Be sure not to boil 
4. Dump warming water from the port glass 
5. Fill port glass with hot port
6. Enjoy

Hot Toddy 

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ oz Still Austin whiskey 
• ⅓ c. water 
• 2 tbsp. local honey 
• 2 tbsp. lemon or orange juice, your preference 
• 1 whole cinnamon stick for garnish 

Directions 

1. In a small pot, bring water to simmer
2. In a mug, combine whiskey and juice 
3. When water is to temperature, pour-over
4. Add honey and stir with a cinnamon stick 
5. Serve

Mulled Wine 

Ingredients

• 3 bottles of Bernhardt Winery Merlot or any merlot 
• 1 bottle of Bernhardt Winery Vin du Soleil or any brandy type wine 
• ½ c. Cointreau 
• ½ c. orange blossom honey 
• 2 fresh oranges, zest removed and sliced in rounds 
• 5 cinnamon sticks, more for garnish if desired 
• 1 packet of mulling spices or make your own 

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in your crockpot 
2. Turn crockpot to the lowest setting 
3. Check temperature every thirty minutes to ensure it does not reach higher than 170 degrees
4. Alcohol begins to vaporize away at 170 degrees, and that defeats the purpose 
5. Let the wine mull for at least two hours 
6. Ladle into mugs through a tea strainer 
7. Garnish with a cinnamon stick 
8. Enjoy

Spicy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Hill Country Distillers Texas Jalapeno Spirits
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. cinnamon 
• ½ tsp. chili powder 
• 8 oz. milk of choice 

Directions

1. Warm milk in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until hot to the touch 
2. Add powders and spices and stir vigorously 
3. Once smooth, add Jalapeno Spirits 
4. Add whipped cream for garnish sprinkles with cinnamon 

Spiked Eggnog

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Elk Store Distillery Oak-Aged Brandy or any brandy 
• 6 oz. eggnog 
• Pinch cinnamon for garnish 

Directions

1. Combine brandy and eggnog in a small pot 
2. Heat on low until mixture reaches 165 degrees
3. Remove from heat and pour into a mug 
4. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top for garnish 
5. Serve 

Dirty Horchata 

Ingredients

• 2 ½ c. boiling water
• 1 c. uncooked long-grain white rice 
• ⅓ c. real maple syrup 
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• pinch salt
• 4 c. coconut milk 
• 8 oz. Balcones Texas Rum or any robust rum 

Directions

1. Combine boiling water with rice in a large bowl 
2. Set a time and soak for three to four hours 
3. After the time is up, pour rice and water into the blender 
4. Blend for 2 to three minutes or until creamy and no lumps remain 
5. All remaining ingredients and blend until smooth 
6. Pour into a pot and heat on the stove until almost at a boil 
7. Add rum and bring to simmer
8. Remove from heat and serve 
9. You can drink horchata plain or add the mix to your coffee

After Dinner Coffee

Ingredients 

• 2 oz.  Devils River Coffee Bourbon 
• 6 – 8 oz. caffeinated or decaf coffee 
• Cream and sweetener to taste 

Directions 

1. Add Devils River Coffee Bourbon to the bottom of a mug
2. Pour over your coffee of choice, leaving room for cream and sugar if desired 
3. Prepare to taste
4. Stir and enjoy

Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider 

Ingredients

• 3 gallons apple cider 
• 1 bottle Wild Rag Texas Torch or any cinnamon flavored vodka 
• 6 cinnamon sticks 

Directions 

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot and set on lowest heat 
2. Let warm to temperature for two hours 
3. Check to be sure temperature does not exceed 170 degrees 
4. Ladle into mugs and serve with whipped cream 

Bad Santa’s Punch

Ingredients

• 2 bottles Hill Country Distillers Prickly Pear Spirits 
• 1 gallon pineapple juice 
• 1 gallon orange juice 
• 1 gallon cherry juice 
• 1 gallon apple cider 

Directions

1. Combine all spirits and juices in a crockpot
2. Turn to lowest heat setting 
3. Allow to marry flavors and warm for at least four hours
4. Ladle into punch cups 
5. Serve 

Hot Buttered Rum 

Ingredients 

• 2 ½ c. boiling water 
• 2 oz. Spiced HYE Rum or other spiced rum 
• 1 tsp. softened unsalted butter 
• 1 tsp. dark brown sugar 
• ½ tsp. cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick 

Directions

1. Combine butter with all spices and sugar until a compound is formed 
2. In a tall mug, combine boiling water and rum 
3. Add a quenelle of the butter compound on top of the drink 
4. Use the cinnamon stick to stir until combined 
5. Enjoy 

Happier Holidays Tea

Ingredients

• 1 bag  black breakfast tea 
• 8 oz. boiling water 
• 1 oz. Waterloo No. 9 Gin or any gin 
• 1 tbsp. local honey 
• 1 lemon wedge

Directions

1. Bring water to boil 
2. Pour over tea bag 
3. Let steep desired time 
4. Remove bag 
5. Add honey and stir until dissolved 
6. Add gin 
7. Spritz with lemon wedge 
8. Relax and enjoy 

These hot drinks will have you warm and ready to face the elements no matter what the winter weather brings. Many of the drink recipes can be shared with a crowd or modified for small-batch servings that one or two can enjoy by the fire. Don’t forget to stop by a Zipps Liquor store in Texas to grab the essentials to make your cocktails local. Warm your heart, your body, and make it a party with warm winter alcoholic drinks you’ll enjoy.