Matcha white hot cocoa is the holiday drink of the season for all the matcha latte lovers out there. Whip up a batch for gift giving!

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I may not make a new flavor of homemade hot cocoa mix every year, but I’ve certainly made my fair share. After the chai hot cocoa I made two years ago I knew what had to be next – matcha!

Normally there is 1-1/2 cups of cocoa powder in the basic hot cocoa mix recipe but I wanted to make this matcha version with a white hot cocoa base. However, a little bit of matcha goes a long way and you only need 1/2-1 teaspoon per serving which if we use the high end equates to 1/2 cup for 2 dozen servings for this mix.

Due to the decreased volume I did consider increasing the amount of dry milk powder to make up for it but in the end decided to just leave it as is and reduce the amount of matcha white hot cocoa mix needed for each serving – reducing from 1/3 cup to a slightly mounded 1/4 cup.

The result was even better than I imagined, even though I already imagined the combination of a matcha latte and white chocolate to be delicious. And the color is extra fun for the season/holidays! I plan to bring this one along with a few other fun flavors to make a little holiday hot cocoa bar for family when we visit this coming week. Maybe serve them with some festive cookies because ’tis the season!

Other Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix Flavors:

• Brownie Batter
• Cake Batter White Chocolate
• Chai
• Cinnamon
• Dark Chocolate
• Malted
• Peanut Butter
• Red Velvet
• Salted Caramel

MATCHA WHITE HOT COCOA MIX

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup matcha powder
• 1-1/2 cups* white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Working in two batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the white chocolate is finely ground.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
4. To make matcha white hot cocoa, put a slightly mounded 1/4 cup of the mix in a mug and whisk in 1 cup of hot milk**. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Notes

*About one 12 oz. bag. **Not boiling, preferably 140-175F (60-80C).

Source: Adapted from my Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix.

Spiced apple cider dressed up as a poison apple cider mule mocktail for Halloween for all to enjoy.

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Between not really wanting to drink alcohol much anymore due to making healthier choices and it giving me instantaneous headaches half of the time, I make a lot more mocktails these days. I especially love that a lot of restaurants are also adding more fun mocktails on the menus beyond Shirley Temples, because drinks don’t have to have alcohol in it to be fun.

This poison apple cider mule mocktail is modified from my apple cider mule to contain Hipstirs pumpkin spice syrup instead of vodka. With the presence of ginger beer (or ginger ale if you prefer) you really don’t notice he lack of vodka in the mix, which is why mules are one of my favorite mocktails to make.

Don’t want to buy this syrup? You can make homemade pumpkin spice syrup but you’ll have a lot more of it. Which I don’t see as an issue because it would go great in tea or coffee.

As for the “poison” apples that honestly make this poison apple cider, they are simply dyed overnight in a mixture or water, lemon juice, and butterfly pea powder. You could use purple (or red mixed with blue) food coloring if you prefer but I thought it was fun to use this since I already had some on hand.

If you plan ahead, the day before when you are making the “poison” apples you could grab your silicone skull trays to make some festive ice cubes too. You’re already prepping ahead so why not one more thing? If you are like me and only have two trays and not enough to fill multiple glasses, you can cheat like I did and only put them on top. The secret is out – ha!

POISON APPLE CIDER MULE MOCKTAIL

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Yield: 1 Serving Prep Time: 8 Hours 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

"POISON" APPLES

• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp butterfly pea flower powder
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 green or golden delicious apple, cored and sliced
• Gummy worms

SPICED APPLE CIDER MOCKTAIL

• 4 oz. apple cider
• 4 oz. ginger beer or ale
• 1 oz. Hipstirs pumpkin spice syrup

Directions

1. In a medium glass bowl, whisk together the water, butterfly pea flower powder, and lemon juice. Puncture one small hole into each apple slice* and submerge the slices in the purple mixture. Cover with lid or plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight.
2. The next day, in a 12 oz glass add apple cider, ginger beer/ale, and pumpkin spice syrup. Stir, add ice, then garnish with an apple slice with a gummy worm laced through the hole. Serve immediately.

Notes

*I used the small end of a medium round piping tip. A sturdy straw would also work.

Source: Poison apples from Holistic Rendezvous, originally inspired by Karlee Sisler Flores. Mocktail adapted from my Apple Cider Mule.

Chocolate peanut butter milk is just like chocolate milk but with the nutty flavor of peanuts. Because nothing pairs better with chocolate than peanut butter.

