Warm Fall Drinks that Aren’t Pumpkin Spice Lattes

You are sitting by a cozy fire with a hot cup of…? If you aren’t a fan of pumpkin spice latte, then try these 5 warm fall drinks in your cup.

There are some things in pandemic life that don’t change. And, for me, that is the necessary cup of hot coffee in my mug every morning. Rain or shine, winter or summer, that is a daily constant I rely upon.

Yet, with fall upon us, I like to expand my warm fall drink repertoire to include other favorites. Here are some of mine.

Tea

My husband is as passionate about his morning cup of tea as I am about my morning cup of joe. However, Indian tea is cooked with milk, and sometimes spices like cardamon and coriander. As I am not a big fan of either, I rarely accept his offer to make tea for me.

That doesn’t mean I hate tea. I just like my tea without milk, and with a different sort of flavor. When it comes to sales, tea consistently outsells coffee worldwide.

Let’s look at the health benefits of tea first. Black tea has approximately half the caffeine as a cup of coffee, which is good news if you are sensitive to caffeine. Personally, that’s why I am an afternoon tea drinker. If I drink caffeine after 2:00 PM, I don’t sleep as well at night.

White and green teas also appear to have possible weight loss or fat loss benefits. Also, different kinds of tea could help prevent diabetes, the risk of heart attack, may protect against cancer, as well as lower stress cortisol levels. Finally, tea can provide fluoride to your teeth, and is hydrating instead of dehydrating.

So, what are some tasty tea options? That depends on you. I personally love Oolong tea, which is commonly served in Chinese restaurants. Oolong tea is a partially oxidized mix of black and green teas, which makes its properties very unique. Studies show that oolong may aid in weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and improve brain function and mood. I get my Oolong from Bigelow, and haven’t enjoyed other brands outside of a Chinese restaurant.

I also enjoy some herbal or fruity teas. While I have tried a variety of teas, some of my favorites are the Mulled Apple Cider or Orange Grove Vanilla from Loving Cup Teas. Because these teas are loose leaf and hand created, varieties do change seasonally.

My daughter loves a Ginger Turmeric Tea from Buddha Teas. There are numerous benefits to having both ginger, which aids digestion and stomach upset, and turmeric, which has been shown to be more effective at alleviating depression than Prozac, in tea.

Want to experiment with your own turmeric drink? Try out this Golden Turmeric Latte from Fitmittenkitchen that is vegan and Paleo-friendly.

Plus, the ritual of preparing hot tea is very calming. In many Asian traditions, a tea ceremony is a cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of tea.

As a side note, tea can also be enjoyed cold. So, while you can prepare a warm fall cup of your favorite tea, it will still taste good lukewarm or even cool.

Coffee

This time of year, I get the urge to expand my daily vanilla hazelnut coffee with something a bit more….minty.

Yet, a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha can rack up 54 g of sugar and 440 calories in 16 ounces. Sorry, but that just doesn’t work for me. Dunkin Donuts Mint Mocha is not much better at 51 g of sugar and 290 calories in 10 ounces. Plus, that drink is not available until early November.

What is a mint-loving girl to do with this information?

Well, you could always make your own mint mocha at home. The benefit of this is you get to control the sugar you add, and can be more adventurous in where you source your mint “flavor” from.

Mint does have some health benefits as well, though mostly found in using peppermint oil. Inhaling mint essential oil may help improve brain function and cold symptoms, and taking mint capsules may improve symptoms of IBS and treat indigestion.

Want an e-book of these tasty drinks (including pumpkin spice latte) recipes plus other desserts and candy-like treats? You can grab them for only $15 using the button below.

I am not an essential oil expert, though I do trust my local Voodoo Blends by JAK supplier, and highly recommend you find someone who is familiar with therapeutic grade essential oils near you.

PaintedTeaCup gives you some ideas on how to use peppermint essential oil for a treat alongside your Mint Mocha.

Hot Chocolate

I don’t know about you, but sometimes those packets of Swiss Miss just don’t cut it, even when they have double the marshmallows! And, I find Starbucks or Caribou hot chocolate to be over-the-top sweet.

However, have you ever tried Mexican hot chocolate (AKA Champurrado)? It is actually thickened with masa harina (corn flour) and includes some fun spices that kick it up a notch. If you have never tried Mexican chocolate- it is FAR different from Hershey’s. Mexican chocolate is derived from varieties of cacao, and are often processed with spices into a bar meant to be melted into drinks.

Mexican hot chocolate is traditionally enjoyed over Christmas, but you can certainly try this recipe for Dia de Los Muertos, too. When it comes to chocolate, is there any wrong way to enjoy it? Whether as a warm fall drink in bar form, this is a no-brainer.

Recipe via AmandasCooking.

Hot Cider

Hot cider is one of those drinks that only shows up once a year at apple orchards. You can’t imagine how disappointed I was to find out that Caribou discontinued offering their Caramel Apple Blast this year!

Nutritionally, cider contains more nutrients than apple juice, as it is unfiltered. It is high in vitamin C and potassium, and contains up to 4 times as many polyphenols as apple juice.

Do you like your apple cider cold or hot? Either way, it is a tasty drink that is best served with spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and nutmeg. You can even warm it in your slow cooker, so that flavors meld.

Get the e-book of these recipes (including pumpkin spice latte) for only $15 using the button below.

When it comes to warming fall drinks, don’t feel that PSL rules it all. Explore some of these delicious warm fall drinks. What do you like in your mug? Share in the comments!