How about some easy entertaining to kick off the holiday season? Simple, no stress entertaining that doesn’t break the bank, with make ahead party fare that jump starts your Christmas baking. Sound good? Great! Invite your peeps for coffee and let’s get into the kitchen!
First the Coffee
You can’t go wrong with a fancy coffee, and biscotti are easier to make than you think!
Get fancy and serve a signature coffee. It’s a fun change from everyone’s day to day cup. Plus, there’s sooooo much you can do with coffee! Flavored creamers, caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, spices, spirits. If you crave it, you can make it. Here’s some ideas…
Start off by brewing your favorite coffee. Perc-ed. Dripped or however you like it. Regular and (purists will cringe) decaf. Serve in big mugs or tall, heat safe glass cups. Get creative with your choice of ad ins to taste. No exact recipe needed. Let your guests stir in the optionals as desired.
- Café Cinnamon – Black coffee with a cinnamon stick. Cream and sugar optional.
- Peppermint Stick – Black coffee and a peppermint stick or candy cane. Sugar optional.
- Honey Bee – Black coffee, honey and a sliver of orange peel. Milk or cream optional.
- Pumpkin Spice – Black coffee, pumpkin pie spice. Milk and sugar optional.
- Maple – Black coffee and maple syrup. Cream optional.
- Café Mocha – Equal parts black coffee and hot ½ & ½, two or three Tablespoons of chocolate syrup. Sugar optional.
- Café Caramel – Equal parts black coffee and hot ½ & ½, a Tablespoon or two of caramel ice cream topping. Sugar and whipped cream on top optional.
Spiked
- Spirited Coffee – Black coffee, a jigger of spirits – Cointreau, Southern Comfort, Irish Whiskey. Sugar and whipped cream on top optional.
- Café Brandy Alexander – Black coffee, brandy, a slash of heavy cream, sugar.
- Hot Buttered Rum Café – Black coffee, rum, a little sugar and a pat of butter.
- Cafe Italiano – Black coffee and anisette. Sugar optional.
- Toasted Almond Café – Equal parts black coffee and hot ½ & ½, Amaretto.
- Bee Sting – Black coffee, honey and Southern Comfort or bourbon. Cream optional.
- Santa’s Candy Cane Coffee – Black coffee, peppermint schnapps, whipped cream on top and a candy cane.
Now the Food
Inviting guests for coffee is easy because you only need a few simple sweets for nibbling. Compare that to inviting guests for tea with it’s made-at-the-last minute array of sandwiches, scones, and tarts.
These three cookies are make-ahead magic. Why not get a head start on your holiday baking by making an extra batch or two? They freeze great!
No Bake Honey Rum Balls: Make things super simple with these spirited, no bake treats. Sinfully delicious. The longer they age, the better they taste. They’re naughty but oh so nice.
Oatmeal Lace Cookies: Crackly shards of toffee tasting sweetness. The kind of cookie that comes from an expensive bakery.
Almond and Orange Biscotti: Impress your guests with these coffee shop favorites. Easier to make than they look.
Ready to get into the kitchen? Download the printable recipes!