Good warm non-alcoholic drinks for winter include mulled apple cider, alcohol-free mulled wine, a hot ginger and citrus toddy, golden milk, and hot cacao drinks such as spiced, peppermint or chai-spiced cacao.
Here are eight non-alcoholic winter drinks: four made with whole ceremonial cacao and four classics without cacao.
A warm winter mocktail for your best glass
1. Warm cacao and orange mocktail
Chocolate, orange and cinnamon under a soft float of cream, like a dressed-up hot chocolate. Makes 1 glass (about 7 oz) in 10 minutes.
- 20 g cacao pieces (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ cup (4 oz) water
- ¼ cup (2 oz) fresh orange juice (about 1 orange), plus a wide strip of peel
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- A pinch each of ground cinnamon and fine salt, plus cayenne if you like heat
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, or coconut cream
- A cinnamon stick to garnish
- Warm a heatproof glass with hot water while you work.
- Thicken the cream. Whisk it, or shake it in a small jar, until it just thickens but still pours.
- Melt the cacao. In a small pan over low heat, stir the pieces into 3 tablespoons of the water until smooth and glossy, about a minute.
- Build the drink. Whisk in the rest of the water, the orange juice, sweetener and spices. Heat until it steams, about 180°F (82°C), without boiling, then froth for 15 seconds.
- Pour and float. Empty the glass, pour in the drink, then pour the cream slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats. Twist the orange peel over the top and tuck it in with the cinnamon stick.
For a group, scale by the glass and melt all the cacao in a little of the water first. For a lighter glass, use 10 g.
More hot non-alcoholic drinks made with cacao
2. Cinnamon and chili cacao
Whisk 20 g of cacao into 1 cup (8 oz) of hot water or milk with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, sweetener to taste and, if you like heat, a small pinch of cayenne: darker and less sweet than most hot chocolate. Our Mexican hot chocolate recipe covers more spices and the traditional water method.
3. Peppermint cacao
Whisk 20 g of cacao into 1 cup (8 oz) of hot milk with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and a tiny pinch of salt, then stir in ⅛ teaspoon of peppermint extract off the heat and top with crushed candy cane. If you avoid alcohol completely, steep fresh mint in the milk first instead, or check the extract's label. Our peppermint hot chocolate recipe gives the full method.
4. Chai-spiced cacao
Steep 3 thin slices of fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cloves in 1 cup (8 oz) of warm milk, strain, then melt in 20 g of cacao, sweeten with 1 teaspoon of honey and froth. There is no tea in it, so the cacao is the only source of caffeine. Our chai-spiced cacao recipe walks through each step.
Good to know: cacao drinks are low in caffeine, not caffeine-free. A cup made with 20 g of 100% cacao has about 16 to 32 mg of caffeine, a sixth to a third of the caffeine in a typical 8 oz cup of brewed coffee (about 95 mg). The low figure is USDA's; published lab data for baking chocolate run about twice as high, because cacao varies from bean to bean. Here is how cacao's caffeine compares with coffee and tea.
Cacao also contains theobromine. Theobromine is a mild stimulant, so people sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants may feel it. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medication or manage a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first. Cacao and chocolate are toxic to dogs, so keep cups out of reach.
If your party runs late, serve the cacao drinks early in the evening, or make them lighter with about 10 g of cacao a cup, for guests who are sensitive to stimulants; our guide answers can you drink cacao at night.
Classic warm non-alcoholic drinks without cacao
None of these contains cacao or coffee.
5. Mulled apple cider
Serves 4. Put 1 quart of apple cider or 100% apple juice (not hard cider, which contains alcohol) in a pot with 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise and 1 orange, sliced into rounds and studded with 6 cloves. Cover and warm over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, below a simmer. Taste before you sweeten (cider is sweet already), then strain and serve.
6. Non-alcoholic mulled wine (spiced grape and cranberry)
Serves 4 to 6. Warm 3 cups of 100% red grape juice, 1 cup of cranberry juice, the juice and a few strips of peel from 1 orange, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves and 2 crushed cardamom pods over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, below a simmer. Strain and sweeten with honey or maple syrup to taste. For a tarter, more wine-like edge, add a hibiscus herbal tea bag for the last 5 minutes.
7. Alcohol-free hot toddy with ginger and citrus
Serves 2. Thinly slice a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger and simmer it in 2½ cups of water, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain it into two mugs, divide the juice of ½ lemon and ½ orange between them, and stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey into each. Finish each with a cinnamon stick and a lemon round studded with cloves.
8. Golden milk
Serves 1. Warm 1 cup of milk, dairy or plant, with ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric, 3 thin slices of fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick and a pinch of black pepper until it steams, about 180°F. Cover it off the heat for 5 minutes, then strain, sweeten with honey or maple syrup, and froth. Rinse the pan promptly: turmeric stains.
How to serve warm drinks at a winter party
- Offer two or three: a cacao drink, a fruity pot and golden milk or the toddy. A quart fills four 8 oz mugs.
- Keep each pot hot, not boiling, in a slow cooker or a preheated insulated carafe. The FDA advises holding hot foods at 140°F or warmer and notes that some warmers hold only 110°F to 120°F, so check your warmer's label and test each drink with a food thermometer.
- Set out a garnish tray of cinnamon sticks, orange rounds, star anise, fresh cranberries and crushed candy canes, and serve in warmed, heatproof glass mugs.
- Check your extracts. US rules require vanilla extract to be at least 35 percent alcohol by volume (21 CFR 169.175), so for guests who avoid alcohol completely, use citrus peel, a vanilla bean or a vanilla flavoring labeled alcohol-free, and check the label on other extracts, such as peppermint.
Hosting chocolate lovers? See our guide to setting up a hot chocolate bar.
Why we make our winter drinks with whole cacao
Whole cacao paste keeps its cacao butter, so it melts into a rich, glossy drink, and it comes unsweetened, so you set the sweetness. We use our own ceremonial cacao, Alma Cacao: 100% whole cacao paste in small pieces, with nothing added, that melt in about a minute.
It is single-origin, from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon: traditionally fermented, sun-dried, stone ground and made in small batches. It is tested for heavy metals by an ISO 17025 accredited lab and made in a GMP certified facility. The co-op we source from gives 2% back to the producer communities, and we donate another 2% of every sale to For the Love of Mateo.
Common questions
What is a good warm mocktail for winter?
A good warm mocktail has a rich base, whole spices, a little sweetness and a garnish, served in a good glass. Try non-alcoholic mulled wine, a hot ginger and citrus toddy with honey, or a warm cacao and orange mocktail with a cream float.
What can you use instead of wine in mulled wine?
Use 100% red grape juice with about a third as much cranberry juice for tartness. Warm it with orange peel and whole spices such as cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, then strain and sweeten to taste. A hibiscus herbal tea bag steeped for the last 5 minutes adds a tart, wine-like edge.
Can you make warm winter drinks ahead of time?
Yes. Mulled cider, non-alcoholic mulled wine and the strained ginger base for a toddy keep well: chill them within 2 hours of cooking and use them within 3 to 4 days, as USDA advises for leftovers. Reheat any made-ahead drink to at least 165°F. Cacao drinks and golden milk are best fresh, but a chilled batch rewarms over low heat, whisked and kept below a boil.
What can you add to hot apple cider?
Whole spices are the classic: cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise or allspice, plus orange rounds and a few slices of fresh ginger. A splash of cranberry juice adds color and tartness.
