As the sun sets on summertime, autumn beckons. While it comes with plenty of perks - vivid colors, football games, hayrides - the temperature can be a bit of a buzzkill. If you’re feeling icy toward cooler weather, a comforting beverage might help. Consider trying one of the following fabulous recipes:
Hot Apple Cider
Cider is as synonymous with fall as harvest moons, and it’s packed with polyphenols, which act as antioxidants (like the saying sort of goes, “An apple (cider) a day keeps the doctor away!”). This recipe goes above and beyond the kind of drink you might be used to, relying on the likes of maple syrup, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to bring out the sweetness of this comforting concoction.
Homestyle Hot Cocoa
The OG of cold weather wonders, hot cocoa is a must-have when the temperature drops and the flannels come out. This homestyle hot cocoa recipe will leave you neglecting Nestles and giving Hershey’s the heave-ho. It includes the secret ingredients of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and Half and Half.
Pumpkin Pecan Pie Smoothie
If you’re into drinking your dessert, now’s your chance. This pumpkin pecan pie smoothie is a little slice of heaven for your palate…but in a glass. Made with pumpkin puree, low-fat yogurt, toasted pecans, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, this drink makes a wonderful late-night treat or brunch-time surprise.
Warm Vanilla Milk
Everyone knows that a glass of warm milk is a favorite folklore trick for getting some shuteye, but this recipe is less about your bedsheets and more about your taste buds. A simple-to-make creation that uses whole milk, honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, and nutmeg, it’s great for curling up with a book, watching a movie, or raking fall leaves.
Salted Maple Power Coffee
No beverage list can be complete without the patriarch of pick-me-ups: COFFEE. Salted maple power coffee is made with coffee (or espresso), coconut butter, maple syrup, coconut cream (or almond milk), salt, and cinnamon (or nutmeg). If you need a reason to get up in the morning (other than the whole making a living thing), this is it.
For those saddened by the end of summer, grab a glass and cheer up: these drinks are sure to bring some comfort to the change in climate. Give them a try and sip in the season.
The Habitat Apartments is located in Gunbarrel with convenient access to shopping in downtown Boulder and beyond. We offer apartments and townhomes with private patios, a heated pool, outdoor kitchens, pet-friendly perks, and multiple floor plans to choose from. Contact us today to learn why we’re the perfect place to set down roots this fall.