Living in Seattle during the winter months is sort of tough. We’ve already had a suuuuper wet, grey fall and it’s only November! I find that my energy is majorly lacking, so I often turn to my old friend for a quick pick-me-up: coffee. Luckily, Keurig® reached out to partner and celebrate Fair Trade Month, so I immediately knew that I wanted to whip up a duo of spiked coffee cocktails. These two recipes have me feeling way more energized about hosting brunch, especially now that I’m in hibernation mode.
After last year’s trip to Costa Rica when we visited a coffee plantation, I have a newfound understanding of how my coffee is grown and harvested. Whenever possible, I use Fair Trade Certified™ coffee because it not only means a better cup of coffee for me, but (more importantly) a better quality of life for farmers and is why my go-to coffee roaster is Green Mountain Coffee®. Green Mountain Coffee® helps support networks of small farmers and was even the first roasters in the country to offer Fair Trade Certified™ coffee. The result of putting this much care into the beans themselves is a consistently delicious cup of coffee.
When paired with warming whiskey or spicy, citrusy triple sec, coffee can take on a totally new meaning. Since I’m in more of a ‘stay at home’ kind of mood lately, I entertain over brunch more and more. So of course, spiking our coffee makes sense! I love inviting friends over to hang out in yoga pants and hoodies, snacking on buttery pastries and indulging in some gossip. Here are two recipes I’ve been whipping up lately:
Coffee Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 1 medium cup of coffee (I suggest the Green Mountain Coffee® Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe K-Cup® Pod)
- 2 tablespoons rye
- 1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar
- 2 dashes bitters
- 1 candied orange slice
Instructions
- Using the Keurig® K55 Brewer, brew one medium-sized cup of coffee at just the touch of a button. I suggest using the Green Mountain Coffee® Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for its light flavor profile, citrusy notes, and hint of ginger.
- Stir in sugar, bourbon, and bitters. Garnish with a candied orange slice.
Nutrition
Spiked Pumpkin Spice Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 medium cup coffee
- 2 tablespoons triple sec
- whipped cream to top
- cinnamon stick
- star anise
Instructions
- Brew one medium-sized up of coffee with the Green Mountain Coffee® Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® Pod. Mix in triple sec and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and one star anise.
Nutrition
I love both of these cocktails for this time of year — they are super easy and fast to make, especially when you’ve got unexpected guests. I’m also quite fond of hot cocktails during these cold, short days because they warm me up nicely. The addition of coffee will perk me up, too, especially over brunch!
Let us know which of these recipes you’ll be whipping up for your next holiday brunch! We hope you enjoy a warm cup of (boozy) coffee on these chilly mornings!
This post is sponsored by Keurig®. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.
Photography and styling by Jojotastic.
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Coffee + cocktails = dream come true!
Definitely.