From Fall Themes To Winter Scenes - 5 Ways To Enhance The Season With Coffee Cocktails

We often think of coffee as a morning mug filler - our preferred decadent, delicious, daily dose of energy that provides us with fuel to tackle the day’s duties.

Alcohol, on the other hand, often serves the opposite purpose, commonly enjoyed with, or after, dinner as we seek to de-stress and wind down after those daily duties.

Clearly, each of these popular beverages have very unique tastes and purposes.

I mean, if you’re comparing the two side by side, one might easily categorize them as polar opposites.

How could it be, then, that these two classics, when combined, could create such an elegant, and balanced drink?

Well, as different as these two may seem, their pairing highlights more commonalities than you might think…

- Both coffee and alcohol stand out in the beverage world as equally fitting for quiet moments.

Many of us thoroughly enjoy slow, peaceful mornings spent with a warm mug of coffee in hand. Likewise, a snifter of bourbon in the evening, alone in your favorite chair by the fireplace, is equally peaceful.

- Alcohol and coffee are also commonly enjoyed socially.

Coffee is considered a staple when it comes to meeting up with friends, family, or colleagues. From cafe settings to after dinner offerings for guests, coffee is commonly enjoyed with others. Then, as we all know, alcohol is also a social beverage, often served to party-guests and enjoyed amongst friend groups in all kinds of settings, from low-key gatherings for a round of beer, to elegant cocktail parties, weddings, and much more.

- Both coffee and alcohol can be characterized by their unique taste, with connoisseurs easily able to detect flavor notes from growing regions (coffee), age of fermentation (alcohol), etc.

- Each of these beverages also have historical significance, with cups of coffee commonly serving as the backdrop for some of the most influential business and trade deals and pubs (complete with an assortment of ales and liquors) serving as meetinghouses for revolutions, war plans, and more.

When you think of the similarities between coffee and alcohol, I suppose it only makes sense to combine the two, right?

The combination of coffee and alcohol, coffee cocktails, has become increasingly popular over the years, and for good reason.

The caffeine content of coffee can serve to mask the depressant effects of alcohol, and while this effect calls for an extra measure of caution (so you don’t overdo it), it does allow you to enjoy one or two coffee cocktails while maintaining a better level of alertness than when enjoying alcohol alone.

Then there’s flavor…coffee combines effortlessly with many alcohols to create some of the tastiest cocktails you’ll ever try!

And that’s why we’ve compiled a few fall favorites as well as some wonderful winter cocktail selections for you to sip and savor alone or enjoy with friends and family all throughout the holiday season!

Personally, I suggest giving each of these a try for a tasty test-run, then plan to serve your favorites to family and friends at your next holiday party or gathering.

Enjoy!

Feels Like Fall

Many choose to begin celebrating Christmas the day after Halloween, complete with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner/celebration right in the middle of the winter holiday happiness.

But, this doesn’t mean you need to give up those fall tastes just yet!

That’s right, feel free to continue enjoying all your favorite fall flavors throughout the winter months as well.

From pumpkin and cinnamon to maple, salted caramel, nutmeg, and more, there’s no reason to ditch these delightful tastes anytime soon.

So, in honor of the best flavors of the fall season, we’re including a few fabulous fall coffee cocktail recipes that are sure to please - including notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, maple, and more.

1- PSL Martini

Nothing says fall like pumpkin…and cinnamon…and nutmeg…and vanilla…and coffee…and vodka.

Each of these amazing flavors combine here to make one of the best martinis I’ve ever tasted!

The best way I could describe this is to say this cocktail is like a marriage of the perfect pumpkin spice latte and the best espresso martini you’ve ever tasted!

A pumpkin spice latte and an espresso martini? What’s not to love?!

Ingredients

• 1-ounce chilled Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 1 ½ ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 ½ ounce vanilla vodka
• 1 ounce pumpkin sauce (see recipe below)
• ice
• Pinch of cinnamon, for garnish
• Pinch of nutmeg, for garnish

Instructions

• Add espresso, Bailey’s, vodka, pumpkin sauce, and ice to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker begins to frost.
• Strain into a martini glass, then top with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy!

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Sauce

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container until ready to use (good for up to two weeks).

2- Caramel Bourbon Coffee

Caramel apples are a fall favorite in my house, but caramel isn’t just for autumn fruits.

Caramel and coffee are a classically perfect combination, and while this union isn’t only enjoyed in the fall, the addition of bourbon here just screams autumn!

