As the clocks prepare to go back and the evenings draw in earlier each day, there's nothing quite like coming home to something warm in your hands. October has a way of nudging us indoors — and this month, we're marking the change of season with three spiced, warming drinks worth curling up with.
From a rich hot chocolate to a spiced mulled cider and a homemade chai latte, these are the kind of drinks that turn a dark evening into a cosy one.
1. Spiced Hot Chocolate
A proper hot chocolate, made from scratch — deep, rich, and gently spiced with cinnamon and a pinch of chilli for warmth. This is the grown-up version of the mug you remember from childhood.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Ingredients
• 500ml whole milk (or oat milk)
• 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (or to taste)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• A small pinch of chilli powder (optional)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, to serve
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Method
1. Gently heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling.
2. Whisk in the cocoa powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chilli powder (if using) until fully dissolved.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped dark chocolate, whisking continuously until melted and completely smooth.
4. Remove from the heat and stir through the vanilla extract.
5. Pour into warm mugs, top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, and serve immediately.
2. Spiced Mulled Apple Cider
A non-alcoholic mulled cider that fills the kitchen with the smell of autumn while it simmers. Made with cloudy apple juice, warming spices, and a few orange slices, it's an easy one to keep on the hob for guests to help themselves to.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 1 litre cloudy apple juice
• 1 orange, sliced, plus extra to serve
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional, to taste)
Method
1. Place the apple juice, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and ginger in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, allowing the spices to infuse. Don't let it boil.
3. Taste and stir through honey or maple syrup if you'd like it a little sweeter.
4. Strain into heatproof mugs or a heatproof jug, garnish with a fresh orange slice and a cinnamon stick and serve warm.
3. Homemade Chai-Spiced Tea Latte
Skip the syrup and make your own chai from scratch — black tea gently simmered with whole spices, then finished with steamed milk for a warming, aromatic latte that's far better than anything from a sachet.
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
• 500ml water
• 2 black tea bags (or 2 tsp loose black tea)
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 250ml milk of choice
• 1–2 tbsp honey or brown sugar, to taste
Method
1. Place the water, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger, and peppercorns in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to let the spices infuse.
2. Add the tea bags (or loose tea) and simmer for a further 2–3 minutes, until the liquid turns a deep amber colour.
3. Pour in the milk and gently heat through until steaming — don't let it boil.
4. Stir in honey or brown sugar to taste, then strain into mugs and serve hot.