Nothing warms up a cold night or caps off a dessert better than a hot alcoholic coffee drink.
But coffee drinks don’t have to be hot—cold coffee cocktails are delicious as well.
Here are some of our favorites. And, remember, the best coffee drinks start with quality coffee beans.
Note that many drinks call for coffee liqueur; we refer to Kahlua for a coffee liqueur for simplification purposes, although a few others are available on the market.
Hot Coffee Cocktails
Let’s first have a look at some of the awesome hot coffee cocktails
Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee
Combine one cup of hot coffee with 1.5 ounces of Bailey’s Irish Cream, adding a subtle caramel note to this classic drink.
Sprinkle in a teaspoon of cinnamon. Top with whipped heavy cream.
This drink makes a delicious treat anytime!
Cafe Amore
Pour 1 ounce of cognac and 1 ounce of amaretto liquor into an Irish coffee glass. Fill with a hot, rich, dark-brew coffee.
For a nuttier flavor, add a splash more of amaretto and garnish with shaved almonds. Rich in nature, this cocktail is perfect for a cold winter night.
Mexican Coffee
For this tasty treat, pour 1 ounce of tequila and 1 ounce of Kahlua into a coffee mug.
Pour hot coffee over the liqueurs. Top with whip cream and garnish with a cherry.
Italian Coffee
This boozy delight calls for half an ounce of Strega, a unique liqueur first produced in Campania, Italy.
Mix the Strega with 5 ounces of hot coffee in an Irish coffee glass. Stir in 1 teaspoon of sugar and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle this drink with nutmeg for added zing.
Spanish Coffee (Carajillo)
In a glass, combine half an ounce of Kahlua with half an ounce of rum. Pour 6 ounces of hot coffee into the glass and stir.
Garnish with whipped cream and a cherry. This tasty coffee is said to have been developed during war times to give the troops “coraje” (courage).
Irish Coffee
Serve this classic in a hot Irish coffee mug. To warm up the mug, let it sit in hot water for 2 minutes.
Then add 1.5 ounces of Irish whiskey, 2 teaspoons of brown sugar, and four ounces of steaming hot coffee.
Garnish with unsweetened lightly whipped cream. Whip the cream lightly so that it will sit on top of the coffee.
Bavarian Coffee
In an Irish coffee mug, combine 5 ounces of hot coffee with half an ounce of Kahlua, half an ounce of peppermint schnapps, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Top with whipped cream and savor the zing!
Nose Warmer
This one’s guaranteed to keep you warm on a cold winter night! Combine one ounce of each of the following in a large mug: Kahlua, hazelnut liqueur, Irish cream, and orange liqueur.
Top with fresh brewed coffee or espresso. Garnish with whipped cream and take in the pleasure!
Warming Brandy and Peppermint Coffee Drink
To make this delightful cocktail, combine 2 ounces of brandy with 2 ounces of condensed milk in a mug. Pour 6 ounces of hot coffee over and stir. Insert one small candy cane.
Top with whipped cream and one small chopped candy cane.
Kentucky Coffee
For this coffee that will put a smile on your face, fill an Irish coffee glass half full with hot coffee.
Add one ounce of bourbon, half an ounce of Kahlua, a dash of vanilla extract, and a teaspoon of sugar.
Slowly pour lightly whipped heavy cream on top so that most of it settles and some trickles down into the coffee.
Marnissimo Coffee
Pour 2 ounces of hot coffee into a Collins glass to get started with this orange-flavored delight. On top of that, add one teaspoon of caster sugar.
Over that, add 1 ounce of orange liquor. Fill the rest of the glass with whipped cream and enjoy!
Cafe Pacifico
Combine 4 teaspoons of granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Pour into a warmed wine glass: 1.5 ounces tequila, half an ounce of Kahlua, and 4 ounces of freshly brewed, hot coffee.
Stir in 3 teaspoons of the sugar mixture. Pour heavy cream on top. Garnish with the remaining sugar mixture and a cinnamon stick and savor the flavors!
Cafe Brasileiro
This Brazilian coffee with chocolate liqueur makes for a dark, decadent treat.
In an Irish coffee mug, combine the following: 2.5 ounces hot coffee, 1.5 ounces cachaca, half an ounce chocolate liqueur, half an ounce simple syrup, and 2 ounces of vanilla cream. Stir.
Next, make vanilla cream by blending 2 ounces of heavy cream and the seeds of one vanilla pod in a shaker. Slowly pour the vanilla cream over the coffee.
