Boozy. Creamy. Chocolate-y. Nutmeg-y. Holiday-y. Okay, I’m making up words now, but you get the point. This drink has everything you would want in a holiday cocktail, all rolled into one. BOURBON CACAO VEGAN MILK PUNCH.
I used to make a vegan Bailey’s for the holidays every year, but since I stopped drinking coffee, I needed to come up with something new. Winter drinks always call for bourbon (to keep warm, duh), although this drink is delicious without the liquor too! I wanted something creamy that would satisfy my cravings but not be overly sugar-y.
Enter this vegan milk punch. It’s got the perfect combination of organic unsweetened almondmilk, bourbon, cacao, maple syrup, and some seasonal spices. New Barn’s almondmilk is ideal in this recipe because traditional milk punch calls for whole milk or half and half. New Barn uses REAL organic almonds, and lots of ’em. That makes it naturally thick and creamy, just like homemade almondmilk. Keep in mind that New Barn doesn’t use any creepy emulsifiers or carageenan so it’s totally normal if you see your drink start to separate if you let it sit too long. I have a feeling you won’t be letting this delicious drink sit around though! (I serve mine with a cinnamon stick so I can give it a little stir every now and then. I’d much prefer to do that than to drink some artificial crap, right?)
Feel free to use New Barn’s vanilla or original flavors in this recipe if you prefer things on the slightly sweeter side! They sweeten those versions with organic maple syrup so the flavors blend perfectly in this drink. Check out my other recipes using New Barn here.
I also want to recommend that you use raw cacao powder in this recipe, not cocoa powder. Cocoa powder will definitely taste good if that’s all you have, but it is more processed so it has fewer benefits and nutrients than raw cacao. (Gotta get in those antioxidants when I’m drinking bourbon, ya know?)
This vegan milk punch pairs well with dessert, or dare I say it, brunch. But be warned, it’s definitely a strong drink! One of these will give you quite the buzz (you should have seen me after recipe testing day!).
Let me know if you try this recipe by taking a pic and tagging me on IG (@hashtagvegan) or by using the hashtag #hashtagvegan. I can’t wait to see your creations!
P.S. A big thank you to New Barn for sponsoring this post! Recipe and opinions are 100% my own and I only work with companies whose products I genuinely use and love.
For the animals,
Julianne
Ingredients
- 4 oz New Barn Unsweetened Almondmilk
- 4 oz bourbon
- 2 oz maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cacao powder
- 2 dashes cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg
- cinnamon stick, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until the metal becomes frosty. Strain and serve over ice. Add another dash of nutmeg on top if desired!
- If you don't have a cocktail shaker, put all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend on high for 20-30 seconds. Serve over ice. (I've had mixed results with this method; sometimes it doesn't froth up like it would when you shake it!)
Drop me a comment!