Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, come light the menorah,
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the hora —

{{ Insert screeching sound of a vinyl record stopping abruptly }}

No, there won’t be much partying or hora-dancing for Hanukkah 2020. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of these amazing Hanukkah cocktails. Or two. Or five.

A Bit About Hanukkah

Somewhere around 2,200 years ago, the Jews lived in the Holy Land of Israel, which was ruled by the Persians and the Egyptian Greeks. They allowed the Jews to follow their religious traditions. But then King Antiochus IV came along and forced the Jews to worship Greek Gods. Anyone caught practicing Judaism could be killed.

A group of Jews called the Maccabees revolted and, after a 3-year war, they liberated Jerusalem from the Greeks. The Maccabees wanted to rededicate their temple to God, as the Greeks had been worshipping Zeus there. They lit the temple’s menorah (the Hebrew word for lamp) but they could only find enough oil to keep the menorah lit for one day. Miraculously, the menorah remained lit for 8 days!

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for 8 days and Jews traditionally eat fried foods such as potato latkes and jelly doughnuts to commemorate the miracle of the oil.

Now I enjoy a peppermint or eggnog cocktail as much as the next person, but they don’t go very well with brisket and latkes. So I created five Hanukkah-themed cocktails to help celebrate the Festival of Lights. L’chaim!

Menorah Margarita

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This margarita is a bit smoky – like the candles on your menorah. It gets its beautiful blue hue from simple syrup and ice cubes made from butterfly pea flower tea (recipe below).

• Mix 1 ounce mezcal tequila, 1 ounce blanco tequila, and 1 ounce lime juice in tall glass.
• Add crushed ice and club soda, leaving about 1-2 inches at the top of the glass.
• Carefully top with crushed blue ice cubes.
• Slowly pour 1 ounce of blue simple syrup on top. As the syrup and ice cubes slowly mix with the lime juice, the bottom of the drink will start to turn purple. Once you mix it, it will all turn purple.
• Mix well before drinking to distribute the flavors.

How to Make Blue Simple Syrup

I made my blue simple syrup with butterfly pea flowers (click to buy some – they are really fun!). Here’s the step-by-step:

• Steep 1/4 cup dried butterfly pea flowers in a teapot with 4 cups of boiling water.
• Steep for 10 minutes, then strain out the flowers.
• Combine 1 cup of the blue tea in a saucepan with 1 cup of sugar. (Keep the rest of the tea to drink and to make ice cubes.)
• Heat the mixture to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes to fully dissolve the sugar. You want to see steam coming from the surface and a few bubbles. Do not let the water come to a vigorous boil or you’ll start boiling off water, which will affect your water to sugar ratio. 
• Stir with a whisk several times during the heating process. 
• Remove from the heat and cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Pour into a clean, air-tight jar. A mason jar is ideal for your homemade simple syrup. It’s a good idea to sterilize your jar in boiling water before storing your syrup to guard against any bacterial growth.
• Find more simple syrups recipes in our Ultimate Guide to Simple Syrups!

The remainder of your butterfly pea flower tea can be used to make blue ice cubes or to simply drink as a healthy tea. And if you don’t know about its magic color-changing properties, squeeze some lemon in your tea and watch it turn purple!

Vodka Gimel

Gimel is the best letter on the dreidel.

Dreidel is a game played on Hanukkah that involves spinning a 4-sided top. At the beginning of each round, every player puts one game piece into the center “pot.” Game pieces can be anything from pennies to poker chips to chocolate Hanukkah coins called “gelt.”

When it’s your turn, you spin the dreidel and the letter it lands on tells you what to do. You might get nothing (nun), you might get half the pot (hey), or you might have to put a piece in (shin). But when the dreidel lands on gimel, you win the whole pot!

A riff on the Vodka Gimlet, I enhanced this cocktail with a bit of blueberry. If you prefer the classic Gimlet, use gin instead of vodka.

• Combine 2.5 ounces of vodka (or gin), ½ ounce lime juice, and ½ ounce blueberry simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
• Shake until frosty, the strain into a coupe glass.
• Add blueberries for garnish.

Mazel Tov Cocktail

No, not molotov cocktail, but this drink does have some fire in it. And I tried so hard to make it flame. Cinnamon sticks don’t burn, they only smoke. Same with rosemary and thyme. Then I read that you could soak a sugar cube in high-proof alcohol and it would burn. No dice – even when I made a little “pool” of 100 proof bourbon inside the orange peel shell. (If anyone knows how to make a flaming cocktail garnish, please let me know!)

Flame or no flame, this fireball mixed drink pairs wonderfully with the applesauce on your latkes.

