Reading by the fire, thick blankets, winter coffee recipes, white snowy landscapes—despite being the most dreary of seasons, winter is a great time to savor the things that make life warm and soothing. 

And though we’re big fans of a black coffee here at JavaPresse, we also love a great winter-inspired coffee creation—and we know you do too. 

Here are our six favorite winter coffee recipes for making the most of the cold weather, evenings indoors, and the patient wait for spring. 

Click below to jump to the recipe that sounds best to you:

• First: How To Froth Milk At Home
• Christmas Peppermint Mocha
• Mulled Coffee Wine
• Gingerbread Latte
• The Irish Bump (A Crowd Pleaser New Years Treat)
• Cold Brew Martini
• Cold Brew Hot Toddy
• Not All Coffees Work For These Recipes

Brew up some coffee and get cozy!

First: How To Froth Milk At Home

Several of these winter coffee recipes use frothed milk. While an espresso machine is the ideal way to get steamed milk (with a manual frother coming in 2nd place), there’s still an easy way anyone can make frothed milk at home.

Measure your milk and pour it in a mason jar. Microwave the milk (lid off!) for 60-90 seconds. Then quickly top with a lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to create a foam.

While this doesn’t create micro-foam that’s quite as fine or silky as it would be from a fancy machine, it’s still a quick and easy technique anyone can use.

Christmas Peppermint Mocha

Mint isn’t exactly a winter plant… but it just goes so well with cold weather. The chilling sensation and minty flavor pair perfectly with chocolate in this cold-weather latte.

Ingredients:

• 6 Ounces milk
• 1 Ounce chocolate syrup
• 1 Ounce mint syrup
• 2-4 Ounces strong JavaPresse coffee (espresso, moka pot, or AeroPress)

Mint Syrup:

1. Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, then simmer.
2. Add a bunch of fresh mint leaves or 1 tablespoon of mint extract.
3. Simmer until thick and syrupy.

Instructions:

1. Mix coffee, chocolate syrup, and mint syrup in a mug.
2. Add ½ the milk and mix.
3. Top with the final ½ of the milk.
4. Garnish with whipped cream, fresh mint, and candy cane flakes (optional).

Read: The Ultimate Coffee Gift Guide For Every Budget (2019 Holiday Edition)

Mulled Coffee Wine

Wine, spices, and coffee—a recipe for a new adult favorite. Take your favorite mulled wine and mix in cold brew coffee (cold brew pairs better than hot brew because it’s less bitter and acidic), or follow our recipe below:

Note: Mulled wine is the kind of drink you make in batches. This recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

• 8 Ounces or ¼ bottle of red wine (semi-sweet, like Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 24 Ounces of cold brew coffee concentrate
• 1 Orange, sliced
• 5 Star anise
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 10 Clove pods
• 2 Tablespoons honey

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Strain and pour into mugs.

Any leftover mulled coffee wine can be cooled, stored in the fridge, and reheated on the stove whenever you’re craving some more.

Gingerbread Latte

Few cookie-types contain such nostalgia as the gingerbread cookie. Now in latte form, it’s a wonderful go-to for when you need a calm, spice-driven, familiar comfort.

Ingredients:

• 6 Ounces milk
• 1 Tablespoon gingerbread syrup
• 2-4 Ounces strong JavaPresse coffee (espresso, moka pot, or AeroPress)

Gingerbread Syrup:

1. Combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small pot, then simmer.
2. Mix in 1 cinnamon stick, 1Tbsp honey, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp clove, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ginger (fresh, if possible). 
3. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, then strain.

Instructions:

1. Mix hot coffee and gingerbread syrup in a mug
2. Pour in ½ the frothed milk and mix.
3. Add the final ½ frothed milk.
4. Garnish with a dash of your favorite spice from the syrup.

The Irish Bump (A Crowd Pleaser New Years Treat)

Finding cocktails to serve at a New Years party can be a stressful responsibility, but this caffeinated recipe is simply delicious, quick for home bartenders of any level, and doesn’t let anyone fall asleep before the ball drops.

Ingredients:

• 3 Ounces cold brew coffee concentrate
• 1.5 Ounces whiskey (bourbon for sweeter, rye for spicier)
• ¾ Ounce cinnamon syrup
• 2 Dashes angostura bitters

Cinnamon Syrup:

1. Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small pot, then simmer.
2. Break 4 cinnamon sticks into small chunks and steep for 20 minutes.
3. Strain and chill.

Instructions:

1. Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, then shake.
2. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass.
3. Top with whipped cream.

Read: Not Just Iced Coffee: 5 Ways You Can Use Cold Brew Concentrate

Cold Brew Martini (A Fancy New Years Treat)

It’s hard to beat this modern classic cocktail. Simple, rich, and served in a chilled martini glass, it’s every bit as classy as it looks.

Ingredients

• 2 Ounces cold brew coffee concentrate
• ½ Ounce simple syrup
• 2 Ounces vodka
• 1 Ounce coffee liqueur
• 3 Coffee beans as a garnish

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then shake.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with whole coffee beans.

Cold Brew Hot Toddy (Whiskey Optional)

Depending on the day, this warm, spicy-sweet classic can be enjoyed without whiskey, or spiked for a more classic flavor. It’s a perfect beverage for those cold, dry evenings when you want a mellow, throat-coating remedy.

Ingredients:

• 1 Ounce cold brew coffee
• 1 Ounce bourbon whiskey (optional)
• 6 Ounce hot water
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a small pot and heat to near-boiling.
2. Pour the toddy into a mug.

Read: 5 Cold Brew Coffee Cocktails To Mix At Home

Not All Coffees Work For These Recipes

Most recipe websites just say to use “coffee” without specifying what kind. There are many kinds of coffees—and many of them will not work well with these recipes.

We strongly suggest avoiding these… 

• French roast beans (or other black-as-night beans)
• Flavored coffee beans
• Stale coffee beans (like those from a grocery store shelf)

Instead, go with freshly roasted, specialty-grade coffee beans.

Beans from our JavaPresse Coffee Club blend better in your drinks—and they just taste dramatically better on their own. They don’t taste like burned rubber and ash. They’re smooth, complex, and flavorful—even black!

Pick your favorite roast, we’ll ship ultra-fresh beans right to your door, and you can enjoy winter coffee recipes with an unforgettable flavor—just the way it should be.

Check it out!