As the days get shorter and the dark draws in, getting cosy in your favourite bar or pub can be a great way to cheer yourself up! If you want to draw your customers in from the cold on a winter’s night, it’s important to have a delicious range of irresistable drinks on your menus.
If you are looking for inspiration for your brews and blends this winter season, we might have some bright ideas for you. We have two boozy recipes that put a seasonal spin on the classic Old Fashioned and Manhattan cocktails—ideal for chic bars and trendy restaurants.
If you’re looking for non-alcoholic ideas, we also have a few suggestions for hot chocolates and coffees that your patrons are sure to enjoy…
Follow our recipes or experiment with your own versions this winter!
Maple Spice Manhattan
The Manhattan cocktail is one of the best known classics, and is still a relatively popular choice today. It is a sophisticated whiskey drink that is an excellent tribute to it’s exciting hometown, New York City.
While the origin of this cocktail (like others) has been disputed—with many rumours circulating around it over the years (including one involving the presence of Winston’s Churchill’s mother)—it appears that this cocktail was most likely created in a place called Manhattan Inn in the 1870s. A bar that was run by a man called George Black, and in an area of NYC that was considered the ‘liveliest part of the city’ during that period.
A smooth mix of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters that is perfect for sipping in a dark corner of a bar on a cold winter’s night!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry
70ml Jim Beam Rye (or any rye whiskey)
15ml Monin Maple Spice syrup
25ml sweet vermouth
Equipment:
Mixing glass, cocktail mixing spoon, Hawthorn strainer, jigger, Nick and Nora glass.
Method:
Chill your Nick and Nora glass, either with crushed ice or ice cubes and water.
In the mixing glass, add the Angostura bitters, Monin Maple Spice syrup, sweet vermouth, and rye whiskey.
Fill the mixing glass with cubed ice, and stir the contents for 30-40 seconds.
Empty the now chilled Nick and Nora glass of ice, and place a maraschino cherry in it.
Using your Hawthorn strainer, delicately pour the contents of the mixing glass over the cherry.
An flavourful twist on a beloved classic, let your customers relax with their Maple Spice Manhattan and transport them to the thrilling streets of the city that never sleeps…
Black Forest Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned whiskey cocktail is a drink that has endured, despite changing drink trends, throughout the centuries. It is a staple in any cocktail bar to this day.
It keeps things simple, combining bitters, sugar, and whiskey (usually bourbon) for a smooth and seductive drink.
There are many variations of the Old Fashioned cocktail today, some recipes change the spirit from whiskey to rum, for example—or adding flavours for a bit of a twist. For our version, we have brought together the rich, indulgent taste of Monin Black Forest syrup and smooth bourbon for a delightful treat! Monin Black Forest has a rich dark chocolate flavour with hints of morello cherry, the unique and delicious signature flavour of the world-famous Black Forest Gateau dessert.
A taste sensation that will make your customers feel nostalgic and festive all in one!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 brown sugar cube
2 dashes of Angosutra bitters
20ml Monin Black Forest syrup
50ml Makers Mark (or another good quality bourbon)
1 maraschino cherry
Equipment:
Rocks glass, muddler, cocktail mixing spoon, jigger
Method:
Place the brown sugar cube into your rocks glass, and add two dashes of Angostura bitters over it.
Add the Monin Black Forest syrup into the glass and over the sugar cube. Proceed to muddle and breakdown the sugar cube into a consistent paste.
Pour the bourbon over your sugar/syrup paste and combine using the muddler.
Fill the glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds.
Add the maraschino cherry as a garnish. If you want to add more decorative flair, use a micro-planer and grate some dark chocolate over the top as well.
Serve your Black Forest Old Fashioned and see how much your customers love this unique, festive, and indulgent cocktail. A perfect choice for dessert cocktails/after dinner drinks!
Cranberry Fizz
A Christmas dinner simply wouldn’t be the same without the obligatory cranberry sauce on the table, and this sharp fruit flavour is closely associated with the festive season for this reason. Not only does the humble cranberry work well as a condiment, but its bright red colouring is perfect for Yuletide themes.
If you want to offer your customers a Christmas mocktail on your drink’s menu, you might find some inspiration with our Cranberry Fizz. A simple yet delicious mixture of Monin Cranberry syrup, orange juice, and lemonade that can be enjoyed during a Christmas feast or as a refreshing beverage at any other time of day.
