Spiked Christmas Coffee

Coffee gets a festive touch with this spiked Christmas coffee recipe. Combining mint, chocolate, and cream, it's similar in flavor to a peppermint mocha latte, but this hot coffee cocktail is far easier to make. The Christmas coffee includes chocolate liqueur and Irish cream. They create a delicious base, but the real treat comes with the mint cream. Influenced by the Irish coffee's freshly whipped cream, a small amount of green crème de menthe gives it flavor and color. It will naturally float on top of the coffee, and you can dress it up with some colorful sprinkles. Delicious and satisfying, the Christmas coffee is also low-proof and ready in just a few minutes. It's a wonderful after-dinner drink and a great way to unwind during the holidays.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 ounce crème de menthe

• 1 ounce crème de cacao

• 1/2 ounce Irish cream

• 6 to 8 ounces strongly brewed black coffee, hot

• green and red candy sprinkles, garnish

Steps to Make It HIDE IMAGES

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a chilled mixing bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and green crème de menthe. Whisk until it reaches a smooth, semi-thick consistency, about 3 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

3. In a warm mug, pour the crème de cacao and Irish cream.

4. Fill with freshly brewed hot coffee, leaving about 1/2 inch of room at the top. Stir well.

5. Top the coffee with the minty cream.

6. Garnish with green and red candy sprinkles. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

• The liqueur color doesn't matter when it's mixed with coffee. Use either dark or white crème de cacao or switch to your favorite chocolate liqueur.

• The whipped cream will top two or three cups of coffee, and you can make more if you like. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to two days when covered; whip quickly before using. The cream is excellent on hot cocoa, too.

• To ensure the most flavorful drink, brew a strong cup of coffee. French press, pour-over, and stovetop espresso brewers are excellent options for all coffee cocktails.

• Keep your drink warm longer by preheating the cup: Fill it with hot water while brewing the coffee or heat the water-filled cup in the microwave for 10 seconds. Discard the water just before building the cocktail.

Can Cream Be Whipped With a Mixer? This recipe relies on lightly whipped cream; don't worry about getting it perfect or forming peaks. If you prefer, make whipped cream as you would for dessert using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Some food processors have a whipping attachment as well. Recipe Variations

• Use peppermint schnapps or white crème de menthe to flavor the cream. Make it green with a drop of food coloring.

• Mix the crème de menthe into whipped topping or canned whipped cream.

• Skip the mint and whip the cream with amaretto or vanilla liqueur. Spiced liqueurs like gingerbread (if you can find it) are excellent, too. Alternatively, use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.

• Make this drink nonalcoholic: Switch to chocolate syrup and coffee creamer for the base, then mix mint extract into the cream.

How Strong Is the Christmas Coffee? The three liqueurs in this Christmas coffee are low in alcohol and volume. The size of your cup will determine how much coffee you pour and the drink's strength. It is strongest with 6 ounces of coffee, though that's still just 4 percent ABV (8 proof). It's a perfectly casual drink that's similar in strength to beer. Which Alcohol Goes Best With Coffee? Coffee pairs well with various distilled spirits. Whiskey is a favorite, and it goes with this recipe's mint-chocolate taste. Irish whiskey is an excellent choice, though other blended whiskeys and bourbon work well, too. Rum is a good option for coffee cocktails with chocolate and nut liqueurs (e.g., amaretto, hazelnut) but doesn't fit particularly well with mint liqueur. You can even spike coffee with vodka. For this recipe and many others, vanilla and chocolate vodkas are delicious options.