Our Favorite DIY Drinks - Fall Edition
When our schedule is tight… here are some of our favs to make from home!
Intro
It is FALL PEOPLE! The leaves are getting crispy, the days are getting shorter, and suddenly the calendar looks like a color coded disaster from now until Christmas. Of course that means there is less time for travel which should probably mean our coffee consumption goes down. BUT it doesn’t. After 5 busy seasons since starting our family business in 2018, we’ve become pros at a few on-the-go, (and on a budget) drinks to make our days a little sweeter! These are some quick and easy at home recipes we love.
#. 01. Brown Sugar Vanilla
For the first one, we are going pretty basic. The title describes exactly what you are going to get… but it is worth it. it. All you do is dissolve 1.5 tbsps of brown sugar in just enough hot water to make a syrup (use the microwave or add straight to coffee if you are drinking it hot). Over that, pour in 4-6oz of strong coffee and splash in some milk of your preference! Add in a teaspoon of vanilla and viola! It is a quick and easy drink hot or iced, and if you’re using super strong coffee and a little bit of half and half, it tastes like you got it straight from a coffee shop. We grind whole beans from one of our favorite local shops, Cool Beanz, and it replicates their vanilla iced coffee!
#. 02 Dalgona Delight
If you were around on TikTok for the dark ages of the pandemic, chances are you ventured down this road or at least heard of this trend. Dalgona coffee is basically whipped coffee mixed with milk to make a foamy, creamy latte that is packed with espresso flavor. Typically it only works with espresso but during the pandemic, people started using instant coffee. It both tastes just as good and makes a great easy treat! Here is how to make it!
First, you’ll need to dissolve two tablespoons of sugar in just enough hot water to make a syrup. We have found the more dissolved, the better. Into the syrup, add a tablespoon of instant coffee and stir until it is mixed in and there are no whole grains left. Then WHIP. We have used the shaking-a-jar method on the go but for best results, use a hand mixer or frother to get the mixture as fluffy as possible. To that, you will add ice (we’ve tried it hot too but it just isn’t the same) and about 6-8 ounces of milk. This is a pretty high-caffeine sweet drink that makes a great treat or pick me up on a rough morning!
#. 03 Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam
Courtesy of Instagram inspo and the distinguished Adeline’s execution, this has become a recent favorite. It might seem intimidating or lengthy to make your own cold foam BUT we have found that this recipe lasts for a while so it is perfectly make-ahead friendly! All you do is whip up a tablespoon of brown sugar, a cup of heavy whipping cream, a tablespoon of puréed pumpkin, and cinnamon to taste. We tried the recipe with and without dissolving the sugar first and it is about the same! This makes a great slightly sweet topping to a morning coffee before heading off to work or a decadent afternoon treat when paired with a splash creamer. The best part about it is that one batch should last for at least a few days on only a tablespoon of pumpkin puree which means you are really making the most of your time and money! It is the perfect time-crunch, make-ahead, and on a budget, fally treat!
# 04 Mocha Me Happy (just go with it)
Whether it is Christmas, time for celebration, or just that time of month, this is the recipe for a frown turned upside down. It is our go to for a quick, feel good drink.
Prepare by making ahead some of Mom’s famous hot cocoa mix — I can’t tell you the full recipe but the base is two parts granulated sugar and one part cocoa powder. Mix and add a spoonful of that to hot coffee and about two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. For extra flavor, mix in some cinnamon or a tiny bit of peppermint extract. The consistency is always smooth and decadent whether you brew good quality coffee or are popping in a k-cup as you walk out of the door, it is always delicious and comforting (ehem, Perc coffee is the best though).
#. 05 Pumpkin Spice Latte Smoothie
This is one I only tried recently but I have to say I was impressed. I am one for routine and that means a brisk run and a smoothie every Monday at 7 to wake me up for the week. Normally I make my smoothies with mixed berries, yogurt, milk, and matcha (not a bad combo to get your week {and digestive tract…} started btw) but recently I have been trying to encompass fall a little more. After a little bit of digging on Pinterest, I combined some of the recipes I saw and made this!
First, add a 1/3 cup of high-protein yogurt to a small blender. This will act as a substitute for any protein powder which works great if you are someone like me who can’t tolerate it! If your yogurt isn’t pre-sweetened like mine, you may want to add a little bit of honey. To that, I added about 1/4 cup of plain ol’ rolled oats, a tablespoon of pumpkin puree, and some pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon probably works just as well). Then, of course, a splash of coffee - I made a strong 4 ounces. Blend it up and optionally add ice - I added ice to mine to make it more like a frappe! It is a great take on a combination of a smoothie, a frappe, and overnight oats, three of my morning favs! This will give you a kickstart on any fall morning. (Note: I haven’t tried adding vanilla to mine yet but I bet it would enhance it really well!)
#. 06 Good Ol' Pumpkin Latte
Guys. When it comes down to it, a good quality brew with just enough pumpkin spice creamer in it to make it unhealthy is the best way to start a fall day with a boost of serotonin. We recommend International Delight brand which can be found at most stores!
#. 07 Chai Tea (the English way)
Chai tea has been a favorite of ours since our days pouring over school books in our front dining room. This recipe may seem like a given to some but if you make your chai lattes steeping the bag first, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG!
Here is how we do it. Heat up 8 ounces of water for about 2 minutes or until it is at 200-212 degrees F. Add in a tablespoon or two of sugar to dissolve and follow with about that amount of heavy cream. You’ll need to give this a good stir before adding the tea bag. This may seem backwards to you but in recent years we learned that it ie exactly how tea companies like Twinings designed their tea to be brewed! Adding cream and sugar after you’ve given your tea a chance to steep may sound more intuitive but it will leave flaky bits of sugar that didn’t get mixed in floating on the top. This method makes for a really smooth cup of tea! We use two tea bags of chai and some cinnamon to add extra umph.
#. 08 Maaatcha
If you have been following my journey lately, you know that I gave coffee up for a month. During that time I focused on eating healthy and healing my gut and this drink was a great one to have on the list! Matcha can be a little daunting if you have never made matcha lattes before so here are some pointers that have helped me.
Number one is get good quality matcha. If your matcha is poor quality or just cheap, it is not going to mix in well and overall you’ll be left with chunky grass milk. Not ideal. Instead, I recommend using high quality matcha such as this if you know you are going to be making it from home. Another tip is to warm up your water before mixing it in and (if you have a sweet tooth like me) add a tablespoon of sugar. I normally microwave 3 tablespoons of water for a few seconds before adding a tablespoon of matcha and a tablespoon of sugar. If you are not a matcha drinker, start with just a teaspoon of matcha and work your way up - at first the green tea flavor can be a little overpowering! Use a frother to mix it up and add 8 ounces of milk to make it a latte! For a light drink I like adding lots of ice and almond milk. Not as quick of a recipe but this makes a great healthy alternative!
©️Goodstrong Words October 2023
