We don’t know about you, but the holidays mean warm drinks and warm drinks only. Even in Florida where winters still pull in 75-80 degree days, I still want my hot chocolate, hot butterbeer, and hot seasonal coffee. These holiday drinks are
Note that the recipes shared here are made to fill a 6 oz slow cooker. To use with Crock Pockets, adjust the recipes by halving them.
Alcoholic Holiday Drink Ideas
Boozy apple cider
Apples are great year-round! They don’t stop being delicious in the winter! This apple cider recipe is the perfect beverage for both fall and winter. We love this caramel cider recipe from Pizzazzerie!
- 2 cups vodka
- 8 cups apple cider
- 1 cup caramel syrup
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours. Garnish with sliced apples and a drizzle of caramel.
Cranberry orange wine
This is a fun twist on a mulled wine, that classic warm holiday drink. It’s perfect for a cozy movie night in with friends. This recipe from Gastronomblog is fantastic.
- 1 bottle dry red wine
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 orange, cut into slices
- 1/3 cup pear brandy (or apple brandy)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup cranberries (can use frozen)
Add wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cranberries and maple syrup to a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cook in slow cooker on high heat for 20 minutes or on low for an hour. It should be warmed and steaming by this point, but if not give it another 5-10 minutes. Use the Keep Warm setting if you want to make sure it’s ready to go for refills throughout the night.
Non-Alcoholic Holiday Drink Ideas
Creamy hot chocolate
You can never, ever go wrong with some delicious hot chocolate on a snowy day! This recipe will almost tempt you to never go back to the powdered hot chocolate ever again.
- 6 cups milk (of choice! Nondairy people, feel free to use your favorite substitute to reduce the lactose in the overall drink.)
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream or vegan substitute
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed coconut milk/full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Combine everything into your slow cooker. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, until all the chips are melted and mixture is smooth. This will likely take you about 2 hours.