3 Weed-Infused Hot Drinks For This Insanely Cold Winter

It’s been cold this winter. Really cold — like polar vortex cold.

So a weed-infused hot drink might be the best remedy on one of those cold evenings when you need a bit of warming up. And do we have the three perfect hot drinks for you.

A warm, black-elderberry cocktail with sweet citrus berry flavors and notes of spice. A maple ginger hot toddy mocktail, taking a next level status on this classic cocktail. And a molasses cinnamon Mexican hot chocolate, aimed at warming the cockles of the heart.

Each of these drink recipes uses a THC glycerin tincture. Tinctures can be bought in retailers and dispensaries with various cannabinoid and ratios, or made at home. You can use a different cannabinoid-based tincture to each of these recipes, but for now we’ll stick to a THC-based tincture.

Warm Black Elderberry Cocktail

There is a history of medicine, reverence, sacredness, superstition, and romance surrounding the elderberry. Invoke your inner herbalist and reap the reward of a delicious cannabis infusion.

Syrup Ingredients

• ½ cup (about 75 grams) dried elderberries
• 2 cups (about 475 milliliters) filtered water
• 1 cup (about 340 grams) honey
• 1 tablespoon (about 6 grams) lemon or orange zest
• 5 milligrams of THC glycerin tincture

Materials

• Large saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Fine mesh strainer
• Mason jar with top

Directions for syrup

1. Add the dried elderberries, filtered water, honey, and zest into a saucepan.
2. Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring, then reduce heat to a simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.
3. Turn off the stove, then add the 5 milligrams of the THC tincture per tablespoon of syrup. Keep in mind this recipe will yield 1 ¾ cup (about 420 milliliters) of syrup. You need to add 140 milligrams of tincture to yield 5 milligrams of THC per tablespoon.
4. Stir the tincture with a spoon for 1-2 minutes to fully incorporate into the syrup.
5. Strain into a mason jar and cool for storage.

Cocktail ingredients

• Juice from 1 orange
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 cup (about 235 milliliters) water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 clove
• 1 tablespoon (about 20 grams) THC-infused elderberry syrup (recipe listed above)
• 1 tablespoon (about 20 grams) maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon to 1.5 fluid ounces (4 to 35 milliliters) rum or brandy

Materials for the cocktail

• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Fine-mesh strainer
• 8-ounce (about 240 milliliters) mug

Directions for cocktail

1. Add the water, juices, squeezed rinds, cinnamon stick, clove, and syrups to a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring.
3. Strain the mixture into a mug. Pull out the cinnamon stick from the strainer and add to the mug.
4. Add the desired amount of rum or brandy into the mug and stir with the cinnamon stick.
5. Garnish by adding orange slices to the drink if desired.

Maple Ginger Hot Toddy Mocktail

Ginger, what little roots of heaven! When combined with THC, this elevated spin on the classic hot toddy will quickly become a favorite drink during the chilly months.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (about 235 milliliters) water
• 2 tablespoons (about 40 grams) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (about 30 milliliters) lemon or lime juice
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) grated ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 lemon or lime slices
• 5 milligrams THC glycerin tincture

Materials

• 10-ounce (about 300 milliliters) mug
• Tea kettle

Directions

1. Add the maple syrup, lemon or lime juice, ginger, cinnamon stick, lemon or lime slices, and tincture to a mug.
2. Pour the boiling hot water into the cup and let steep for 5 minutes.

Molasses Cinnamon Mexican Hot Chocolate

The first form of drinking chocolate was created by Mayans more than 2,000 years ago, and was actually served cold. Brilliant and complex, this updated version of the drink will make your taste buds dance.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (about 245 milligrams) whole milk
• 1 tablespoon (about 11 grams) semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons (about 11 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder or carob powder
• 1 tablespoon (21 grams) molasses
• 1 tablespoon (20 grams) maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon (about 5 milliliters) vanilla extract
• 1 very small pinch cayenne
• 1 large pinch chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon (about 1 gram) cinnamon
• 5 milligrams THC glycerin tincture

Materials

• 10 ounce mug
• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer while stirring.
2. When all of the semisweet chocolate has melted, bring to a temperature you wish to drink. Do not boil, or the milk will scald.
3. Pour into a mug, then garnish with whipped cream, chocolate curls or grated chocolate, and a cinnamon stick.