With the fall weather finally settling in for good, those easy summer strolls to local restaurants for brunch on the weekends just got a lot tougher to brave.
If you find yourself lingering longer on the decision to head out and face the wind, there are ways around the dilemma and the most obvious place to find them is your own kitchen.
Here are five great brunch cocktails to help get you started on your own weekend cooking adventures.
Maybe you're leaning a little more to the side of breakfast, in which case a coffee-based cocktail makes the most sense. This recipe, created by Bryan Dayton, mixes dark Sumatran coffee with aged rum, Strega and raw sugar with the sweetness of molasses. Add whipped cream at your discretion.
Any day that involves a variant of OJ tends to be a good day. The sunrise mimosa offers a simple fix for your brunch needs that can't go wrong, no matter what happens with your cooking. Take a little champagne, some raspberries and orange simple syrup and you've got a classic cocktail with a fresh spin.
Hellfire Club Bloody Mary (Contributed Art/Food & Wine)
Sometimes nothing will do on a Sunday except a Bloody Mary, and depending on the occasion, only the strongest recipe will do. The Hellfire Club Bloody Mary calls for black pepper, Tobasco and chile to give you the added kick you'll need to really savor it.
The Gold Cooler splashes vodka into your apple cider (Contributed Art/Cosmopolitan).
If you're looking for a great seasonal cocktail, look no further than this twist on the classic apple cider. Add Akvinta vodka and you'll get your favorite nostalgic drink with an equally pleasant buzz.