How to make a Død-Tante cocktail

We are setting sail for 2025, and no matter how it turns out, I know how it will start – cold. Hot drinks are just the thing to make the celebrations cozy and lively. So let’s ring in the New Year with some boozy hot chocolate. That’s not a typo. But don’t worry, this isn’t a particularly complicated cocktail recipe. It’s Død Tante – hot chocolate with a twist – and the best cocktail for a cozy New Year’s celebration.

At the beginning of December I took what was probably the most Christmassy trip to Copenhagen. Denmark, as you may already know, consistently surpasses most people in the world when it comes to happiness. They are also known for their festive Christmas markets. Since I’m a fan of both happiness and shiny things, I wanted to see what it was all about.

While I can’t speak to the larger factors that determine their country’s happiness – such as income, life expectancy and community support – I did check out their Christmas markets. It would be difficult for you not meet at least one a day. Each neighborhood had its own mini market, if not a large one, and I have to say, it was pretty damn festive. Lights and evergreen garlands lined the tiny pop-up stalls selling Brownies (crispy ginger biscuits), mulled wine (Here is the recipe I use) and a drink I had never seen before: død tante.

Død Tante, meaning “dead aunt” (the internet was not helpful in explaining the origin of the name), is commonly prepared during these cold months in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. In other regions you probably hear it after Lumumba Patricia Lumumbathe first prime minister of the independent Democratic Republic of Congo to be assassinated.

Traditionally it’s made with rum, but to keep the liquor’s variations open, lately I’ve been referring to it simply as spiked hot chocolate.

Photo credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

A relaxed winter cocktail is best

This sweet drink combines the festive coziness of winter with the laziness of hibernation. Honestly, you can’t beat it. As mentioned, simply swirl a shot of rum into your favorite hot chocolate mix, whether homemade or powdered. At Christmas markets in Copenhagen, this drink is often garnished with whipped cream. While this extra step reduces the laziness factor, whipped cream is never a bad idea. So why give up on yourself?

As with all cocktails, variations abound. If you don’t like rum, use whiskey, brandy, bourbon or scotch. Personally, I recommend Goslings Bermuda Black Rum. The particularly heady vanilla aroma of this rum goes perfectly with hot chocolate and whipped cream. In fact, it’s so complementary that it’s hard to see. I don’t say this often, but please measure the ounces so it doesn’t end up on your face at the New Year’s Eve party.

Again, you can add any hot chocolate you like. I added rum to mine Simple recipe for drinking chocolatecreamy, intensely chocolaty and prepared on the stove in just a few minutes.

Dead Aunt Spiked Drinking Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold liquid (water, milk, or a combination), divided

• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

• ⅓ cup (2 ounces) good quality chocolate chips (e.g Guittard’s 46% chips)

• pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional if your chocolate is very bitter)

• 1-2 ounces Goslings Bermuda Black Rum

1. Divide the cold liquid. Place three-quarters of a cup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and place one-quarter in a small bowl with the cornstarch. While the pot is heating, stir the cornstarch and liquid to completely dissolve.

2. Once the milk begins to bubble strongly around the edges, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, about 10 to 20 seconds. Turn off the heat and add salt and chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to soften. Whisk until smooth. Try the drinking chocolate. Add sugar if desired and stir in the rum. Enjoy immediately.