There’s nothing quite like a piping hot mug of hot cocoa while watching the snow fall during the winter season. That is to say unless you’re an adult and would like a little alcohol to spice it up. If you’re looking to make your hot cocoa a little boozier, here are some delicious recipes to try!

Adult Hot Chocolate
If you are looking to keep hot cocoa as classic as possible but with a little kick, an adult hot chocolate might be just what you’re looking for. With rich chocolate, light spices, and the liquor of your choice, here’s how to make a cup for the next time you’re sitting by the fire.

Ingredients:

• Cocoa powder
• 2% milk
• Vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips
• Cinnamon to taste
• 1.5-ounce Baileys, whiskey, or other liquor of your choice

Add milk to a stovetop pot, and warm gradually, bringing it to a simmer. Add in cocoa powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips, and sugar, and mix in until incorporated. Turn the stove to low and serve in mugs. Add the liquor of your choice to the hot cocoa concoction. The best pairings are often Baileys, whiskey, or rum.

The Peppermint Patty
If you are looking for a candy cane-inspired libation but are still craving that warm chocolatey comfort from hot cocoa, The Peppermint Patty might be just what you need while unwrapping your presents. Here’s how to get started on preparing your cup:

Ingredients:

• One cup of hot chocolate
• 1-ounce creme de cacao
• 1-ounce peppermint schnapps

(Homemade Hot Cocoa Ingredients)

• 2% or oat milk
• Cocoa powder
• Chocolate chips
• Sugar

Start by brewing your hot chocolate, and while you can use store-bought hot chocolate powder in 2% or oat milk, you’ll get even more flavor by making it from scratch. You can make homemade hot cocoa on the stovetop by simmering the milk, then stirring in cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and sugar until they are dissolved.

Once finished, serve in a mug and add in the peppermint schnapps and creme de cacao for a delicious minty mug of Christmas joy.

Spiked and Spicy Hot Chocolate
If you’re looking to add a little spicy heat to your hot chocolate, this spiked-and-spicy hot chocolate will warm you up in more ways than one! Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

• One cup of milk
• 2-ounces milk chocolate
• 1-ounce semi-sweet chocolate
• One tablespoon of light brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Dash of salt
• 1.5 ounces of dark spiced rum

Once again, you will start by simmering the milk on a stovetop and blending in the chocolate and sugar until melted. Next, add your spices to the pot, whisking them in thoroughly. Once it is fully blended, pour it into a mug and add the dark spiced rum.

Orange Spiked Boozy Hot Chocolate
Two of the titular treats of the winter season are oranges and chocolate, and this delightful concoction blends both in a fruity and rich eruption of flavors. To make a cup, you will need the following:

Ingredients:

• One cup of milk
• One tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
• One tablespoon of brown sugar
• One cinnamon stick
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• One tablespoon of Grand Marnier

Bring the milk to a simmer in a stovetop pot, and incorporate in the cocoa powder, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until they’re dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick for additional flavor, pour into a mug, and finally, add the Grand Marnier for that orangey, zesty tang.

Rethink hot chocolate this season with these adult versions that are sure to warm you up. Contact Payless Liquors today for all of your alcohol add-ins for your chocolatey treat.

Looking for a tasty cocktail to ring in the new year with? Nothing celebrates the holidays quite like a delicious holiday drink! If you’re hosting a holiday get-together or New Year’s bash, a cocktail is the perfect way to enhance your party. When planning your holiday party, here are a few easy-to-make and festive holiday drinks that are perfect for your gathering.

The Grinch Cocktail

Sure, the Grinch never confessed to having a lot of holiday cheer, but this cocktail will bring plenty of joy to your holiday party with a zingy, refreshing tang! To make a serving follow the recipe below:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces vodka
• ½ ounces melon liqueur
• Lime juice from 3 wedges
• Top with ginger ale
• Garnish with green sugar, and a candy cane

Start by pouring the vodka and melon liqueur into an iced shaker. Next, juice the three wedges, cover them, and shake thoroughly before pouring them into a coupe glass or tumbler. Next, top with ginger ale. You can either do a splash for less seltzer or give a hearty pour if you like more bubbles in your cocktail.

