How to Set Up a Holiday Coffee Bar
How To Set Up A Holiday Coffee Bar
It's no secret.
I'm a big coffee drinker who’s got a big ol' crush on all things coffee. Coffee shops, coffee drinks, coffee smells. I'll take it all! Fancy flavored coffee drinks out is one of our favorite treats and visiting coffee shops is one of our favorite ways to see a new city. There's just something so inviting and comforting about the culture, scents and tastes surrounding coffee.
Unfortunately, there can also be a big cost involved in coffee culture. Getting a latte out is an expense that can quickly add up. We've always done our best to replicate fancy drinks at home, keeping various toppings on hand and even having a hand frother, but still it wasn't quite the same. Until recently, when everything changed. Ok, that sounds far more dramatic than it probably needed to, but we're talking about coffee here, people. All the drama is allowed!
So recently, the new Ninja Coffee Bar® System came into our lives and up and changed the entire coffee game. YOU GUYS. This thing is amazing (and I'm not just saying that because this is a sponsored post). I'm 1000% obsessed/can't-get-enough/madly-deeply-in-love with this dream machine. It's like my own personal barista and coffee shop all rolled up into one little machine that fits perfectly into a corner of my kitchen counter and does whatever it is I need it to do. Want a travel mug of coffee? That mug will fit right underneath. How about a single cup of coffee? No pods necessary to get it. Need a half pot of coffee? You got it. Need a whole pot to serve a crowd (and keep it warm, too)? No problem. Prefer your coffee brewed over ice? There's a setting for that, too. And one for coffee concentrate (think espresso) for your speciality drinks. So for those of you not keeping track that's six brew sizes and five brew types. You can set a timer to have your coffee start brewing at a certain time, there's a no-drip feature you can pop on to prevent those awful straggling drops of coffee from burning to the bottom of your coffee maker, and there's even a scoop (with perfect measurements for every type of coffee you'd want to make) that is stored neatly on the side. But, my absolute hands-down favorite part is the milk frother. I love this thing so much that I legit started just frothing milk, like not for coffee, just for frothed milk, because that's totally normal, right?! But I mean, you guys. This thing is so cool! It froths the milk, hot or cold in less than a minute. It's super quiet and easy to use. It simply swings out from the side of the machine and then, when you're done, the frother easily twists off for cleaning. Because the machine doesn't need to be on for it to be used, you can even froth milk for tea (Love it for my chai tea lattes!) or hot chocolate (which takes it to a whole other decadent level), or, if you're just obsessed with finally being able to make thick, creamy, dreamy, whipped cream-like frothed milk right at home, then you can simply make your milk frothed. I mean, who knew something so simple could bring so much joy?!
While the machine is great all on its own, we decided to jazz up the coffee area a bit for the holidays and create a Christmas coffee bar. It's perfect for hosting friends and family because everyone can gather around the holiday coffee bar and create a holiday coffee drink of their choice. Plus, it really is quite simple to set up a coffee bar for the holiday season. Just use the holiday decor items you already have on hand, add in some fun and festive Christmas coffee mugs and seasonal coffee toppings and you're good to go.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR HOLIDAY COFFEE BAR
A wooden tray
A plaid scarf used as a tablecloth
Wooden coasters
Pine tree candles (you could also use other pine trees)
An ornament
Pinecones
Pine sprigs
Mini lights
Plaid (or other festive) coffee mugs
Gold spoons
Candy canes
Crushed peppermint bark (To keep this fresh for longer, store it on the tray in a mini wreck jar)
You could also keep out things like coffee syrups, caramel or chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, crushed candy pieces, mini marshmallows, hot cocoa mix, chocolate chips or little bottles of things like Bailey's or Kahlua, for an extra-special spiked treat for the adults. For stirrers, you could also have rock candy sticks or chocolate covered spoons. The options really are endless. And speaking of endless options, if coffee isn’t quite your thing, you could even apply these same tips and ideas to set up a hot cocoa bar instead.
Once your holiday coffee station is set-up, it’s time to start crafting and concocting different specialty drinks to indulge in. One of my personal favorites to make (and a total holiday crowd pleaser) is a peppermint mocha. Here’s how I make mine:
HOW TO MAKE A PEPPERMINT MOCHA
Add 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips to the bottom of a mug. Use your choice of coffee to brew a specialty concentrate into the mug. Add a drop of peppermint flavor (or, for a spiked version, use a good splash of peppermint schnapps) and stir until the chocolate has melted.
Meanwhile, in a separate container, heat up 1/4 cup milk of your choice in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Froth for 30-45 seconds, or until you reach the desired thickness. Gently pour the milk into the coffee. Top with crushed peppermint bark and garnish with a candy cane.