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While this might be a super simple recipe for celebrating the first Big Ten game of the season, today is chocolate milk day and I could not resist taking advantage of that for #PBchocSat by making chocolate peanut butter milk.

While you could definitely make this with chocolate syrup and regular peanut butter, I like how I could control the sweetness by using unsweetened cocoa powder and powdered peanut butter. Added bonus is that regular peanut butter wouldn’t dissolve as easily into milk as powdered peanut butter.

Growing up, and now even as an adult, I have never liked chocolate milk. I’m not much of a plain chocolate fan for most anything. But add some peanut butter into the mix and I am all in. Same goes for this chocolate peanut butter milk – aka Buckeye Milk (but not to be confused with my buckeye milkshake)!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MILK

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Yield: 1 Serving Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups preferred milk*
• 2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder*
• 2-3 tsp honey or agave syrup

Directions

In a large glass** combine the milk, powdered peanut butter powder, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Whisk with a milk frother** until combined. Taste and add more sweetener if preferred. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Or use chocolate milk and add powdered peanut butter. **Or pulse in a blender.

Source: Adapted from Foodal.

Why mix up cocktails one at a time when you can make a batch? This pitcher paloma cocktail recipe is so refreshing everyone will want a glass. Don’t forget the Tajin-salt rim!

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I made this batched pitcher paloma cocktail recipe for a neighborhood potluck and it was very popular. I normally don’t enjoy grapefruit, but the combination with fresh lime and smoky mezcal made for a rich get refreshing beverage. Prefer a mocktail version? Either substitute with your favorite non-alcoholic tequila, lime juice, or more sparkling water.

No matter which way you make it, this pitcher paloma cocktail is the perfect beverage for all your summer cookouts and BBQs – after all it’s BBQ week! May I suggest serving it with corn spoon bread, scalloped potatoes with bacon & jalapeno, foolproof ribs, or something else from the list below from a few foodie friends of mine also participating in BBQ week.

Welcome to #BBQWeek where we celebrate all things barbecue related! From slow cooked pulled pork to grilled chicken, salsa and sides, and delicious pies there’s a recipe that’s perfect for your summer cookout parties.

Monday’s #BBQWeek Recipes

• BBQ Dry Rub Seasoning from Blogghetti
• Cheesy Corn Dip from Art of Natural Living
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad from Our Crafty Mom
• Grilled Chicken Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Margarita Jello Shots from Easy Recipes for One
• Pellet Smoked Weisswurst from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Smoked Leg of Lamb from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

PITCHER PALOMA COCKTAIL RECIPE

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Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

COCKTAILS

• 16 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
• 16 oz. mezcal*
• 2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 oz. agave nectar**
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ice
• 16 oz. cold sparkling water

GARNISH

• 2 Tbsp Tajin
• 2 Tbsp smoked coarse salt***
• Grapefruit or lime slices

Directions

1. In a large pitcher, stir together the grapefruit juice, mezcal, lime juice, agave, and salt. Cover and chill until ready to serve****.
2. Before serving, combine salt and Tajin in a shallow bowl or small plate. Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime wedge and invert into the Tajin-salt mixture to coat.
3. Fill classes 3/4 with ice, 3/4 with Paloma, top with sparkling water, garnish with a slice of grapefruit or lime and serve.

Notes

*Or tequila if you prefer, mezcal gives a little smoky flavor. **Or simple syrup. ***Regular coarse salt also works. ****Best served same day.

Source: Adapted from The Kitchn.

It’s hard to beat fresh, homemade lemonade, especially when it’s basil lemonade. Whether you are prime summer time or end of season, you’ll be ready to pour another.

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Why yes, I am posting a new lemonade recipe in November, thank you for noticing. But as I write this the windows are open at 7:30pm because it is still in the mid 70s outside. So I will continue to enjoy this weather with a glass of this fresh basil lemonade in hand. Along with my nutella pear focaccia sandwich.

Even if you are not lucky enough to be experiencing global warming at its finest, chances are the basil in your garden is ready to be hacked down for the season. Other than making homemade basil pesto, this is the next best thing to use it up.

I first fell in love with herbed lemonade when I added thyme to it because it was overflowing in my garden. Next time I took it a step further with rosemary watermelon lemonade, so it wasn’t difficult to then land here on basil lemonade.

