Happy Hour

13 Hot Cocktails to Warm You to Your Core

Soothing sips best served in a mug.

October 26, 2022

photo of two hands holding a Chai hot toddy with cinnamon stick and orange zest garnish

We'll let you in on a secret: Any alcoholic drink can become a hot alcoholic drink—the toddy treatment is more flexible than you might imagine. But as the weather cools, we often find ourselves craving the classics: steaming mugs of spiked cider and hot buttered rum, good ol' whiskey toddies and Irish coffee. You'll find our favorite versions of each below, plus some fun newer concoctions from a few of our favorite bartenders. (Yes, there's a hot tequila drink. And yes, it's delicious.) Pour a little boiling water into your mug to warm it up in anticipation, then scroll down for the best hot cocktails on Epicurious.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
1/13
Buttered Rum Hot Chocolate
Buttered rum is one of the classic hot alcoholic drinks; here it meets up with hot cocoa made extra-rich with chopped bittersweet chocolate and brown sugar.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
2/13
Warm Comfort
Fans of the margarita and paloma might not be expecting to see tequila on a list of the best hot cocktails, but this soothing concoction is absolutely worth trying. Chamomile tea's warm floral flavor pairs well with the spirit, and the easy drink is balanced with a touch of fresh lemon and agave nectar.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
3/13
Apples and Oranges
For the best spiked cider, put away the whiskey. This version is flavored with citrusy Grand Marnier and Amaro Averna, plus a little salted butter for a caramel-apple vibe.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
4/13
Irish Coffee
We're not sure there's a better hot and boozy drink to serve with dessert this winter.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Styling by Joseph De Leo
5/13
Chartreuse Hot Cocoa
Known as verte chaud, this beloved combination of herbal liqueur and hot chocolate is far from new. We like it with a quarter-ounce of high-proof bourbon in the mix.
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Photo by Paul H. Christian, Food Styling by Michele Figliuolo
6/13
Hot Toddy
If you have bourbon, honey, lemon, and hot water, you can have a superlative toddy in just a few minutes.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
7/13
Hot White Russian
The Dude's favorite vodka cocktail is cozy to sip any time, but this hot version, made with a little extra coffee, is particularly nice when it's snowing outside.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Gerri Williams, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton
8/13
Wassail
Bring in the cheer with this ruby red drink made with apple brandy, hot cider, cranberry, and plenty of warm spice.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
9/13
Turmeric Hot Toddy
This hot drink is remarkably flexible. Start with Amontillado sherry, lemon, and a quick turmeric simple syrup, then add hot water and pretty much any spirit. Bourbon, aged rum, scotch, mezcal, and gin are especially good.
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Tara Striano
10/13
Rompope
This creamy egg punch, flavored with almond, cinnamon, and rum or aguardiente, is usually served chilled. But cookbook author María del Mar Cuadra prefers to sip it warm when the weather gets chilly.
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Kana Okada
11/13
Clementine Mulled Cider
This hot cider keeps it simple—just cider, cinnamon, cloves, clementine peels, and rum if you like.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
12/13
Raspberry and Thyme Hot Toddy Punch
Here's a big-batch option that can warm up a crowd. Raspberry liqueur meets English Breakfast tea, fresh citrus, thyme, and peppery rye whiskey. Dole it out into mugs, and don't be surprised if your guests return to the stove for refills.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
13/13
Hot Toddy Pick-Me-Up
Hot alcoholic drinks are often sweetened with honey. In this one, though, a honey-sweetened herbal liqueur does the trick, alongside brandy, bitters, and bourbon.
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The Epicurious Interactive Cocktail Cabinet

Find your new signature cocktail by clicking on up to three ingredients that you’d like to use in your next drink. (Click an ingredient again to deselect it, and press the reset button to start over.) Have a bottle of gin and a lemon? Some whiskey and sweet vermouth? We have cocktail recipes for that and every other combination—all you have to do is click, then scroll down, to find them.

Maggie Hoffman