7 Winter Specialty Coffee Drinks for Coffee Shops

When the temperature drops, coffee drinkers seek warmth—not just from the cup, but from deeper flavors, richer textures, and the comfort of spices or cream. If you’ve walked past a café in winter and wondered what those fragrant, dessert-like drinks on the menu actually are, this guide lays out seven classic winter coffee drinks served in cafés, with precise ingredients and methods.

If you want one definitive list of cozy, spiced, or boozy winter coffee drinks that cafés actually serve, here it is: seven drinks including Cafe Tete with butter and spices, Cafe de Olla made in a clay pot, and Café Slav with ice cream—all with exact measurements and preparation steps.

Cafe Tete

A rich, spiced coffee with butter, sugar, and liquor. Served with whipped cream and citrus zest.

• 150ml dark roast coffee
• 20g butter
• Pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
• 10g dark brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 10ml brandy
• Zest of orange and lemon
• 20ml whipped cream

In a cup, combine butter, spices, sugar, brandy, and salt. Pour in coffee, then float whipped cream on top. Garnish with orange and lemon zest.

Cafe de Ollita

A rustic clay-pot coffee boiled with sugar and cinnamon bark. Best served immediately after resting.

• 10g dark roast coffee
• 200ml hot water
• 10g dark brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon pieces

Combine all ingredients in a white-glazed earthenware pot. Heat until just boiling, remove from heat immediately, let stand for 2 minutes, then filter into a cup.

Cafe de Olla (Large)

A traditional-style spiced coffee served in a clay mug with a whole cinnamon stick.

• 180ml medium-dark roast coffee
• 1 cinnamon stick

Pour coffee into a clay cup and insert a cinnamon stick. Serve as is.

Café Tia Maria

A creamy coffee cocktail with coffee liqueur, mint schnapps, and whipped cream.

• 150ml medium-dark roast coffee
• 15ml Tia Maria (coffee liqueur)
• 5ml white mint schnapps
• 20ml whipped cream

Add coffee, liqueur, and mint schnapps to a cup, then float whipped cream on top.

Café Slav

A decadent coffee with chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate shavings.

• 150ml dark roast coffee
• 30ml chocolate syrup
• 1 scoop (16g spoon) vanilla ice cream
• 15ml whipped cream
• Chocolate shavings

In a glass, pour chocolate syrup, add coffee, then float whipped cream. Gently place vanilla ice cream on top and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Café Zihno

A simple strong coffee with sugar, emphasizing bold roasted flavor.

• 60ml dark roast espresso
• 20g sugar

Place sugar in the cup, then pour in coffee.

Kaffee Superbe

A spiced and boozy layered coffee with brandy, coffee liqueur, and cinnamon.

• 80ml medium-dark roast coffee
• 10ml brandy
• 10ml coffee liqueur
• 20ml whipped cream
• Pinch of cinnamon

Pour brandy, coffee liqueur, and coffee into the cup. Add whipped cream on top, then finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cafe Tete and how is it different from regular coffee?

Cafe Tete is a spiced butter coffee made with dark roast coffee, butter, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, black sugar, salt, brandy, and topped with whipped cream and citrus zest. It’s much richer and more aromatic than standard coffee, designed as a warming winter drink.

How do you make traditional Cafe de Olla?

Traditional Cafe de Olla is made by boiling dark roast coffee with water, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon pieces in a clay pot. It’s removed from heat as soon as it boils, rested for 2 minutes, then filtered and served.

What’s the role of ice cream in Café Slav?

In Café Slav, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is floated on top of coffee mixed with chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream. It adds a cold, creamy contrast to the hot spiced coffee, making it a dessert-like winter drink.

Can I use any coffee roast for these drinks?

Most of these drinks specify dark or medium-dark roast coffee to complement the spices, sugar, or alcohol. Lighter roasts may not provide enough body or roast flavor to balance the other ingredients effectively.

Is alcohol necessary for these winter coffee drinks?

No, alcohol is optional in most of these drinks. While some, like Café Tia Maria and Kaffee Superbe, include coffee liqueur or brandy, the non-alcoholic versions can be made by simply omitting the spirits.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Winter Coffee Drinks

For these rich winter drinks, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright yet deep fruit notes to contrast the spice in Cafe Tete, or their Classic Blend for a balanced, medium-dark roast that works well in Cafe de Olla and Café Slav. For boldness, their PWN Golden Mandheling offers heavy body and chocolate tones ideal for Café Zihno or Kaffee Superbe. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.