6 Cosy Autumn Drinks for When You Fancy Something Different
Updated: 4 hours ago
I’m not giving up tea. Let’s get that out of the way.
But sometimes, I fancy something a bit more interesting. Something with ginger or cinnamon in it, or chocolate.
You don’t need a coffee machine or a cupboard full of flavoured syrups to make a lovely autumn drink. A saucepan will do most of the work here, and quite a few of the ingredients are things you might already have for baking.
These six recipes include a gingerbread hot chocolate, hot spiced cider, a maple cinnamon latte, a warm pear and ginger drink, salted caramel milk and an orange-spiced chai.
They each make two servings, so halve the ingredients if you’re making one mug. Adjust the sweetness at the end, particularly with the fruit drinks, as juices and cider can vary quite a lot.
1. Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
This is for an evening when you want something properly chocolatey, with enough ginger.
The cocoa keeps it from being all sweetness, while brown sugar and cinnamon give it that lovely gingerbread flavour. A little black treacle is optional, but useful if you have a tin left over from baking.
Ingredients
500ml milk or an oat drink you enjoy.
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar, plus more to taste.
½ teaspoon ground ginger.
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
1 teaspoon black treacle, optional.
Whipped cream and a little crumbled ginger biscuit, optional.
How to Make It
Put the cocoa, sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Add two tablespoons of the milk and stir into a smooth paste.
Gradually whisk in the remaining milk. Add the vanilla and treacle, if using.
Warm over a low to medium heat, stirring regularly, until steaming hot. Keep it below a boil.
Taste and add a little more sugar if you want it sweeter, then divide between two mugs.
A small spoonful of whipped cream and a few ginger biscuit crumbs make it feel like something you’ve ordered in a café.
I’d start with the ginger in the recipe and add an extra pinch at the end if you like it stronger. You can always add more; trying to take it out again is considerably less straightforward.
2. Hot Spiced Cider
This is the one to make when you want the kitchen to smell autumnal as well.
Apple cider, orange peel and a cinnamon stick only need a little time together in a saucepan. It’s a lovely drink for an early evening, especially if you’ve just come in from outside and still haven’t quite warmed up.
Use alcoholic apple cider for the cider version, or cloudy apple juice for an alcohol-free one. Warming alcoholic cider does not make it alcohol-free.
Ingredients
500ml apple cider or cloudy apple juice.
1 cinnamon stick.
2 whole cloves.
2 thin strips of orange peel, with as little white pith as possible.
2 thin slices of fresh ginger.
1–2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey, only if needed.
How to Make It
Pour the cider or apple juice into a saucepan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, orange peel and ginger.
Heat gently until steaming, then turn the heat down and let the flavours infuse for 5–10 minutes. Avoid a rolling boil.
Taste before adding any sugar or honey. Apple juice may be sweet enough already.
Strain into two heatproof mugs.
A thin apple slice makes a nice finishing touch, although I wouldn’t go out specifically to buy an apple for the garnish.
If you prefer a lighter flavour, start tasting after five minutes. Cloves can become quite bossy if you leave them in for too long.
3. Maple Cinnamon Latte
A good choice when you fancy an autumn coffee but don’t want to buy a bottle of syrup.
Maple syrup gives the milk a gentle sweetness, and cinnamon is enough to make the coffee feel seasonal. You can use espresso, strong cafetière coffee or instant coffee made with a smaller amount of water.
Ingredients
120ml strong brewed coffee, or 2 double espressos.
400ml milk or a barista-style oat drink.
1–2 tablespoons maple syrup.
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
A little extra cinnamon for the top, optional.
How to Make It
Make the coffee and divide it between two large mugs.
Put the milk, one tablespoon of maple syrup and the cinnamon in a saucepan.
Warm gently, whisking as it heats. Once it’s steaming, take it off the heat.
Froth with a handheld milk frother, or whisk briskly if that’s what you have.
Pour over the coffee. Taste before adding the remaining maple syrup.
The cinnamon won’t dissolve completely, so give the milk a good stir just before pouring.
This is an excellent excuse to use the larger mug you keep for “proper coffee”. Add a piece of toast or something from the biscuit tin and you’ve got a very agreeable afternoon break.
Decaf coffee works here too if that’s what you prefer.
4. Warm Pear and Ginger
Pear deserves a little attention in autumn. Apples tend to get most of it.
This is a lighter drink than the chocolate and milky options, with fresh ginger and a little lemon to balance the sweetness. Pear nectar works as well as pear juice, although it may need a splash more water if it’s particularly thick or sweet.
Ingredients
400ml pear juice or pear nectar.
100ml water.
