Hot Coffee and Cocoa Recipes

Mondays on the BottleBlog will feature a cocktail recipe that is sure to be just the thing to get you through the rest of the work week. Though we don't expect you'll bring in all the fixins into your place of employment, we hope you'll try our recipes responsibly at home! Today we beat the cold with these hot drinks.

Here in Central Jersey, we've already had over 30 inches of snow, and it's only the middle of January. With at least two months to go before the temperatures rise and the trees start to bloom, we've got to find a way to make it through the impending winter weather.

When we were kids, we loved to go out and play in the snow. For hours, we'd build snowmen and snow forts, have snowball fights and lay down to make snow angels. But perhaps the best part of the snowtime ritual was coming back inside, and mom would make a big, steaming mug of hot chocolate with those little marshmallows floating on top.

Now that we're grownups, our time spent in the snow is a whole lot less jolly. We're irritated as we pull on our snow boots and earmuffs, as shoveling driveways and scraping windshields is nowhere near as fun as rolling snowballs into men. However, we still can look forward to a steaming mug of happiness after we come in and shake the snow off our pants.

To enjoy a Hot Scotch, put two ounces of Buttershots into a mug and top with hot chocolate. A Hot Peppermint Patty is made with 1 oz. peppermint schnapps, 1/2 oz. creme de cacao, and a splash of creme de menthe. Pour all of the above into a mug and top with hot chocolate. A Malibu Jane is made with 2 oz. coconut rum, added to your hot chocolate. And, of course, when you make these chocolatey drinks, don't forget the mini marshmallows or whipped cream on top!

Now, being grownups, sometimes hot chocolate isn't our thing anymore, and we reach for the stronger stuff: Coffee!

A traditional Irish Coffee is 1 1/2 oz. Irish Whiskey, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, coffee and cream. A Mexican Coffee is 1 1/2 oz. of Kahlua and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, coffee and cream. To make a Jamaican Coffee, mix 1 oz. Tia Maria, 1 oz. White Rum (Wray and Nephew if you're aiming for authenticity and a higher octane) with your coffee and cream.

However you take your cocoa and coffee, these sweet treats are sure to help you get through this snowy winter!