For a party-size preparation of this cocktail, just combine the vodka, liqueur, and lime juice ahead of time and then ice it and top it with ginger ale when served. You can also pre-prepare the glasses with their garnish.

The Holly Jolly Christmas Cocktail

This classy holiday classic feels like Christmas in a cup, with the zestiness of a holiday orange, the sweetness of the liqueur, and some holiday herbs to tie together the perfect sampling of the season. Check out the ingredients you’ll need below:

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of vodka
• ½ ounces of elderflower liqueur
• ⅓ cup fresh squeezed orange juice (blood orange is best)
• Top with ginger beer
• Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or thyme

Combine the vodka and liqueur in an iced shaker along with the freshly squeezed orange juice and shake thoroughly until frosty. Next, pour into a tumbler or punch glass using the ice from mixing or fresh ice, and top with a splash of ginger beer for some bubbles. And, of course, garnish with your sprig of mint for an amazing aroma or thyme for a more grounded, savory complement to the drink’s sweetness.

If preparing a large batch for your party, you can pre-combine the vodka, liqueur, and orange juice ahead of time, though be sure not to include ice until shaking! You can garnish the glasses ahead of time, as well.

The Spice Box

Hanukkah is another delightful part of the holiday season, and if you’re looking for a tasty drink to enjoy while your party lights the menorah, The Spice Box is a rich and delicious addition to your Hanukkah party! Here’s how to make a glass:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces bourbon
• ¾ ounces Besamim liqueur
• ½ ounce coffee liqueur
• Garnish with a lemon peel

Combine the bourbon with the Besamim liqueur and coffee liqueur in a tumbler or old-fashioned glass and stir gently. Add a large single ice cube, stirring gently once more before garnishing with a lemon peel.

To prepare for a party, you can pre-combine all ingredients and simply add them to ice and garnish as needed.

The French 75

One of mixology’s most classic cocktails, The French 75 is simple, delicious, and with its celebration of champagne as a signature ingredient, the perfect cocktail to ring in the new year! Here’s how to prepare a serving:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces gin
• 0.5 ounces of simple syrup
• Top with champagne
• Garnish with a lemon ribbon

Truly a simple but delightful cocktail; simply add the gin and simple syrup into a champagne flute, and then fill to the brim with champagne, garnishing with your lemon ribbon at the end. Be sure to keep the champagne chilled and corked until ready to serve to ensure you keep the drink bubbly and festive.

Enjoy these recipes this holiday season with your friends and family. Contact Payless Liquors today for more ideas on how to make your party festive.

With Christmas Day fast approaching, many may still be looking for the perfect gift to get for friends and family. But when it comes to gifting for the cocktail lovers in your life, there are a lot of possibilities. Whether you’re looking to get the cocktail lover in your life the latest mixology gear, the perfect set of glasses, or of course, a delicious bottle of liquor, we have the guide you need to buy for the liquor lover in your life this Christmas!

New Glassware for Mixing and Drinking

Any cocktail maestro knows there is a glass for every occasion. Whether they are in need of a set of stout simple tumblers and old-fashioned glasses, classy and broad snifters, or a set of fun martini glasses for their next party, you should ask if there are any specific drink vessels that your friend or family member is in need of. Many aspiring home mixologists will be overjoyed to get a set of new glasses.

For cocktail lovers who already have their cabinets filled with an impressive collection of classic glasses, a decanter might be a great gift. Storing alcohol in a decanter allows for the liquor to breathe and helps to release more flavor. Similarly, a decanter can be the centerpiece of a bar, with a variety of intricate glass or even crystal stylings, as well as many different color options to match the bar’s ambiance.

Novelty glasses, like a fun, exotic tiki glass, are also a great gift idea for any cocktail lover, as these can be harder to find, and their whimsical appearance makes for a great conversation topic at parties.

