10 hot drinks that aren’t hot chocolate

Homemade chai (which really just means “tea” in about a dozen different languages) is super simple to make and has a freshness you just can’t find at your local coffee shop. Plus, by using real spices and controlling your own sweetener, you can make your homemade version a lot less sugar-heavy than those syrupy concoctions. Here’s a recipe, but really—it’s just a guideline. Experiment with your own spices and see what you come up with.

If you’re having a party with adults, coming in from a chilly snow-shoveling session, or simply want to chill in front of the fire without actually chilling, mulled wine is a lovely alternative to hot chocolate. Add some spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom, some sweetener and some sliced oranges, and you’ll get a lovely tipple with a touch of Medieval sophistication.

OK, mulled cider isn’t exactly exotic, but you can’t beat it for fragrance. Make your whole house smell like apple pie without actually having to bake anything by including classic pie spices along with local apple cider. If you’re looking for a drink with more of an adult appeal, experiment with adding spiced rum or bourbon to your cup.

This is almost hot chocolate, but not quite. Combine Frangelico liqueur (or non-alcoholic hazelnut syrup if you’re abstaining or serving kids) with hot water, hot milk, or a mixture of the two. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce and...yum. A butterscotch-flavoured candy cane would make an ultra-special stir-stick.

This delectable combination of vanilla, pear, warming spices, and cider deserved a spot of its own on our list. This can be made in a crock pot and kept warm, or on top of the stove over low heat. The recipe calls for pear juice, but it’s as delicious with just cider. Again, add bourbon or rum if you want a grown-up indulgence.

This isn’t coffee so much as it’s hot milk infused with coffee flavour and spices. Get good coffee beans, crush them and steep your milk with them, then blend with traditional chai spices. It’s a little unusual, but for a coffee lover who might not want a big hit of caffeine, this is the perfect wind-down drink. (Feel free to add rum if you want to kick it up a notch.)

The ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte is so much tastier and fresher when it’s made at home—mostly because this recipe actually incorporates real pumpkin and spices, and not simply a shot of (insanely sweet) flavoured syrup. You can make a mocha version of this with a shot of chocolate syrup, but we think the version for purists is better.

This is a latte in its classic form, insofar as “latte” means “milk,” not “coffee and milk combined with flavoured syrups and topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.” There are only three ingredients in this deceptively simple recipe—and if you don’t have almond milk, use regular milk, although you’ll miss out on almond milk’s nuttiness. Ginger is good for upset stomachs, and will keep you warm even when it’s nose-hair-freezing cold outside.

There actually isn’t any tea in this recipe (although we think it would be tasty with a fruity herbal tea, like rosehip), but never mind—it’s hot and citrusy and delicious. And when it’s cold season, it’s good to get your vitamin C anywhere you can.

This somewhat unusual recipe combines warming spices like cayenne, turmeric, and ginger with immune-boosting rooibos tea and coconut milk (the kind you get in a can, not a carton) to heat you up and ninja-kick any germs that might be brewing. It’s a bad cold season this year, so drink up—there’s nothing but good stuff in this brew.