A quick and easy, tasty mocktail that will work for any bar, café, restaurant, or even for catered Christmas events!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
25ml Monin Cranberry syrup
100ml orange juice
Lemonade
Sprig of thyme
Frona Dried Orange slice
Equipment:
Collins glass, cocktail mixing spoon, jigger
Method:
Pour the Monin Cranberry syrup and orange juice into your glass and combine with the cocktail mixing spoon.
Add ice and top-up with lemonade. Gently stir and pull through the orange juice and cranberry to mix with the lemonade.
Place a spring of time and a Frona Dried Orange slice on top as a garnish.
Serve to your customers with some Christmas cheer and watch them enjoy this fruity and festive mocktail!
Orange White Hot Chocolate
Walking into a warm and cosy room when you’ve been outside in the cold is a lovely feeling, especially when you’ve got a hot drink to enjoy as well. Hot chocolate is a deliciously decadent treat to have on a snowy day, and white hot chocolate makes an excellent addition to your festive hot drink menus.
Not only does white hot chocolate taste incredible and creamy, but its snowy white colour makes it a perfect Christmastime treat. If you want to make this hot chocolate even more festive, consider adding a hint of tangerine flavouring like our recipe below. Oranges also have close ties to Christmas, due to historically being used as stocking fillers and their association with the legend of St. Nick.
Add this indulgent hot chocolate to your festive menus for the perfect snowy day drink!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
15ml (tablespoon) Monin White Chocolate sauce
10ml Monin Orange syrup
Milk
Equipment:
Frothing probe thermometer, frothing jug
Method:
Pour the Monin White Chocolate sauce into the bottom of a cup, then add the Monin Orange syrup.
Heat the milk to 60°C (140°F), and make sure it has a little froth to it.
Carefully pour the now heated milk into your cup, and gently stir the chocolate sauce, syrup, and milk to mix together.
Ask your customers if they’d like to add whipped cream and marshmallows for a truly decandent treat!
If you would prefer a simpler decorative flourish, you could always sprinkle some Frona Orange powder over the top instead, or use a festive stencil for a pretty pattern.
Praline Mocha
Everyone enjoys a sweet treat on occasion, and the Christmas season is the perfect excuse to indulge! While you might have a few variations of the classic mocha on your hot drink’s menu, consider offering your customers something truly decadent this winter with our Praline Mocha recipe.
Pralines are a delicious mix of nuts and caramelised sugar, and have been a much-loved confectionary for centuries. Combining these sweet and slightly nutty flavours with rich chocolate is a great way to satisfy any sweet tooth! If you want to offer something on your festive drink menus for the chocolate lovers out there, our recipe (or your own version of it) could be the perfect choice.
See your customers’ faces light up when they order this chocolatey, coffee-infused treat!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
15ml Monin Dark Chocolate sauce
10ml Monin Praline syrup
1 shot espresso
Milk
Whipped Cream
Crushed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans would all work well) and chocolate flakes
Equipment:
Frothing probe thermometer, frothing jug, espresso glass
Method:
Put the Monin Dark Chocolate sauce and the Monin Praline syrup into a cup or coffee glass. Add a shot of espresso and gently stir to combine.
Heat the milk to 60°C (140°F) creating some froth. Once the milk is at temperature, add it to the sauce, syrup, and coffee. Gently stir again to mix together.
Add the whipped cream on top and swirl it into a peak shape, then sprinkle the crushed nuts and chocolate flakes over it. If you to be extra-indulgent, drizzle a little more of the Monin Dark Chocolate sauce over the top.
Pass this incredibly decadent Praline Mocha to your customers and make sure to give them a spoon to eat the whipped cream on top, too!
Gingerbread Latte
Gingerbread houses and beautifully decorated gingerbread men are iconic Christmas sweet treats. Not only do they taste delicious, but they can also be used as decorative touches, and have been mimicked in retail store displays and other festive tableaus for years.
While it might be a bit predictable, no Christmas hot drink’s menu would be complete without a gingerbread latté. A simple drink maybe, but one that brings a lot of comfort and festive cheer to your customers nonetheless.
Give the people what they want! You can even have fun with your decorative flourishes, or serve with a mini gingerbread man they can enjoy, too!
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 or 2 shots of espresso
Milk
Equipment:
Frothing probe thermometer, frothing jug
Method:
Put one or two shots of espresso into a coffee cup large enough for a latté , or a latté glass, and add the Monin Gingerbread syrup.
Heat the milk to 60°C (140°F) and make sure it froths to the right consistency for a latté.
Pour into the cup with the espresso and syrup.
Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top for a decorative flourish, and you can use a festive stencil for a special touch.