• Pour 2 ounces of Fireball Whiskey into a rocks glass (you can personalized ones – click here!).
• Add 2-3 dashes of Bitterman’s Burlesque Bitters (You need these bitters! They are a mix of hibiscus, acai, and long pepper – seriously, this stuff is amazing!)
• Add ice and stir.
• Top off with ginger ale and stir again.
• Garnish with orange peel, cinnamon stick, or something flaming!

The Jelly Donut

Jelly donuts, or sufganiyot, are a traditional Hanukkah treat. And there’s nothing wrong with starting your day with jelly donuts and a cocktail. It’s 2020.

• Rub a glass rim with lemon juice, then roll it in powdered sugar.
• Carefully place ice in the glass (I recommend ice spheres made with these molds). Don’t “drop” the ice in the glass – it will make the powdered sugar fly all over and fall off the rim.
• Pour 2 ounces of vanilla vodka, 3/4 ounce lemon juice, and 3/4 ounce Chambord liqueur in a cocktail shaker with 2-3 ice cubes.
• Shake until frosty, and strain into your prepared glass.
• Garnish with lemon peel and raspberries.

The Spinning Dreidel Hanukkah Gelt Cocktail

This sweet concoction goes down easy and makes a lovely dessert cocktail while playing dreidel.

• Squeeze some chocolate syrup onto a plate and dip a glass in it. Roll it around to get a good amount of chocolate on there and let it drip down inside the glass. For a cleaner look, you can melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and rim the glass in the melted chocolate – this is thicker and the chocolate will harden on the glass rim instead of dripping.
• In a cocktail shaker, add 1 1/2 ounces each of vanilla vodka, Rumchata, and Godiva chocolate liqueur.
• Add 3-4 ice cubes and shake for about 30 seconds.
• Strain into your glass and top with chocolate shavings.

I hope you enjoy these Hanukkah cocktails and have as much fun with them as I did. Happy Hanukkah!

The post 5 Hanukkah Cocktails to Put the Mazel in your Tov appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

We’re all making a lot more cocktails at home these days. And while it’s fun to experiment with new and unique ingredients, I’ve found that having a few flavored mixers and syrups on hand allows me to be creative without having to constantly buy a ton of ingredients. Here are three different cocktails you can make with “The Lemongrass” ROOT cocktail mixer.

When you’re making cocktails at home, it’s not always easy to get the fresh, high-quality ingredients you might find in a good, artisanal bar drink. But that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to a “high fructose corn syrup cocktail.” There are some great products on the market that are made with natural, organic ingredients and ROOT Cocktail Mixers are one such product.

ROOT Mixers make it easy to mix cocktails, and they come in several unique flavors such as hibiscus/elderflower, pear/lemon, grapefruit/cherry and more. Making a cocktail with these mixers can be as simple as stirring together your spirit of choice with the mixer over ice. Or you can get a little fancy, like with our Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler.

Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler Recipe

This sparkling cocktail is light, easy, and refreshing. The Lemongrass mixer adds a perfectly unique taste, elevating this drink a bit higher than a typical mimosa or bellini. It’s perfect for brunch, or for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning. It would also make an excellent alternative to champagne for your New Year’s Eve celebration.

To make our Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler, you’ll need The Lemongrass ROOT cocktail Mixer, Pisco, and sparkling white wine or Prosecco. Stir together one and a half ounces of Pisco and two ounces of ROOT Mixer. Top with sparkling white wine, garnish with lemon, and you’re all set!

In addition to the Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler, I’ve also tried ROOT’s Lemongrass mixer a couple other ways. It’s fantastic when mixed with tequila – one part Espanita ReposadoTequila to two parts Root mixer.

You can also make a deeeelicious Lemon Rum & Coke with this mixer. I mixed one ounce of dark rum, 1/2 ounce Dr. McGillicuddy’s Raw Vanilla Liqueur and 1.5 ounces of ROOT Lemongrass mixer with ice. Then topped it off with coke. Easy, sweet, and just a little more exciting than your regular rum and coke.

Grab yourself a bottle of ROOT’s “The Lemongrass” mixer, or try one of their other flavors such as “The Hound” (grapefruit/tart cherry), “The Cuke” (cucumber/lime/elderflower), “The Granada” (pomegranate/lemongrass), and more. ROOT Mixers retail for $16 for a 16-ounce bottle or $24 for a 32-ounce bottle.

Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

This Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler made with ROOT cocktail mixer has a unique taste that elevates it above a typical mimosa or bellini. It's perfect for brunch, or for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.

