Cozy up with these hot drinks for cold days!
4 min
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The temperatures are dropping, it’s cold and gray outside – it’s time to curl up at home and take it easy. And the best thing to top off your lazy afternoon is a delicious hot drink! Here’s a collection of our favorites, complete with all the tips you need to prepare them quickly and easily at home.
Hot Drinks for Cold Days
When it’s chilly, damp, and gray outside, there’s just nothing better than a delicious mug of something warm at home after an autumn or winter walk. Just snuggle up in your blanket, sit back, relax, and enjoy your drink of choice.
Mulled wine is one of the top cold weather drinks, and it’s not just for Christmas markets! A soothing tea with ginger and lemon juice, or sweet with apple, honey, and cinnamon sticks, is also a healthy and cozy choice for when the temperatures outside keep dropping.
It’s also important to have some variety and get a little creative instead of just boiling water for hot tea over and over again – that’s why we’ve picked out our top drink recipes for trying something new over the winter months. We’ve included some classics, but also some more experimental ones: there’s something for everyone! And who knows, maybe you’ll find your new must-have drink to fight off winter’s chill.
Before we look at the recipes, let’s cover a related topic: it’s essential to keep drinking plenty of fluids even over the winter. When it’s hot outside, hydration kind of happens automatically, but as soon as it gets colder, it’s easier to forget to pack a water bottle for when you’re out and about.
The body still needs to get enough water: you need to be hydrated properly for your cells to regulate nutrient supplies and to compensate for water lost through respiration. According to the NHS, everyone should drink about 6-8 glasses of water a day, even on cold days. Tasty unsweetened herbal, lemon peel, and other fruit teas are also perfect for keeping up your fluid intake.
Water requirements vary depending on weight, age, diet, and health. Your hydration needs also increase when you’re working out. If you’re not sure how much your body really needs, the NHS’ guide to hydration may help.
Classic Recipes
#1 Golden Milk
Golden milk – a classic in Ayurvedic medicine – is one of our favorite ways to start the day. This trendy yet healthy warm drink is said to have many health benefits, due to the natural antioxidant curcumin in turmeric – which is what gives this milk with spices its glow. Among other things, it may help ease gastrointestinal symptoms, inhibit inflammation, and slow down skin aging. So golden milk is not only the perfect alternative to coffee in the morning or afternoon, but also good for you in general.
Editor’s tip: Our version of the classic golden milk recipe boosts its nutritional value by adding Whey Protein.
#2 Chai Latte
Chai lattes have also become one of the trendiest classic hot drinks. What makes this latte special is definitely the mix of different spices that create an incomparable taste experience. But our recipe with no added sugar makes it easy to fit this latte into your nutrition plan, so you can stay warm with a steamy cup of chai on cold days.
#3 Protein Matcha Latte
Matcha is still one of the most popular trends among foodies. This mostly due to the fact that the green powder made from tencha tea is considered a superfood. Thanks to its sizable dose of caffeine, matcha is also a great alternative to your morning french-press coffee. A cup of matcha helps anyone get out of bed quickly, even on cold days. Our recipe has a special ingredient, our Vanilla Whey Protein. This protein boost makes our latte a treat even for people who aren’t fans of matcha because it makes it sweet and extra creamy, even without the added sugar or heavy cream.
Experimental Hot Drinks
#1 Marzipan Hot Chocolate
A hot chocolate is simply unbeatable on cold days. Unfortunately, cocoa usually packs a lot of sugar as well. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Savor the taste of Christmas without all the calories with our recipe and get an extra serving of tasty protein and marzipan flavor along with it! Spoiler alert: Chances are this is the only hot cocoa you’ll ever want to drink again.Click here for winter in a cup
#2 Pumpkin Spice Latte
Sure you know pumpkin as decoration and a hearty ingredient, but it goes just as well in a hot drink – in the fall and winter we just can’t get enough of pumpkin. That’s why we used to go to the cafe next door for their PSL, but making it at home is much more fun – and just as delicious. Try it with maple syrup for a different twist!
Pumpkin Spice and everything nice
#3 Gingerbread Latte
Gingerbread Latte – sounds pretty sinful, right? Wrong! Reward yourself with this warm winter drink that tastes delicious without nearly as many calories as you’d expect. After all, our Gingerbread Latte contains no added sugar, but it still tastes indulgent, even without extra whipped cream, and it’s a great way to get in the mood for the holiday season.
#4 Cardamom Rose Latte
The Cardamom Rose Latte is perhaps the most stylish choice among hot drinks. In pink, it’s a real eye-catcher – and presentation is key, after all. But rest assured that this warm milk with spices also tastes super delicious and will definitely leave you with a cozy feeling on cold, rainy days.
Conclusion
- Hot drinks are perfect for warming up on cold days.
- Forget endless mugs of mulled wine and boiling water for tea again, and check out our exciting drink recipes from marzipan hot cocoa to matcha and cardamom rose lattes.
- Don’t forget to drink enough, even in the winter months. The NHS recommends 6-8 glasses a day.
Sources for this article
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