The Best Warm Winter Cocktail Recipes to Mix Up at Home

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A Guide to Lower-Calorie Dining Out Options

While we wait for spring to make its highly anticipated debut in the new decade, it's time to get creative with the remaining winter months in order to keep up the cheer that tends to dissipate during this bland stage of the year.

We're currently craving mini skirts and lighter pieces rather than piles of layers, but just because the winter months have made it hard on our sartorial choices, that doesn't mean our social lives have to be negatively affected.

Does a cold beer not sound so appealing in the below freezing temperatures? No worries. Duck into one of our favorite spots below to grab a warm winter cocktail that won't freeze midway down your esophagus. Quite the opposite, these delicious drinks will send heat waves through your entire body. But just in case you're not feeling inclined to brave the cold at all -- or perhaps you're not a NYC native -- you can make these delicious specialty cocktails right in your very own kitchen. It's time to unleash your inner mixologist.

Café Gitane at the Jane St. Hotel, The Randolph, and Brandy Library each share a signature cocktail recipe with us in light of the cold. Try them all out and let us know which is your favorite.

Café Gitane's Mulled Wine


Beatrice Inn NYC Opening in New Location

We were beyond excited when the Jane St. Hotel (113 Jane St.) announced the opening of French-Moroccan favorite, Café Gitane as their newest counterpart. The already lavish Jane St. attracted attention from trendsetters who would stop by in the evenings for a signature cocktail and a good set of tunes, but now with the lovely transplanted Nolita addition, you can enjoy a seat with friends that includes not only wining, but dining as well. The prices are right and the space makes for the perfect perch to enjoy one of our favorite warm winter cocktails: Mulled Wine.

Ingredients:
3 quarters of a cup of Bordeaux wine
Splash of orange juice
2 packs of raw sugar
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:
Steam the ingredients together and add a slice of orange.

Courtesy of executive chef, Chloe Osborne.

The Randolph at Broome's Randy Toddy

As you make your way downtown, you wouldn't want to skip out on The Randolph, located on 349 Broome Street in Nolita. Escape the cold and enjoy a specialty cocktail conjured up by one of their talented mixologists, whom The Randolph is known for. The dimly lit space and mellow mood is the perfect gathering spot for those in need of a satisfying and sociable night out on the town with a laid back vibe. Try the Randy Toddy to start your night off right.

Ingredients:
4 pieces lemon
3/4 oz. honey
2 oz. Apple Brandy (we use Laird's Applejack)
Hot water
Aromatic bitters
Cinnamon stick
Star of anise

Directions:
Muddle the lemon with honey. Add apple brandy. Fill with hot water and top with bitters. Garnish with cinnamon stick and star of anise.

The Brandy Library's Cider Jack

Affordable Beach Getaways to Escape the Winter Weather

Enjoy an assortment of brandies and fine liquors at the Brandy Library located at 25 N. Moore Street. This classic, upscale spot is the perfect place for unwinding after work for a decadent, savory meal and rare spirits, while their highly knowledgeable Spirit Sommelier gives you a history lesson on cocktail craftsmanship. We highly recommend that you try several concoctions featured on Brandy Library's fine menu, but first indulge yourself in the Cider Jack that'll hit the spot on any winter's night.

Ingredients:
2 oz VS Cognac
1 oz Maplejack liquor
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Directions:
Fill a mug with fresh hot apple cider and mix with liquor. Garnish with a full cinnamon stick, and float a pad of butter on top.


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