Print

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Pisco
• 2 oz "The Lemongrass" ROOT cocktail mixer
• Sparkling white wine, chilled
• Lemon for garnish

Instructions

1. Add Pisco and ROOT mixer in a glass and stir with a bar spoon.
2. Top with chilled sparkling white wine.
3. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Lemongrass Pisco Sparkler with ROOT Cocktail Mixer appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

I’m always looking for Fireball mixed drinks. But the sweet, hot-cinnamon taste of Fireball can be challenging to elevate and pair with other ingredients. I think I’ve come up with a winner though! If you like Fireball, you’ll love my Cinnamon Frosty.

Fireball is the bullied younger brother of whiskies. It’s super sweet and most often associated with college students and Jell-o shots. Fireball is the whisky you drink when you know nothing about whisky. It’s known as a cheap, syrupy, embarrassment to alcohol.

And yet, many people – including me! – love it.

But how do you drink it? Sure, it’s great as a shot. And if you really like sweet drinks, Fireball is also terrific with ginger ale as a mixed drink. But I wanted to bring a little sophistication to Fireball with this holiday-themed cocktail.

RumChata with Fireball

The first time I had Fireball whisky and RumChata was at a bar in Florida. It was called a “Cinnamon Toast Crunch” and it was served as a shot. That shot is the basis for this cocktail. I wanted to build upon the creaminess of the shot and turn it into a frosty, legit Fireball mixed drink.

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This drink is quick and easy to make. Just pour 2 ounces of RumChata, 2 ounces of Fireball Whisky, and 3 ounces of coconut milk in a cocktail shaker over some ice.

Strain it into a coupe glass – another way to elevate a drink is to serve it in a pretty glass! You could also serve it over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a star anise or cinnamon stick. You could even grate a little fresh cinnamon on top.

Another way to serve this drink? As a milkshake! Mix Fireball, RumChata, coconut milk, and vanilla or coconut ice cream in a blender and enjoy!

Looking for more holiday-themed drinks? Check out this White Christmas Mojito!

Cinnamon Frosty Fireball Mixed Drink

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

If you like Fireball whisky, I think you'll love this creamy, refreshing Cinnamon Frosty.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 oz Fireball Whisky
• 2 oz RumChata
• 3 oz Coconut milk
• Ice
• Star Anise and/or cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

1. Pour the Fireball, RumChata, and Coconut milk into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake well for 10-15 seconds.
3. Strain into a coupe glass (or over fresh ice in a rocks glass) and garnish.
4. Please drink responsibly!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 494Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Fireball Mixed Drink: The Cinnamon Frosty appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

This Spiked Dalgona Coffee recipe is the perfect cool-down and pick-me-up on a hot summer day. If your teens have been making the whipped Dalgona Coffee they’ve seen all over Tik Tok and Instagram, here’s an adult version for Mom and Dad!

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You’ve probably heard of the whipped “Dalgona Coffee” craze that hit TikTok earlier this year. Tons of people were making this creamy, iced coffee and my teenage daughter got me hooked on it. So of course I wanted to make an adult version!

I’ve had plenty of boozy coffees in my life. Coffee pairs well with rum, Kahlua, Bailey’s, bourbon, brandy, and many liqueurs. So I went through what I had on hand and decided on a spiced rum and chocolate liqueur to add to this afternoon’s coffee.

How to make Dalgona Coffee

The first step in making this treat is getting the coffee whipped up. You’ll need two tablespoons of instant coffee, two tablespoons of sugar, and two tablespoons of HOT water. The hot water is important. You need it to break down the instant coffee. One time our water wasn’t hot enough and the mixture ended up very gritty. No need to boil, but just get your tap water as hot as possible.

After a quick mix to incorporate the three ingredients, you need to whip it. Whip it good. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist. #childofthe80s)

Seriously though, using an electric hand mixer it will take 5-7 minutes to get the whipped coffee to the right consistency. You want it to be stiff and not fall off the spoon when you scoop it up.

This makes enough whipped coffee for two servings. You can mix it right into some milk and ice for a regular Dalgona Coffee, or use it to make two Spiked Dalgona Coffees.

Word of caution: this whipped mixture is NOT good on its own. It’s strong and bitter and needs to be mixed with about a cup of milk and ice. It’s best when you put it in a cocktail shaker with ice and give it a really vigorous shake!

How to make Spiked Dalgona Coffee

Now for the “spiked” part! Pour two ounces of Kraken Rum (or other dark, spiced rum of your choice), one ounce of Godiva chocolate liqueur, half a cup of milk, and half the whipped coffee (about a half cup) into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Shake well for 30 to 60 seconds.

Fill a pint glass or other large glass halfway with ice, then pour the contents of your shaker (ice included) into the glass. It’s ready to drink at this point, but I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a little extra fun. Coffee ice cream would be even better!

There are lots of ways you could make a Spiked Dalgona Coffee. Substitute bourbon for the rum. Switch out the chocolate liqueur for Kahlua or maybe some peppermint schnapps around the holidays! Have fun with it and enjoy!