4 thin slices of fresh ginger.
1 whole star anise, optional.
2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus more to taste.
How to Make It
Put the pear juice, water, ginger and optional star anise in a saucepan.
Warm gently until steaming. Keep over a very low heat for 5–7 minutes.
Remove the ginger and star anise.
Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust with a little more lemon or water if needed.
Pour into two mugs and serve warm.
The star anise gives it a faint aniseed flavour. Leave it out if that isn’t your thing; pear and ginger work perfectly well together on their own.
I like the idea of serving this in small cups with a slice of cake. It would also be a lovely warm drink to offer someone who doesn’t fancy coffee or hot chocolate.
5. Salted Caramel Vanilla Milk
This one is very easy, which is part of its appeal.
You’re warming milk with caramel sauce, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt. That’s the whole recipe. It tastes sweet and comforting without needing coffee or cocoa.
A jar of ordinary caramel dessert sauce is fine. If you already have salted caramel sauce, leave out the extra salt at first.
Ingredients
500ml milk or an oat drink.
2 tablespoons caramel sauce.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
A tiny pinch of fine salt, only if needed.
Whipped cream and an extra drizzle of caramel, optional.
How to Make It
Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the caramel sauce.
Warm gently, stirring until the caramel has mixed into the milk.
Add the vanilla and taste. Stir in a tiny pinch of salt if you’re using an unsalted sauce.
Once steaming hot, divide between two mugs.
Add cream and a little extra caramel if you fancy it.
Start cautiously with the salt. You want it to bring out the caramel flavour, not make the drink taste salty.
If you’d like a stronger caramel taste, add another teaspoon of sauce to your mug. Different brands vary in sweetness, so it’s easier to adjust after warming everything together.
This feels like a small pudding you can hold in your hands, which is a fairly persuasive argument for making it.
6. Orange and Cardamom Chai Latte
Tea does get one appearance on the list, but this is a little more involved than dropping a teabag into a mug.
Black tea, cardamom, cinnamon and orange peel make a fragrant, milky drink. The orange is subtle, and using peel rather than juice keeps the flavour gentle in the milk.
Ingredients
250ml water.
300ml milk or an oat drink.
2 black teabags.
4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed.
1 cinnamon stick.
2 small strips of orange peel, avoiding the white pith.
1–2 teaspoons brown sugar, or more to taste.
How to Make It
Put the water, cardamom, cinnamon and orange peel in a small saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for five minutes.
Take the pan off the heat, add the teabags and steep for about three minutes.
Remove the teabags. Add the milk and sugar, then return the pan to a low heat.
Warm until steaming, stirring occasionally.
Strain into two large mugs.
Lightly crushing the cardamom pods helps release the flavour. Press them with the flat side of a spoon or the base of a sturdy mug until they split.
Take the teabags out before warming the milk so the tea doesn’t become too bitter. If you like a stronger cup, adjust the steeping time a little next time.
A plain biscuit is quite enough alongside this one. There’s already plenty going on in the mug.
A Few Things That Make These Easier
You don’t need to buy every spice on the list.
If you have ground ginger, cinnamon and cocoa, start with the gingerbread hot chocolate. If there’s caramel sauce in the cupboard, the warm caramel milk is probably the quickest option.
Whole spices are useful in the fruit drinks because you can lift them out or strain them away. Ground spices are better suited to the hot chocolate, where a little powder is less noticeable.
For the milky drinks, keep the heat gentle and stir regularly, especially near the bottom of the pan.
Which One Shall We Put the Kettle Away For?
The gingerbread hot chocolate would be my choice for a rainy evening. The pear and ginger sounds lovely for an afternoon when I want something warm without quite so much milk, and the cider is one to make slowly while sorting out dinner.
There’s no need to wait for a special occasion.
Choose whichever you already have most of the ingredients for, make yourself a mug and sit down while it’s still hot.
Which would you try first: gingerbread hot chocolate, hot spiced cider or salted caramel milk?
Recipe disclaimer
These recipes are shared for general information and home cooking inspiration. Results may vary depending on your ingredients, equipment and any substitutions. Please check ingredient labels for allergens and suitability for anyone you’re serving, and follow manufacturers’ storage instructions and normal food hygiene practices.
For these drinks, use pasteurised milk and juices, wash fruit before using its peel, and strain out whole spices before serving. Allow hot drinks to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature. Warming alcoholic cider does not make it alcohol-free; use apple juice if avoiding alcohol. Honey must not be given to babies under 12 months.
The information here is not personalised medical or dietary advice. If you have a health condition or specific dietary restrictions, seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional. Nothing in this disclaimer excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
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