Give Your Next Old Fashioned A Cozy Upgrade With Vanilla And Chai

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It's officially fall, which means it's time to retire the spritzes and mojitos and say hello to whiskey sours and hot toddies. Cozy, warming cocktails are one of the best things about this season, so if you haven't started thinking about how you're going to give your favorites a fall twist, now's the time. And if you like old fashioneds, you're in luck, because we just found the best way to give this classic cocktail an upgrade — and all you need is sugar, two bags of masala chai, and vanilla extract.

Vanilla and chai go together like two peas in a pod. Vanilla's natural sweetness balances the chai's mild spices, creating a combination that tastes and smells heavenly. When paired with an old fashioned, which highlights bitter, sweet, and citrus-forward ingredients, you'll be met with a cocktail that's sure to warm you up on those chilly fall evenings.

It might sound like a fancy cocktail you'd find on a bar's seasonal menu, but it couldn't be simpler to make at home. In fact, all you really need to do is make a vanilla chai syrup, and then add it to a smooth old fashioned. To start, make a standard simple syrup. Then, instead of just adding sugar to water, you'll add about a teaspoon of vanilla extract and two bags of masala chai. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, then strain it into a syrup container, like this one from Shining Craft, and you're good to go.

An old fashioned is a relatively straightforward cocktail; waiting for the sugar to dissolve into syrup is the most time-intensive part of the process. That's why adding vanilla chai syrup is so easy. You'll just put an ounce of it with the rest of your ingredients and stir everything together. Keep any remaining syrup in your fridge and pull it out whenever you may need to whip up a batch of old fashioneds this fall. It might be simple to make, but it's sure to impress any guests.

@siphappensclub

Warm, cozy, and just the right amount of spice... that's this Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned 🤎 It's basically a hug you can sip ✨ Go on, thank me later 😏 — Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned You'll need: 2 oz bourbon 1 oz lemon juice 1 dash orange bitters 1 oz vanilla chai syrup* To a mixing glass add bourbon, lemon juice, orange bitters, and vanilla chai syrup. Stir with ice, and strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with a star anise and a cinnamon stick. Cheers! *Vanilla Chai Syrup: 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 chai tea bags, 1/2 cup water* — #cocktails #falldrinks #fallcocktails #bourbon #oldfashioned

♬ In the Mood – Glenn Miller

If you'd rather eliminate the additional sweetness, you can skip the vanilla and make a chai simple syrup instead. A spiced chai old fashioned would be just as comforting, and it would really bring out the spiced flavors present in the base cocktail.

You might also be inspired to try adding plain chai or vanilla chai simple syrup to other beverages this fall. While the flavors pair well with coffee and milk, there are plenty of ways to go beyond the basic latte. Try adding it to your white Russian or hot toddy, for instance. Vanilla chai flavor will give these classic cold-weather drinks a much-needed upgrade — so much so that you may never want to make them the regular way again.