Easy at-home cocktails

There are still 34 days until Spring. That’s just over a month until you’re sipping your margaritas and sparkling white wine under the sunshine. Until then, let me you over with my favorite two cocktail recipes that I associate with Winter and colder weather.

new york sour

This may be my favorite cocktail, ever. It’s simple and similar to sangria, but stronger taste (and will likely get your drunk more quickly, so proceed with caution please). I found it in a cocktail book gifted to me for secret santa and it’s been my mom and I’s go to cocktail throughout the pandemic. I then found the cocktail again under the recipe list for Brothers Bond Bourbon, owned by Vampire Diaries actors Ian Somerhalder -whom I fondly refer to as Ian Smolderholder because it fits- and Paul Wesley (IYKYK), except they called it Blood Brothers. Ha.

Ingredients: 2 oz bourbon, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup, 3/4 oz red wine (I use Malbec and honestly eyeball this part)

Instructions: pour the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice* and shake. Pour the mixture into a glass (you could, probably should, pour it over new ice, but why waste your time or the water? Do what you please!) then pour the wine over the back of a spoon so that it floats on the top of the drink, creating a bit of an ombre effect. Voilà, enjoy 🥃

*I actually don’t own a cocktail shaker, but I have so many mason jars that have been given to me. If you have the lid they make for really great cocktail shakers. They have measurements on the side and never leak on me!

dirty chai

Upon searching dirty chai, I found that this usually means adding espresso to a chai latte. In my version, however, it means a simple cocktail, if you can even call it that. It’s a spiked chai latte. This drink is perfect for winter and fall nights spent by the fire.

Ingredients: vanilla chai latte powder mix (you can find this on Amazon), 1.5 oz vodka (regular, vanilla, or whipped cream)

Instructions: Follow the instructions for making a chai latte with the powder, pour the shot of vodka in and stir a bit.

Enjoy these drinks responsibly!