Beverages

Apple Cider Rum Punch
Cranberry Punch
Caramel Latte
English Christmas Punch
Hot Toddy
Mulled Pumpkin Cider
Mulled Wine
Party Punch for Twenty
Peanut Butter Cup Hot Chocolate
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Semisweet Hot Chocolate
Spiced Rum Punch
Spiked Hot Apple Pie

Apple Cider Rum Punch

Serves 10

8 cups apple cider
2 cups dark rum
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
8 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the apple cider and rum to the insert. Using a bit of cheesecloth or a few loose tea holders, make a little packet with the sliced ginger, cloves, and cinnamon sticks. Plop the cheesecloth bundle or filled tea holders into the slow cooker. (This is not absolutely necessary, but will ease serving.) Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or on High for about 2 hours. Remove the spices and serve.

The Verdict

This isn't a drink for the faint of heart. It's definitely quite rummy, but I wanted to try it because I like the scene from Mary Poppins where she sips her "Spoonful of Sugar" medicine and then hiccups, declaring that it tastes like rum punch. It's delightful!

Cranberry Punch

Serves 10

4 cups cranberry juice or cranberry cocktail
4 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 cup water

Use a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker. Add the juices to the insert, and then stir in the brown sugar. Float the cloves and cinnamon sticks on top, and add the water. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or on High for about 2 hours. Serve hot right out of the crock, or at room temperature.

The Verdict

I like getting this drink super-hot in the slow cooker to combine flavors and melt the brown sugar, but it's best when cooled to room temperature. This recipe comes from all free slow cooker recipes.com, a great online resource to which I contribute.

Caramel Latte

Serves 8

2 cups milk (any variety)
2 cups half-and-half
½ cup prepared caramel sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
4 cups brewed strong coffee or espresso
  Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Use a 2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add the milk, half-and-half, caramel sauce, and brown sugar to the insert, and then stir in the coffee. Cook on High for 1 hour or on Low for about 2 hours. The latte can stay on the Warm setting for up to 6 hours. Stir before serving, and add a dollop of whipped cream on top if desired.

The Verdict

I always forget to plug in the coffee pot when we're entertaining, which is why I love having a ready-to-go after-dinner drink simmering away in the slow cooker. Guests can serve themselves when they are ready for a bit of caffeine, and I don't have to rush around at the end of a great meal.

English Christmas Punch

Serves 14 to 16

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (like Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 (750 ml) bottle dark rum
3 cups extra-strong brewed tea
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 4 oranges)

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Add all of the ingredients to the insert, and then stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours or on High for about 2 hours. When the drink is nice and hot, serve in a small teacup, garnished with a cinnamon stick, if desired. This drink can be kept on the Warm setting of the slow cooker throughout the day.

The Verdict

Bernice, a reader from Canada, wrote in and said that it was a neighborhood tradition when she was growing up to have this punch served in thermoses for the Christmas carolers. I think Bernice had the kind of neighborhood I want to live in!

Hot Toddy

Serves 2

2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)
2 black tea bags (I use Lipton)
3 ounces brandy or whiskey

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Add the water to the insert, and then the honey and lemon juice. Float the tea bags on top. There's no need to stir, as the honey won't incorporate until the water is quite hot. Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours or on High for about 2 ½ hours. Remove the tea bags and stir. Serve over 1 ½ ounces of the brandy in a glass mug.

The Verdict

If you like tea, you'll really like this. I'm more of an iced tea drinker, but I did like the honey and lemon flavor. The color through the glass mug looks just like a regular cup of tea — which I suppose is a good thing if you want to find a way to sneak in whiskey.

Mulled Pumpkin Cider

Serves 8

2 quarts apple cider
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the cider to the insert, and then stir in the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and brown sugar. Float the cinnamon sticks on top. Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or on High for about 2 hours. Serve in mugs.

The Verdict

Even though there isn't any pumpkin in this cider, you'll be certain a pumpkin pie is baking away in the oven. This warm treat is a great way to kick off your night of trick-or-treating or to serve during book club. Try serving it with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Mulled Wine

Serves 10

2 (750 ml) bottles dry red wine
1 cup sugar
3 oranges
1 teaspoon allspice
4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the wine to the insert, and then stir in the sugar. Juice 2 of the oranges, and add the juice to the pot. Stir in the allspice and drop in the cinnamon stick halves. Slice the remaining orange, and float the slices on top. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours, then remain on Warm for up to 4 hours while serving guests.

The Verdict

Feel free to use a less expensive variety of wine than you'd normally serve – there's no need to break out the good stuff! The sugar and orange greatly sweeten the wine, and I love the warm cinnamon flavor. Serve in mugs with an orange wedge for garnish.

Party Punch for Twenty

Serves 20

1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 (6-ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
8 cups water
½ cup granulated sugar
3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the contents of the juice cans to the insert, and then the water and sugar. Float the cinnamon sticks on top. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for about 2 hours. Stir well before serving in mugs.

The Verdict

You'll love the beautiful magenta color of this punch, and your guests will love how the tart cranberry and cinnamon make this a not-over-the-top sweet drink. If you're serving...