Football Friday Tailgate Recipes: Warm and Cozy Tailgate Beverages

Happy Football Friday.  Today we have warm and cozy beverages to keep your tailgate toasty. Did you save last week’s Soup Season? Which was your favorite? This week I decided to do some warm cocktails to keep you warm on these cool Fall days.  I did crockpot recipes so you have a large batch and a way to keep it warm at the tailgate party.  Y’all have fun with these and enjoy!

Football Friday Tailgate Recipes: Warm and Cozy Tailgate Beverages

Irish Coffee 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Coffee strong, black
• ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 2 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Whipped Cream

Directions: 

1. Gather all of your ingredients.
2. Pour the coffee, heavy cream, cocoa powder (optional) into the slow cooker and give it a good stir. Set to low for 2-3 hours.
3. After 2-3 hours, scoop out a cup, add 1-2 tablespoons of Bailey’s. Top with whipped cream. Shave Andes mints on top and serve! Enjoy!
4. Make the coffee ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator so it can be a dump-and-go recipe.
5. Measure out the other ingredients and cover.
6. Combine ALL of the ingredients together and put them in a container in the refrigerator. When you are ready, simply dump in the slow cooker, turn to low and you are off!
7. Recipe can be doubled or tripled with no issues at all. If you are feeding a decent-sized crowd, this is recommended!
8. Add Kaluha to the Bailey’s in one cup. Trust me on this one, it is INCREDIBLE! If I steer you wrong here, I apologize but I swear by this one.
9. Use chocolate shavings instead of Andes Mints
10. If you don’t have cocoa powder, feel free to leave it out.
11. Add cinnamon to the recipe.
12. Now, I wouldn’t suggest you do ALL the suggestions at once but it gives you an idea of how to make this your own using the base recipe!

Crockpot Mulled Wine 

This is not only great for football season it is perfect for those fast approaching holiday season.

Ingredients: 

• 2 bottles red wine Zinfandel recommended
• 2 cups cranberry juice unsweetened or sub brandy
• ½ cup honey
• 2 oranges sliced
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 8  whole cloves

Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients in a crockpot.
2. Turn heat to low and cook until warm and fragrant. About 2 hours.
3. Ladle into glasses or mugs and garnish as desired.

Recipe Notes:

• If your cranberry juice is cocktail style (i.e. sweetened) skip or reduce the honey
• Mulled wine can be kept on low for 4 hours. Replenish wine and cranberry juice as needed.
• To make mulled wine in a slow cooker you obviously need a crockpot! As written the recipe easily fits in a standard 4-quart crockpot.
• When doubling or tripling the recipe opt for a 6 to 7-quart pot.

Spiked Crockpot Hot Chocolate 

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces dark chocolate chips OR semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 cups whole milk, you can also use 2% milk
• 2 cups heavy cream, you can also use evaporated milk or Half & Half
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup Kahlua, or bourbon, or any other liquor that you prefer
• Toppings; marshmallows, chopped peppermint, cinnamon sticks, chocolate syrup, whipped cream

Directions:

1. First, you’ll want to add chocolate chips, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt to the insert of your slow cooker.
2. Then, stir in milk, heavy cream, and vanilla. If you don’t want to use heavy cream, add half & half or evaporated milk, instead.
3. Whisk it all together; cover and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove cover, whisk in some Kahlua or bourbon; or rum, or whatever else you have on hand.
5. Ladle into mugs; top with marshmallows and serve.

Spiked Crockpot Apple Cider

Ingredients: 

• 1-gallon apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4-star anise
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp whole cloves
• 2 oranges, sliced plus more for garnish
• 2 lemons, sliced plus more for garnish
• 1-liter good whiskey or bourbon

Directions:

Does it matter what kind of whiskey you use?

In short, yes… but not really. We use a good whiskey or bourbon. We love Crown Royal or Bullet bourbon.

Substitutions & Tips: 

• If you don’t like whiskey, swap it out for rum or vodka
• A splash of apple brandy would be a great addition, as would a splash of Grand Mariner.
• Throw in your favorite fall spices – Nutmeg would also work.
• Serve with mason jars and sliced fruit for a super cute presentation.

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients: 

Directions:

On The Menu

See you next week for another Friday Football Friday Tailgate Recipe.  Next week we will have more tasty treats to spice up your tailgate party. I hope you get to enjoy all the football games this weekend!

Main Photo: Peel with Zeel dot com