Caffeine-Free Fall Drinks
Wanting to snuggle up with a mug of something hot and delicious but trying to avoid caffeine? Here are four caffeine-free fall drinks to enjoy this year.
Why Caffeine Free?
For the past year I have been nursing a baby every day, six times a day minimum. As any moms reading this will know, when you are breastfeeding they advise avoiding caffeine as best you can.
Prior to breastfeeding, I was of course pregnant. Caffeine is again a no-no. We are hoping to have a few children, spaced out around two years. This means that I am pretty much going to be pregnant or breastfeeding for the next six years. Guh. That sounds so daunting when written down.
To survive this stretch, I have been stocking my arsenal with drinks that can meet that craving for something hot and delicious to enjoy, especially during fall. I don’t know what it is about Fall weather that makes everyone want to have a cozy sweater that comes up past your thumbs and a perfect mug full of a steamy beverage.
The point is we all seem to want it. There is no reason mamas who are nursing or pregnant shouldn’t get to enjoy this seasonal comfort. Or heck, anyone who is looking to have a festive drink with no caffeine.
Other Reasons to Limit Caffeine
Caffeine can interfere with your sleep. It might not mix well with medications you are taking. Caffeine can cost a lot if you are buying coffee every day. It also might make you jittery.
Mayo Clinic has a great article on caffeine and some of its side effects, as well as easy steps to limit your intake.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-caffeine. I just know a lot of folks might need to cut back for one reason or another and it can be tough to find satisfying alternatives.
Tips for Making Caffeine-Free Hot Drinks
When it comes to making a highly satisfying caffeine-free beverage, you’ll want to have very good ingredients and a few tools handy.
Ingredients
- Milk. We are a raw/whole milk family around here. But use whatever you and yours like to drink. Oat milk I think would be darn good in a few of these.
- Raw Local Honey. Honey makes an excellent sweetener and I swear that local, raw honey tastes the best. Or even better still if you can get creamed honey. Yum!
- Maple Syrup. Another great sweetener choice, especially for the fall.
- Vanilla Extract. Don’t get the imitation if you can afford it, buy the good stuff!
Equipment
There are only a few items you need to make great drinks at home. If you want to buy your own latte machine go for it, but you can achieve similar results much cheaper.
- Stock Pot. To heat the milk.
- Whisk. To mix up all that tasty goodness!
- Frother. A milk frother will run you anywhere from $5-$30. We have a cheaper one that works great. They really take your drink up a notch to give it that frothy, made in a coffee shop vibe.
- Blender. This one is optional but can help to incorporate spices better.
- Re-Usable Tea Bags. Also optional, but a good way to impart great flavors in your milk while avoiding a bunch of herbs and spices floating around.
- French Press. Also optional, this serves the same purpose as re-usable tea bags.
Caffeine-Free Fall Drinks
Here are my top four favorite drinks to make during the fall. Light a candle, grab a good book, pull on an oversized sweater, and enjoy.
All these recipes are made with 2 cups of milk, which will make a cup for you and a cup for a friend. Happiness is best when shared.
Spiced Hot Chocolate
Who doesn’t love hot chocolate? This recipe is extra rich and creamy with a little kick to spruce it up. This version isn’t overly sweet, so feel free to taste and adjust as you like.
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk
- 1/2 Cup Cream or half and half
- 1/8th Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tsp Vanilla
- 2 Tsp Sugar
- 2 Tsp Cocoa
Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan, heat, then whisk thoroughly. Cocoa typically doesn’t dissolve fully until the milk is warmed so don’t let that stress you.
Miel
This actually means “honey” in latin. A traditional miel is espresso, milk, honey, and cinnamon. Here’s a quick and delicious variation. It would also be a great treat for kids before bed.
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1 Tsp Vanilla
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Add all the ingredients to a pot, heat on medium low, and whisk it well! When it is warmed through, use a frother to give it that extra smooth finish.
Chai Latte
Before I kicked caffeine, Chai was one of my absolute favorite coffee drinks. Thankfully you can get pretty similar flavors without the black tea. This recipe is pretty heavy on the spices, so I advise making it in a french press so you can easily strain out all the spices. You can definitely leave the spice in, just let your drink set for a few minutes before you drink it. That will help the spice dregs to settle on the bottom. Otherwise you can end up with a chewy drink.
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 1 tsp Allspice
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 2 Tsp Cloves
- 3 Tsp Ginger
Blend all the spices together first. Then whisk into milk. Keep whisking as it warms, pour into glasses. Let it settle before serving.
OR blend spices and put in a french press. Add 2 cups of warm milk and let it sit for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Press, sweeten with honey to taste, then serve.
Cheater Chai
I call this cheater chai because it gives you almost the same results as a chai but with very little effort.
- 1-2 Bags Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice
- Milk
- Honey
- Vanilla (optional)
Brew the tea in water or directly into warm milk if you want a richer tea. Add honey, then milk if you brewed it in water, to your liking.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
What fall drink recipe list would be complete with out pumpkin spice??
Don’t let the pumpkin puree throw you off on this one. It blends in smoothly and really rounds out the flavors.
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1/2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
- 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
Whisk together in a pot until warm. Check out the variations below for Maple Whipped Cream.
Variations on Caffeine Free Fall Drinks
For an extra special treat, whip up 1/2 cup of cream. Add 2 tsp maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Actually, double that recipe and eat half with a spoon, then put the rest on your drinks.
If it’s a particularly warm fall day but you still want that fall drink vibe, any of these recipes can be made blended!
Make the recipe as instructed, then pour it in ice cube trays and freeze for three hours or so. Dump the cubes in a blender and you are set to go! Better yet if you throw a dollop of that whipped cream on top.
Feel free to fiddle with the recipes. Less sweet, more sweet. Substitute a different type of sweetener, or try adding an extra spice!
Looking for another great recipe to try this fall? Why not make Aronia berry syrup! Or check out some other cozy recipes for fall.
Pin it for Later