Spiked Pumpkin Spice Latte
Warm-up by the fire with this delicious concoction. In a mug, combine 8 ounces of hot, freshly brewed coffee.
Add 1-ounce vanilla vodka, half an ounce of cinnamon whisky, and one ounce of a pumpkin pie spice coffee creamer.
Stir. Top with whipped cream.
Drizzle with caramel. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Cold Coffee Cocktails
And now let’s look at some of the amazing cold coffee cocktails
Coffee Old Fashioned
To prepare this zinger, start with a shaker filled with ice.
Pour in a double shot of room-temperature espresso, 1 ounce of bourbon or rye whiskey, 1 teaspoon of simple syrup, and a dash of bitters.
Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Rub the rim with lemon and serve.
Dublin Iced Coffee
Pour 2 ounces of strong cold coffee, 2 ounces of stout beer, 1.5 ounces of Irish whiskey, and 1 teaspoon of simple syrup in a highball glass.
Slowly add 1 to 2 ounces of heavy cream and let it sink into the coffee. Sprinkle it with cinnamon and bottoms up!
Espresso Martini
The creamy, foamy top with coffee beans makes this drink special. Brew 1 ounce of espresso. Let it cool in a bowl completely, or put in the freezer for a few minutes.
Fill a shaker with ice. Add the cooled coffee, 2 ounces vodka, half an ounce of Kahlua, and half an ounce of simple syrup.
Shake vigorously to create a foam. Strain it quickly into a martini glass to preserve the foam on top. Top it with three coffee beans and serve.
Long Island Iced Coffee
Combine half an ounce of each of the following in a cocktail shaker with one cup of ice: Baileys, Kahlua, vodka, rum, and tequila.
Add 2 ounces of cold brew or iced coffee. Shake all ingredients vigorously. Strain it into a glass filled with one cup of ice. Enjoy on the beach or in your backyard in a beach chair!
White Russian
This simple-to-make but rich coffee drink tastes the best when using heavy cream, even though you could use half-and-half in a pinch.
Combine 2 ounces of vodka with 1 ounce of Kahlua over ice in a rocks glass. Add a splash of heavy cream and stir. This one’s delicious!
Hazelnut Black Russian
Try this spin on a classic. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1.5 ounces each of Kahlua and vodka and half an ounce of hazelnut liqueur.
Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into an ice-filled glass. This drink is nice for a special event or a relaxing evening at home.
Cold Brew Cabana
Banana plus rum equals yum.
To make this interesting drink, put the following ingredients into a shaker filled with ice: 1.5 ounces rum, 1 ounce cold-brewed coffee, half an ounce banana liqueur, 3 drops of ginger bitters, and 1 drop of vanilla extract.
Shake and strain the drink into a martini glass and garnish it with dried banana chips.
Spiked Coffee Tonic
Brown sugar syrup gives this espresso drink personality.
To make, combine the following in a highball glass over ice: 1 ounce gin, 1.5 ounces cold espresso, 2 ounces tonic water, and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar syrup.
Garnish with a lemon slice. To make the brown sugar syrup, melt one-half cup brown sugar and one-half cup water in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
Cold Brew Cocktail
The night before making this cocktail, coarsely grind whole beans. Add them to cold water and let them steep overnight to make the cold brew.
To make the cocktail, mix the cold brew with 1.5 ounces of bourbon. Add a splash each of maple syrup, orange liqueur, and triple sec and stir. Top with heavy cream. It’s magic!
Orange Creamsicle
This creative drink will stir up memories of your childhood!
Combine the following ingredients in a large shaker: one cup dark brewed, chilled coffee, 1 ounce of vanilla vodka, 4 ounces orange juice, half an ounce of triple sec, four ounces of half and half, and 1 cup of whole ice.
Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice.
Siciliano
Let’s drink, or as Italians might say, Beviamo!
To make this bittersweet delight, combine 2 ounces sweet vermouth, 1.5 ounces amaretto, 1.5 ounces cold brew coffee, and 2 teaspoons simple syrup.
Pour club soda over it and garnish it with an orange slice.
Espresso Summer
Oh, yum! Pour the following ingredients into a shaker with ice: one shot of cold brew coffee or cold espresso, 1.5 ounces gin, half an ounce of simple syrup, and half an ounce of orange juice.
Shake vigorously and strain into a glass of ice cubes. Top with blackberries and an orange slice.
Delight In Your Coffee
So there you have it—delicious alcoholic coffee drinks for any type of mood you’re in.
You can get creative on your own and make your coffee drinks as simple or as sophisticated as you like!
And, again, remember that all great coffee drinks start with high-quality coffee beans!
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