Spiked Dalgona Coffee

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

A creamy, boozy, whipped, iced coffee that's perfect for a summer afternoon pick-me-up.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 oz Kraken Rum (or dark, spiced rum of your choice)
• 1 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 T instant coffee
• 2 T sugar
• 2 T hot water

Instructions

1. First make the whipped coffee by mixing the instant coffee, sugar, and HOT water. Beat with hand mixer for 5-7 minutes until stiff.
2. Combine 1/2 cup whipped coffee and remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Shake vigorously for 30-60 seconds.
4. Pour over ice and top with ice cream, if desired.
5. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 361Total Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 0gSugar: 35gProtein: 4g

Nutritional information is estimated and should only be used as a general guideline.

The post Spiked Dalgona Coffee Recipe with Rum appeared first on Spilling Tequila.

The Lemon Coco-Chata is a cocktail made with coconut milk, Limoncello, and RumChata. If you’re in the mood for something luscious and creamy, with a hint of bright lemony goodness, this cocktail is for you.

The Lemon Coco-Chata was inspired by my friend Tara. She makes an incredible coconut lemon cake for her family birthdays. I’ve had the pleasure of joining in for some of these celebrations and this is probably my second-favorite dessert of all time.

Because French Silk Pie always wins.

Tara’s lemon coconut cake is light and sweet, with just the right amount of lemon flavor. So when I was looking for a cocktail to make with coconut milk, I knew I wanted lemon to part of the flavor profile.

I searched online and found a recipe for a Pineapple Coconut RumChata cocktail.

RumChata? Well, I’d never tried it. But I like saying it. RumCHATA!

I’m actually not a big fan of rum. In my mind, they all taste like Malibu, which tastes like suntan lotion. But now I’ve got a cocktail blog and it’s time to broaden my horizons.

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Limoncello for the Win

So I picked up a bottle of RumChata, but I still had Tara’s lemon coconut cake on my mind. I could have used lemon juice in this recipe, but I was craving a little more sweetness. Limoncello to the rescue!

I LOVE Limoncello. The first time I tasted it, I was with a friend who had just brought it back from her trip to Italy. I immediately fell in love with it’s bright, sweet taste.

I usually drink Limoncello straight over ice. Or sometimes ice cream. And now it was time to use it to create a lemon coconut cake-inspired cocktail.

To make this Lemon Coco-Chata cocktail, gather your tools and ingredients: Limoncello, RumChata, coconut milk, cocktail shaker with ice, a rocks glass with crushed ice, fresh mint and a lemon slice for garnish.

First, let’s talk about the coconut milk. For this recipe, I used unsweetened coconut milk from a can. On my first attempt, it was a little clumpy. Be sure to stir it really well using a fork or a whisk.

When your coconut milk is smooth, measure two ounces into your cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Next, add two ounces of RumChata. Finally, add three ounces of Limoncello. Remember, I like it sweet. If you want to scale back on the sweetness, two ounces of Limoncello works just as well.

Shake it all up in the cocktail shaker and strain into a glass with crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and some mint leaves, if desired.

Mint for a Kick

The first time I made this drink, I added a sprig of fresh mint to make it look pretty. But after a few sips, I got just a hint of that mint taste and decided I wanted more. So I simply ripped up a few leaves and put them in the cocktail shaker.

It turns out that ripping mint leaves releases bitter chlorophyll. And I had chunks of leaves in my drink. Clearly I am not a professional bartender.

On my third try, I muddled the mint gently in the bottom of the cocktail shaker. And that was perfection! This cocktail is smooth, creamy, luscious, and downright dreamy.

I hope you enjoy my lemon coconut cake-inspired cocktail.

Lemon Coco-Chata Cocktail

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

If you’re in the mood for something luscious and creamy, with a hint of bright lemony goodness, this Lemon Coco-Chata cocktail is for you.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 oz. Limoncello
• 2 oz. RumChata
• 2 oz. Unsweetened coconut milk
• Ice
• Fresh mint
• Lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

1. Gently muddle a few mint leaves in the bottom of your cocktail shaker.
2. Add a few ice cubes.
3. Add coconut milk, Limoncello, and RumChata.
4. Shake, then strain into a glass with crushed ice.
5. Please drink responsibly.

Notes

• If you use coconut milk from a can, be sure to stir or whisk it well to get rid of clumps.
• You can make this less sweet by using just 2 oz. of Limoncello.
• It's fine to omit the fresh mint if you don't have it on hand.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 507Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 42gProtein: 1g

The post Limoncello Cocktail: Lemon Coco-Chata appeared first on Spilling Tequila.