Making homemade basil lemonade is pretty straight forward. You make simple syrup by combining equal parts water and sugar. Once dissolved add the basil and let steep as it cools. Then combine with more water and fresh squeezed lemon juice. That’s it!

BASIL LEMONADE

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Yield: 6 Servings Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 6 cups water, divided
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups packed fresh basil
• 1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
• Thin lemon slices or basil, for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups of the water and sugar to a boil. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add the basil, remove from heat, cover. and let steep for 30 minutes.
2. Strain into a pitcher. Discard basil. Add remaining 4-1/2 cups cold water and lemon juice to a pitcher and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Pour into a glass filled with ice and garish with slice of lemon and basil.

Source: Adapted from my Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade.

Boos are for all ages with this non-alcoholic Halloween punch. Just mix up the three ingredients then garnish with gummy worms and lychee-blueberry eye balls.

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Happy Halloween! If you want an easy, last minute party punch this is it. Just mix together sherbet, lemon-lime pop (yes Sprite), and pineapple juice and you’ve got a delicious Halloween punch non-alcoholic style. If you have a little extra time, it’s worth also garnishing with not only gummy worms, but lychee-blueberry eyeballs.

What do you need for Non-Alcoholic Halloween Punch?

• Lime sherbet
• Lemon-lime pop
• Pineapple Juice
• Green food coloring, optional
• Gummy worms
• Peeled whole lychee
• Blueberries

As you can tell, I didn’t use the green food coloring in my punch. Maybe I should have, but I just wasn’t feeling it at the time. I was more focused on the lychee-blueberry eyeballs and how cool they look! To make the creepy eyeballs, all you have to do is buy two cans of peeled whole lychee, drain them, and then stick a blueberry into each one. That’s it.

If the eyes aren’t enough spook factor for you, go ahead and dye the punch green, or orange, or whatever is your favorite spooky color. You could also offer another option such as Flying Purple People Eater Milkshakes. And obviously if you prefer it with booze in it, pretend to be the rebel kid in highschool and spike the punch or make Day of the Dead Margaritas.

HALLOWEEN PUNCH NON-ALCOHOLIC

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

PUNCH

• 2 quarts lime sherbet*
• 16 oz. (2 cups) pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 (2L) bottle lemon-lime pop, chilled
• Green food coloring, optional

GARNISH

• 2 (15 oz). cans peeled whole lychee
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 bag gummy worms

Directions

1. Drain the lychee, then working one at a time, place a blueberry inside of each, resembling and eyeball. Place into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Into a large punch bowl or carafe, scoop the lime sherbet.
3. Pour the pineapple juice and lemon-lime pop over the sherbet, and lightly stir. Add green food coloring, if using, and stir just until combined.
4. Fill cups with ice, pour punch into cups, and top with lychee eyeballs and gummy worms. Serve immediately.

Notes

*I couldn't find lime so I used rainbow

Source: Adapted from Funny Money Mom.

Transition from summer to fall with this spirited apple cider mule. It’ll warm you up and cool you down at the same time.

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It’s September and it’s time to crack open the vault – The Fall Flavors vault!

After summer’s last hurrah of scorching temperatures, it’s finally starting to cool down around here. To make the transition, I used some of Ohio’s very own Buckeye Vodka to make a spirited apple cider mule. Just like my amaretto spiced apple cider and spiced apple cider cocktail, this apple cider mule will warm you up from the inside while still cooling you down.

Don’t want to imbibe? You can easily leave the vodka out of this for a mocktail version. Just add more ginger beer. Or try my Apple Cider Palmer.

• Apple Cider Biscuits by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Pumpkin Loaf Cake by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Refrigerator Pickled String Beans by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Beef and Pumpkin Pasties by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Brussels Sprouts Pizza by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Apple Pie Smoothie by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Apple Pani Puri by Magical Ingredients
• Thai Coconut Curry Soup by Art of Natural Living
• Pumpkin Pie Twists by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Pan Fried Pork Chops by Palatable Pastime
• Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini by Our Crafty Mom
• Cranberry Orange Pork Loin by That Recipe

APPLE CIDER MULE

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Yield: 1 Serving Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 oz. ginger beer
• 4 oz. apple cider
• 1.5 oz. vodka*
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• Slice of apple
• Cinnamon stick
• Ice

Directions

1. Shake or stir and serve over ice in a copper mug.
2. Garnish with apple and a cinnamon stick.. Serve immediately.

Notes

*For a mocktail, replace vodka with more ginger beer.