Cocktail Books

Even the most experienced cocktail creators enjoy hearing about new recipes, and a cocktail book makes for a great gift to help the liquor lovers in your life expand their own home bar menus. Cocktail books can open the door to delicious new recipes or old undiscovered classics for a cocktail lover. There are even themed cocktail books that celebrate sports, movies, or shows that can be a great guide for themed parties.

Also, be sure to ask the cocktail lover in your life if there are any mixologists or chefs they admire. Most celebrity chefs and drink makers have their own mixology recipe books that not only have plenty of tasty recipes but also share their own stories about their journey as cocktail craftspeople.

Bartending Tools

For the up-and-coming mixologists, a great holiday gift to consider is a bar tool kit. These will consist of commonly used bar tools that many people who are just getting started in mixology don’t have in their kitchen cabinets. These kits include strainers, mixing spoons, measured shot glasses, and other important utensils that are key to making a cocktail.

For the more experienced mixologists, you can consider gifting them higher-ticket bartending tools like an immersion blender or a smoker to take their cocktail creation to the next level.

A Nice Bottle of Booze

There are few presents better to give your liquor-loving friends than a nice bottle of their favorite booze. Whether you are getting them a nicely aged whiskey or scotch, a deliciously distilled tequila, or a rare specialty liqueur, whatever liquor you buy them, Payless Liquors has a terrific selection to choose from.

The classic Negroni drink has undergone many iterations of change and experimentation since it appeared in the early 20th century. It was an experiment on the Americano, swapping the soda for gin. The base ingredients of the classic Negroni are equal amounts of gin, Campari, and vermouth. You have an entirely new drink by swapping the gin out with bourbon or rum.

The Negroni Sbagliato has recently come into new popularity as the result of Emma D’Arcy, star of HBO’s House of the Dragon, listing in their spell-binding voice the Sbagliato as their drink of choice. The Sbagliato is a form of the Negroni which switches the gin for sparkling wine, such as champagne or Prosecco, as D’Arcy added. It’s one of the most famous Italian cocktails. So how does making it differ from a classic Negroni?

The Classic Negroni

Though we’ve explained the base ingredients of a classic Negroni, the specifics are important. Campari is bold, and you don’t want the other elements to overpower or be overpowered by the bitter flavor. Select a sweet vermouth and gin pair that complements the Campari for the best Negroni drink.

Ingredients:

• 1-ounce gin
• 1 ounce Campari
• 1-ounce sweet vermouth
• Orange peel garnish

Add the gin, Campari, and vermouth in a mixing glass with ice, and stir until chilled. Then, strain the mix into a rocks glass or tumbler with a large ice cube and add the orange peel garnish.

A Negroni Sbagliato

Supposedly, the alcohol switch that created this cocktail was done by mistake or because of a lack of gin. Sbagliato means “mistake” or “bungled” in Italian, as this drink is a twist on the standard Negroni. It is delicious despite its apparent mistaken nature, replacing the gin of the classic Negroni with sparkling water such as champagne or Prosecco.

The classic Negroni is a more bitter drink, and it’s not for everyone. The Sbagliato is both sweet and bitter, thanks to the sweet vermouth, fortified wine-red vermouth, and Campari, a bitter dark red Italian liqueur mixed with the bubbly and bright Prosecco. The sparkling wine adds a sweetness to it that the gin doesn’t. It also makes the alcohol content of the Sbagliato lower than the classic Negroni.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounce Prosecco or sparkling wine
• 1 ½ ounces Campari
• 1 ½ ounces sweet vermouth
• Orange peel garnish

Add the Campari and sweet vermouth in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Add the orange peel twist for a garnish. Once chilled, strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube and top off with the Prosecco or sparkling wine.

For Sbagliato served up, strain the Campari and vermouth into a champagne flute, add the Prosecco, and stir again.

A Sbagliato is a simple drink at home, and it’s a decadent cocktail you can spend the evening with. Find all the necessary ingredients at your local Payless Liquors and enjoy this delicious drink.