Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with my slow cooker again, and this time, it’s not for stew or chili. I’m talking drinks! Yeah, you heard that right – hot, delicious drinks, all made in the slow cooker.
It all started when I stumbled upon some random blog talking about how the slow cooker is your new best friend when it comes to making drinks. I was like, “Wait, what? Drinks?” I mean, I love my slow cooker, but drinks were a whole new territory. I figured, what the heck, let’s give it a shot.
My first experiment was with a harvest apple cider. I grabbed some apple cider from the store, tossed in a few cinnamon sticks, some cloves, and a bit of allspice. I set the slow cooker to low and just let it do its thing for a few hours. The smell that filled my kitchen was amazing, like walking into an apple orchard. When I finally took a sip, it was like a warm hug on a chilly day. This was definitely a winner, and so easy!
- 2 cups of apple cider
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
Next Up, Coffee!
Then, because I’m a total coffee addict, I tried making a big batch of mocha mint coffee. I brewed a strong pot of coffee, poured it into the slow cooker, and added some cocoa powder, a splash of mint extract, and a dash of cinnamon. Oh, and I threw in a handful of marshmallows at the end because, why not? It turned out pretty great! It was like a fancy coffee shop drink, but I made it without even changing out of my pajamas.
- 6 cups of strong brewed coffee
- 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of mint extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 cup of marshmallows
Let’s Get Tropical
Feeling adventurous, I decided to try something fruity and made tropical tea. I used a mix of black and green tea bags, added some pineapple juice, orange juice, and a little bit of honey. I let it all simmer on low for a couple of hours. The result was this vibrant, fruity, and slightly sweet tea that tasted like a vacation in a mug. I served it over ice later, and it was super refreshing.
- 4 black tea bags
- 4 green tea bags
- 2 cups of pineapple juice
- 2 cups of orange juice
- 1/4 cup of honey
A Sweet Surprise
Finally, I found a recipe for pumpkin spice hot chocolate, and I just had to try it. I combined milk, heavy cream, some canned pumpkin puree, and a bunch of pumpkin pie spice in the slow cooker. I let it cook on low until it was all hot and bubbly. Then, I ladled it into mugs and topped it with whipped cream. Guys, this stuff was like a dessert in a cup. So rich, so creamy, and the perfect amount of spice. My family went crazy for it!
- 4 cups of milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
- Whipped cream for topping
Honestly, making drinks in the slow cooker is a game-changer. It’s so simple, and the results are delicious. Plus, your house smells amazing while everything is cooking. If you’ve got a slow cooker sitting around, you’ve gotta try making some drinks in it. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