Perfect for quiet evenings in front of the fireplace with soft music playing in the distance or as a decadently sweet offering for your treasured guests throughout the season!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces Lifeboost Espresso Coffee
• 1 ounce bourbon
• 4 ounces milk
• 1 ounce caramel sauce
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, chilled

Instructions

• Pour freshly brewed espresso into your favorite mug and stir in caramel sauce until well combined.
• Add bourbon to the coffee and caramel mixture, stirring to combine.
• Add milk and heavy cream to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting. If you do not have an electric frother, you can also heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop until it’s warmed through, then froth the mixture with a handheld frother.
• Pour the frothed milk and cream mixture over the cocktail and enjoy!

Sippin’ In A Winter Wonderland

Walking In A Winter Wonderland may be a popular song, but sipping a tasty coffee cocktail in a winter wonderland sounds equally as magical if you ask me!

These coffee cocktails highlight some of the best flavors of the winter season, so feel free to make enough for a crowd.

1- Gingerbread Martini

Making and/or decorating gingerbread houses is a fun, popular, and tasty holiday tradition for children and adults alike.

But, most often kids are the ones having the most fun during such activities…until now.

Amp up your next gingerbread themed evening with this decadently delicious gingerbread coffee cocktail!

Better yet, plan an adult only gathering with your besties where you can sip on this treat while decorating the night away.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee or Lifeboost Gingerbread Latte Coffee
• 1 ounce whole milk
• 1 ounce gingerbread syrup (see recipe below)
• 1 ½ ounces vodka
• ½ ounce Kahlua
• ½ ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Whipped cream, for garnish
• Gingerbread cookie, for garnish
• ice

Instructions

• Add all ingredients, minus the garnish, to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until frost begins to form on the outside of the shaker.
• Strain into a cocktail glass, then top with whipped cream and garnish with a gingerbread cookie. Enjoy!

Homemade Gingerbread Syrup

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients, except for vanilla extract, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, then allow the mixture to cool completely.

Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

2- Snow Capped Coffee

Several years ago, I bought some white chocolate liqueur because I thought it would be tasty in some cold brew.

As you can imagine…it certainly was tasty in cold brew.

However, last Christmas I decided to get a little more festive with this concoction, incorporating a few additions, and now it’s a holiday staple in our home.

Being fully honest - we probably drink a little too much of this one throughout the holidays - it’s just that simple and good!

Ingredients

• 3 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Medium Roast Coffee
• 3 ounces Sheelin’s White Chocolate Liqueur (Godiva makes a rich white chocolate liqueur as well)
• 2 ounces Kahlua
• Ice
• 2 ounces heavy whipping cream
• White chocolate, shaved for garnish
• Optional: crushed peppermint candy for garnish

Instructions

• Add ice to a tall glass, then top with cold brew, white chocolate liqueur, and Kahlua, stirring to combine.
• Add whipping cream to a glass and froth until thick and creamy with a handheld frother. (Using a frother allows the cream to thicken slightly without turning it into traditional whipped cream.)
• Top cocktail with thickened cream, then shave a small amount of white chocolate on top of the cream for garnish. Enjoy!

*Note: You can elevate this drink even more by adding a small amount of crushed peppermint on top for garnish.

3- Candy Cane Lane Latte

This latte essentially tastes like a traditional mocha with a boozy upgrade due to the addition of peppermint schnapps, coffee liqueur, and chocolate liqueur.

Creamy, minty, chocolatey…smooth, rich, and decadently delicious!

Of course, if you aren’t planning to drive, you can also add an ounce of vodka to this treat for some added holiday spirit.

And, if you’re as big of a peppermint fan as I am, be sure to check out the option for a peppermint whipped cream foam topper for this fabulous boozy brew listed directly below the recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee or Lifeboost Peppermint Mocha Coffee
• 1 ounce Kahlua
• ½ ounce chocolate liqueur
• ½ ounce peppermint schnapps
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

Instructions

• Add freshly brewed coffee and chocolate syrup to a mug and stir to combine.
• Stir Kahlua, chocolate liqueur and peppermint schnapps into the coffee mixture, and enjoy!

If you’d like a creamy topping for your cocktail, simply add ¼ cup of heavy cream and ⅛ teaspoon of peppermint extract to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.

Once frothed, pour the minty topping over the prepared cocktail, and enjoy!

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

References:

https://wheatbythewayside.com/homemade-starbucks-pumpkin-spice-sauce/#recipe

https://clivecoffee.com/blogs/learn/fall-coffee-cocktails-drink-guide?srsltid=AfmBOorm8EuFJcQkmWICwfF0ZdHLLYMdlyp9_1H3iYQNPoy9pbmKrvxA

https://livinglesh.com/gingerbread-espresso-martini-christmas-coffee-drinks/

https://www.pipercooks.com/gingerbread-syrup-for-coffee/#recipe

https://yestoyolks.com/2023/11/30/peppermint-mocha-espresso-martinis/