It doesn’t get much prettier than this dragon fruit lemonade – made with fresh dragon fruit, lemon juice, and sweetened with real honey.

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I’ve never had the Starbuck’s dragon fruit lemonade, but I’ve seen a friend drink it fairly regularly and I’ve always wondered what it was like. So naturally when I found myself with a plethora of red dragon fruit, I seized the carp.

Obviously I made this recipe based on my own assumptions of what this beverage would taste like, using my rosemary watermelon lemonade recipe as a baseline. I actually considered adding an herb to this lemonade as well, but decided the dragon fruit was exotic enough.

However, instead of an herb I used real honey instead of sugar. I have a feeling the aforementioned coffee shop is not using fresh lemon juice, fresh dragon fruit puree, and real honey to make their dragon fruit lemonade. Maybe I’m wrong, in which case I applaud them. Either way, this homemade version is as delicious as it is gorgeous. Next time I want try a dragon fruit smoothie!

Serve it up for a fun festive Valentine’s day beverage, spike it on a hot summer day, or drink it on a Tuesday – whatever suits your fancy.

DRAGON FRUIT LEMONADE WITH HONEY

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Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 35 MInutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 3 cups water, divided
• 1-1/2 cups honey
• 3 cups pureed fresh red dragon fruit flesh
• 1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
• Thin lemon slices or peels, for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups of the water and honey to a boil. Simmer until honey has dissolved. Cover and let cool for 30 minutes.
2. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups cold water, dragon fruit puree, and lemon juice to a pitcher and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Pour into a glass filled with ice and garish with slice of lemon.

Source: Adapted from my Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade.

What happens when you blend together homemade chai mix with hot cocoa? You get a deliciously warm homemade chai hot cocoa mix!

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Just like my varieties of buckeye candy, every year I try to come up with a new flavor spin for my homemade hot cocoa mix. This year, I had a serious light bulb go off while in NYC last weekend to combine the forces of chai and hot cocoa into one.

I am not sure how or why it took me this long to come up with this combination. After all, I knew chocolate chai was already a thing, and I make my own homemade chai and hot cocoa mixes, so why not combine them? And that’s precisely what I did.

The result is exactly what you would expect from a chai hot cocoa – creamy chocolate with extra warmth from the combination of spices and a little boost from the black tea. So be aware that there is instant tea powder in there if you or someone you are gifting this to has a sensitivity to caffeine.

Speaking of the added instant tea powder, Normally my hot cocoa recipes use 1/3 cup of mix per cup of hot milk, but with the extra dry ingredient you have to add a little more to get the same proportions. Yes you can use water because there is dry milk powder in the mix, by why make a sub-par version?

HOMEMADE CHAI HOT COCOA MIX

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Yield: About 2 dozen servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups unsweetened instant tea powder
• 1-1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Working in two batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
4. To make chai hot cocoa, put 1/2 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk

Source: Adapted from my Homemade Vanilla Chai Mix and Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix.

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Transport yourself to a tropical location with a batch of these creamy but deliciously refreshing frozen coconut mojitos.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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Not only is it Friday, it’s #NationalCocktailDay! Finishing off a delicious #SpringSweetsWeek with Frozen Coconut Mojitos inspired by a trip to Belize. Normally I prefer mojitos on the rocks but these frozen coconut mojitos are much better blended!

I have made blueberry coconut mojitos before, but used coconut water. This time around, I used coconut cream for these frozen coconut mojitos, resulting in a creamy yet deliciously refreshing warm weather cocktail.

Make a batch of mint simply syrup to start and keep that baby on hand in your fridge. Then whenever you are in the mood for frozen coconut mojitos, whip up the rest of the ingredients in a blender. Repeat whenever you need a refill.

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

FROZEN COCONUT MOJITOS

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Yield: 2 Servings Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 10 fresh mint leaves

COCONUT MOJITOS

• 4 oz. coconut cream
• 4 oz. white rum
• 2 oz. fresh lime juice
• 4 oz. mint simple syrup (above)
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 4 cups ice

Directions

1. For the simple syrup, add all ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium just until it bubbles. Turn down to low for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes. (After using, store leftovers in air-tight container in the fridge.)
2. To make the mojitos, place all ingredients in a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth Pour in glasses, garnish with mint and lime slices if desired, and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from A Spicy Perspective’s Frozen Coconut Mojitos. and my Blueberry Coconut Mojitos.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE