In college, I went through a White Russian phase. Everywhere we went, I ordered a White Russian. I’m not sure how I didn’t gain thirty pounds during that couple of months. The daily running probably helped.

Anyways, I wanted to jazz up the White Russian with a vanilla kick. If you like this sweet drink, try this version.

Ingredients:

vanilla vodka, Kahlua, vegan cream {soy or coconut will work}, vanilla bean

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice. Pour in one and a half {or two!} shots of vanilla vodka and one shot of Kahlua. Fill with vegan cream. Stir. Sprinkle some vanilla beans on top. Enjoy!

In the fall there are two camps of people: 1. The people who love all things pumpkin. 2. The people who are annoyed by and can’t stand all things pumpkin. There are the people who perk up at the thought of a pumpkin spiced latte and other who turn their noses up at pumpkin spiced lattes. If you fall into that pumpkin-loving camp, you’ll appreciate today’s recipe.

I’m not big on martinis, but this one is soooooooooooo creamy yummy that it’s my favorite fall adult beverage.

Ingredients:

2 parts vanilla flavored vodka

2 parts heavy soy cream

1 part simple syrup

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie filling

dash pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

In a shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, heavy cream, simple syrup, and pumpkin pie filling. Shake to chill. Strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Along with patterned tights, college football, and knitting, I can’t get enough apple cider drinks in the fall.

I wanted to toss together apple cider and champagne, and my husband suggested adding rum to the mix. That’s how we ended up with this lovely fall spritzer.

Ingredients:

1 shot of rum {for each drink}, champagne, apple cider

Directions:

In a glass, combine one shot of rum with equal parts champagne and apple cider. Give it a little stir to combine and enjoy!

I’m not a coffee person. I probably drink it five times a year, but when I do, I almost always crave iced coffee. And, sometimes I enjoy it with vegan vanilla bean ice cream! Here are my three favorite ways:

1. Vegan Iced Coffee

Make a strong cup of coffee and cool it in the freezer for twenty minutes. Fill a glass with ice, pour in some vegan cream and fill with coffee.

2. Vegan Iced Coffee with a Kick

Make a strong cup of coffee and cool it in the freezer for twenty minutes. Fill a glass with ice, pour in a shot of Kahlua, some vegan cream and then fill with coffee.

3. Sweet Vegan Iced Coffee

Make a strong cup of coffee and cool it in the freezer for twenty minutes. Fill a glass with vegan vanilla bean ice cream and then pour the coffee over it.

How do you like your iced coffee?

My husband and I are trying to squeeze the last bit of summer out of this year. And, what screams the end of summer like sipping lemonade on the porch?

Ingredients:

2 parts lemonade flavored vodka

1 part gin

2 parts sours mix

lemon slice for garnish

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice. Add in vodka, gin and sours. Stir to combine. Garnish with lemon.

If you like a sweeter drink, try this one. The rum soaked cherries at the bottom are the best treat at the end.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Bacardi Rum

ginger ale

maraschino cherries

lemon, sugar, and cinnamon for garnish

Directions:

Rim a large glass with a cinnamon sugar mixture (we used ½ cup sugar to 1 tablespoon cinnamon) by slicing a lemon and rubbing it around the rim to coat with juice. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on a small plate, and place the prepared glass upside down on the plate. When you remove it, the rim should be completely covered. Fill the glass with ice, add the rum and top with ginger ale. Drop in a couple cherries.

This is our delicious version of a cable car. If you like margaritas, you’ll love this drink.

Ingredients:

2 parts Bacardi rum

1 part Patron Citronge Orange Liquor

2 parts sours

lemon and sugar for garnish

Directions:

Rim a large glass with the sugar by slicing a orange and rubbing it around the rim to coat with juice. Spread the sugar evenly on a small plate, and place the prepared glass upside down on the plate. When you remove it, the rim should be completely covered with sugar. In a shaker, add ice, rum, orange liquor and sours.  Shake until chilled. Add ice to the glass, pour the drink to the top and garnish with an orange slice.

I love fruit in my drinks in the summer. It’s a nice treat at the end. This one doesn’t disappoint–I think it’s now one of my favorites.

Ingredients:

1 part gin, 3 parts IZZE fortified sparkling apple, green apple julienned

Directions:

In a large glass, filled with ice, mix together the gin and IZZE. Add green apple slices.

Want to swap out a drink for dessert in the summertime? Try this one.

Ingredients:

1 part blood orange vodka, 1 part cranberry juice, blood orange sorbet

Directions:

In a shaker, combine the vodka and juice over ice and shake to chill. Place a couple scoops of the blood orange sorbet in a glass and then pour in the drink.