The Christmas Cozy Cafe

Hello friends, welcome back to my cozy cafe fantasy. See the twinkling lights on the Christmas trees, the snow falling peacefully outside the windows, and the fire crackling in the center of the cafe? Hear the jazz Christmas music playing?

Back in October I welcomed you into my little imaginary cafe, and you all loved it so much, I decided  should do a Christmas edition. 

I have four festive drinks to share with you! One coffee drink, one caffeinated tea drink, and two decaf drinks, and of course The Cozy Cafe is also a bookshop, so there will be book recommendations as well.

Peppermint Mocha

For all you coffee drinkers, here is a great afternoon pick-me-up peppermint mocha. Don't have peppermint extract, you can mix in candy cane bits or omit mint flavor all together.

Ingredients:
1/4-1/3 cup of hot black coffee (depending on how much coffee you want haha)
1 cup milk of choice, heated
2 tablespoons hot-chocolate mix (I use Cadbury)
1-2 drops peppermint extract
Whipped cream (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Step 1. Pour your hot coffee into a mug.

Step 2. Mix hot milk and hot-chocolate mix making sure there are no clumps.

Step 3. Add the hot-chocolate to the coffee, and add in the peppermint extract.

​Step 4. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles.

The Twelve-Dares of Christa by Marissa Burt

This book is a guilty pleasure book for me. It's about Christa, a middle-school girl who is obsessed with Christmas. She is beyond excited for her family's trip ton Europe this Christmas, but then her parents drop a bomb on her, they're getting divorced and therefore her dad won't be going to Europe with them. To help Christa through this, her dad creates 12 dares for her days in Europe.
This book is full of European Christmas charm, sweet middle-school friendships, and amazing food and setting imagery. The perfect binge for your exhausted brain.

Winter Chai Latte

I fell in love with Iced Chai Lattes over the fall, this recipe is a hot adaptation of my perfect chai latte recipe with a brown sugar whipped cream instead of a cold foam.

Ingredients:
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4-1/2 tsp brown sugar (to taste)
​splash of vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot water
2 chai tea bags (pick your favorite chai because the flavor penetrates through the drink)
spices and sweetener to taste - Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger
​1 cup milk

Step 1. (optional), whisk (by hand or with a mixer) heavy cream and brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Once whipped, stir in a splash of vanilla extract. Set aside.

Step 2. In a mug, steep two tea bags and cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in hot water for 3-5 minutes. Remove tea bags and add in brown sugar (sweeten to taste).

​Step 3. Heat your milk in the microwave ( you want it to be very hot). Add it into the hot chai concentrate.

Step 4. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Nutcracked by Susan Adrian

This book surprised me a lot! It's a middle-grade retelling of The Nutcracker. Georgie, has dreamed of being cast as Clara in the Nutcracker ballet. She gets the role, but by getting it she begins to push her best friend away. Meanwhile every time she dances her role, she's getting pulled into the world of The Nutcracker. 

This book was pure magical nostalgia for me. I used to be a dancer and danced in the Nutcracker many times, and everything in this book felt so real to me. Even if you have no experience with the Nutcracker it's still such a whimsical and cozy book. Oh yeah, and it made me cry.

​Hot Chocolate

Sure it's just a hot chocolate recpie, but my Dad said it's the best he's ever had. It's an adaptation of this recipe by Spun Sugar Run with my own twist. It's very indulgent and perfect for a cozy night in. This makes about three servings.

Ingredients:
6 ounces of dark chocolate (chopped)
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
a sprinkle of cinnamon
2 1/4 cups milk of choice
1 tablespoon dutch processed cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
a few pinches of salt
Whipped cream, marshmallows, and sprinkles (optional)

Step 1. In a saucepan over medium heat slowly whisk dark chocolate, heavy cream and brown sugar together until smooth and fully melted.

Step 2. Once the chocolate mixture is mixed together add in a sprinkle of cinnamon (this just brings out the chocolate flavor, it doesn't make the drink taste of cinnamon).

Step 3. Slowly whisk in the milk until fully combined, add in the cocoa powder and mix well. Let the mixture cook at medium heat until hot (test it with your finger or by feeling how much steam is coming off of it.)

Step 4. Pull the hot chocolate off of the heat and whisk in vanilla extract and salt.

Step 5. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and sprinkles (all optional)

This book recommendation is a little different. Go to the cookbook or party section of your library and look for old Christmas guides. Magazines often produced these and there is something so therapeutic about paging through a book that celebrates Christmases past. I personally love holiday books from the early 2000's. Hallmark, Country Living, Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and Cooks Illustrated, as well as other magazines used to produce books like this. I would highly recommend getting one to look at the pretty trees, gift ideas, and recipes. 

​Mint Lavender Herbal Tea

Sometimes this time of year the last thing you want is a sugary drink. If you want to take cut down on sugar, or just want a relaxing drink, I have the herbal tea for you. It's inspired by a blend I saw at a coffee shop, made with ingredients I have in my cupboard. 

If you don't have culinary lavender you can use lavender tea of any kind (just make sure it's decaf), or use lavender honey or lavender coffee syrup.

Ingredients:
Hot water
Peppermint tea bag
1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender
sweetener of choice

Step 1. Boil water.

Step 2. add peppermint tea bag and lavender in a tea strainer or tea ball.

Step 3. Pour in hot water and let steep for about three minutes.

Step 4. remove the tea bag and tea strainer, and sweeten the drink to taste.

A Vintage Christmas - Thomas Nelson Publishing

My very favorite Christmas book. This book is the coziest, happiest collection of short stories and poetry from classic authors and poets.  I love how it focuses on the simple things in life and Christmas like family, love, and Jesus's birth. If you read one book this Christmas, please let this be the one.

Thank you for visiting the cafe today! The Cozy Cafe will back sometime in the new year! Let me know if you try any of the drinks or read any of the books!

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea. ​