Creative Cooks

Iced Whiskey Coffees with Whiskey Syrup and Whipped Cream
Yield: recipes makes 1, is easily multiplied total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Crushed ice
8 ounces cold-brewed coffee
2 tablespoons whiskey syrup
1 tablespoon whiskey
3 tablespoons cream
Coconut whipped cream for topping
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Whiskey syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whiskey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut whipped cream
1 (14-ounce) can COLD full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Fill the glass with ice. Pour in the coffee, syrup and whiskey, stirring well to mix. Stir in the cream, top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. This is my favorite proportion for the coffee, but you can easily change it up!

Whiskey syrup
Combine the sugar, whiskey and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool completely. Stir in the vanilla extract and use!

Coconut whipped cream
Take the can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Open the cans and discard the liquid (save it for a smoothie!), then scoop the firm coconut meat into the bowl of your electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until completely whipped and thick. Beat in the sugar. Set the bowl in the fridge until ready to use.

Four Homemade Coffee Syrups and Cold Brew
Yield: serves 2 to 4, depending on your caffeine addiction
Total Time: overnight for coffee, a few minutes for the syrups

Ingredients:

Cold brew coffee
1 cup whole coffee beans
5 cups filtered water
regular ice or coffee ice cubes

vanilla bean syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

blackberry syrup
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar

cinnamon brown sugar syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup water

almond syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

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Pumpkin Butterbeer Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 5 MINUTES cook time: 10 total time: 15 MINUTES yields: MAKES 2-3 MUGS

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup butterscotch sauce (home recipe below)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Butterscotch Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce (homemade recipe below)
1 vanilla bean, seeds removed or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Instructions

Add the milk to a large heavy bottomed pot. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, milk chocolate, pumpkin, butterscotch sauce, vanilla, butter and bourbon (if using). Place the pot over medium low heat until the milk is scalding, but not boiling. Be sure to stir the pot often to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and burning. Meanwhile, make the butterscotch whipped cream. Add the cream to a large mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla bean and whip until combined. Stir in the butterscotch, leaving streaks in the whipped cream. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Once the hot chocolate is steaming, ladle into mugs and dollop with cream. If you want to be fancy, you can sprinkle the top of the cream with edible gold stars!!Butterscotch Sauce Melt the butter in a small sauce pot. Add the brown sugar, heavy cream and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon, if using.

Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) savory gin (such as Edinburgh Seaside Gin)
1 1/2 tablespoons Cucumber, Basil, and Cardamom Syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
Ice cubes
2 tablespoons club soda
Persian cucumber strips and dried rose petals (such as Rose Dose)

How to Make It

Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice in a Boston cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice cubes. Cover and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a cognac snifter glass filled with ice cubes. Top with club soda, and garnish with cucumber strips and dried rose petals.


Cucumber, Basil, and Cardamom Syrup

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 medium Persian cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
5 black cardamom pods, cracked
2 large fresh basil leaves
Pinch of flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

How to Make It

Stir together sugar, 1 cup water, cucumber, cardamom, and basil in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Pour mixture through a strainer into a bowl, discarding solids. Stir in salt. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Sugar Plum White Hot Chocolate w/ Cotton Candy Whipped Cream

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate
4 C whole milk
1 C Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 drops of pink food coloring

Cotton candy whipped cream
2 C cold heavy whipping cream
1/2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp cotton candy extract
2 drops of pink food coloring
1 pouch of purple sprinkles

Instructions

Hot Chocolate directions:
Place the milk, white chocolate, vanilla in a medium saucepan.
Whisk continuously over medium-low heat, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth

Whipped cream directions:
Using a standing mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form
Pour the hot chocolate into glasses and pipe the whipped cream on top
Sprinkle with the purple sprinkles and enjoy!

Autumn Apple Bourbon Fizz
Yield: makes 1 drink, is easily multiplied Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
orange wedges for the glass
1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1 tablespoon sugar for the rim
3 tablespoons apple butter
2 ounces bourbon
pinch of cinnamon
4 to 6 ounces chilled ginger ale or ginger beer
fresh figs for garnish

Directions:

Rim your glass with a wedge of citrus. I like orange but lemon or lime work too! Stir together the cinnamon and sugar on a plate. Dip the rim in the cinnamon sugar.

Fill a shaker glass with ice. Add the apple butter, bourbon and a pinch of cinnamon. Shake well for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the glass. Fill the glass with ginger ale or ginger beer and serve!

Green Bloody Mary - Verde Mary
Yield: 2 cocktails Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 medium tomatillos, husked, washed and chopped
1/2 cup cold vodka
1/2 serrano chile, seeded
1/2 English cucumber, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Few dashes green hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Tiny pinch of chipotle chili powder
Simple syrup (to taste)
Kosher salt, to taste (optional)

lime
coarse sugar

Instructions

Combine all cocktail ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Rub the rim of two rocks glass with a lime slice and roll in course sugar.
Serve chilled with ice. Garnish as desired.

Notes

adjust hot sauce and chipotle chili powder to the level of hotness you prefer.

Sangria Mexican Mule Cocktail
Yield: 1 cocktail Prep Time: 3 minutes Total Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients

2 ounces tequila
1 ounce red wine, chilled
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
4 ounces ginger beer, chilled
fresh blackberries and lime slices for garnish

Instructions

Half-fill a double rocks glass with ice then add the tequila, wine and lime juice. Stir gently to combine then top up with ginger beer then stir once more.
Garnish with a few fresh blackberries and a lime slice.

Lemon Drop Martini with Elderflower
Yield: 1 cocktail Prep Time: 2 minutes Total Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

2 ounces vodka
1 ounce elderflower cordial (or lemon infused simple syrup)
1/2 ounce triple sec
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice (or 1/2 a lemon)
lemon for rimming glass and garnish
sugar for martini glass rim

Instructions

Place vodka, elderflower cordial, triple sec, and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.
Moisten the rim of a martini glass with a lemon wedge. Turn glass upside down and dip in sugar for a coated rim.
Strain into the prepared martini glass, garnish with lemon twist and serve immediately.

Strawberry Hibiscus Margarita.
Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 5 minutes Total Time 15 minutes Servings 1

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers
1-2 tablespoons honey, to your taste
4-6 strawberries, sliced, plus additional for serving
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 ounces silver tequila
ginger beer, for topping
kosher salt, for rimming

Instructions

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium size pot. Remove from the heat, add the hibiscus flowers and 1-2 tablespoons honey, dependent on your taste. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and discard the hibiscus flowers.

2. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and coat in salt.

3. In a cocktail shaker or glass jar, add strawberries, lime juice, 2-4 tablespoons steeped tea, and the orange zest. Muddle all of the ingredients together, squashing everything to release the juices from the fruit. Add the tequila. Fill with ice and shake until combined. Strain into your prepared glass. Top off with ginger beer. Serve with limes. Drink!