We hope everyone had a lovely holiday, surrounded by family, love and great food. Not being completely willing to lay the holiday vibe to rest—New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, after all—we wanted to add a little “spirit” to the mix so that we can all continue to enjoy the season a bit longer. It seemed like the perfect occasion to share this year’s holiday cocktail with you all. It traces its origins to Christina Tosi’s Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook, the same recipe collection where Kyle found the Pumpkin Ganache that inspired last year’s Pumpkin Pie Muddy Buddies. This year, his interest was piqued (a.k.a. monopolized) by a section of the book devoted to Cereal Milk. This lush, slightly thick concoction is precisely what it sounds like—the milk left after you’ve enjoy a bowl of your favorite cereal. Tosi tapped into the childhood nostalgia factor of this flavor-rich liquid and it helped turn Milk Bar into an award-winning bakery and a bright spot on the New York Culinary map. She refined the technique for making the milk—typically utilizing corn flakes—by toasting the cereal slightly, thus amplifying the flavors and infusing the milk a little more deeply. She uses this infused milk in place of plain dairy in her baking recipes, and once you try it, you’ll never be content with plain old milk again. “Borrowing” this concept, Kyle wondered if it would translate to a holiday version of a traditional southern milk punch.
A quick internet search turned up a recipe for a cereal milk punch from the good folks over at Serious Eats, proving that among foodies, all truly great ideas exist in a “hive mind” of sorts. After digging a little further, we discovered that their recipe was based on a cocktail at PDT, an East Village speakeasy. Once we saw the word speakeasy—PDT stands for “Please Don’t Tell”—we were sold.
Our version is a little less fussy in the ingredients department, but no less flavorful. The Serious Eats version called for two types of whiskey and a honey liqueur, which was a little too ambitious for the dregs of our post-holiday liquor cabinet.
Opting for Cinnamon Rice Chex, because it’s gluten free and when you toast it, it tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch (which lamentably is not gluten free), it infused the milk with those lovely, toasty, sweet notes that paired beautifully with a single, classic bourbon. This is also a fantastic egg nog alternative for the eggless set. The first batch of this punch used a 1:1 ratio of cereal milk to bourbon, and while the drink was still a “knock out,” it was more of a full-on assault than a mere “punch.”
The second batch utilized a more liver-friendly 2:1 ratio. It was MUCH better, and we were actually able to recall the rest of that day. The second batch was also enhanced by a splash of Licor 43, and while we’re not saying that you necessarily have to run out and buy a bottle of this Spanish wonder liqueur, we are definitely saying that you should. It will not go to waste.
When you take into account that this honey gold liqueur contains 43 ingredients (hence the name) that include vanilla, spice and citrus and turns your after-dinner (or morning—don’t judge) coffee into a mildly religious experience, you’ll be down to an empty bottle before you know it. The vanilla and spice added just the right touch to this cocktail, rounding out the cinnamon, nutmeg and bourbon notes beautifully.
This drink is so good, in fact, that it warranted the coining of a new toast: Sip, Sip, Hooray! While we enjoyed it over ice, this also makes an aMAZing frozen drink, with a little vanilla ice cream in the blender. If there happens to be any cereal milk left over (don’t count on it), it’ll keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about a week. If you’ve overindulged and need a break from imbibing, fret not. This also makes a great coffee creamer all by its lonesome.
Cereal Milk inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar.
Cereal Milk Punch recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
- For the Cereal Milk:
- 3 cups gluten free cereal (we used Cinnamon Chex)
- 4 cups cold milk
- ¼ cup (60 grams) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- For one serving of the cereal milk punch:
- 2 ounces cereal milk
- 1 ounce bourbon
- ½ ounce Licor 43 (optional)
- Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg
- For the Cereal Milk: Heat the oven to 300°F.
- Spread the cereal on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly toasted. Cool completely.
- Transfer the cooled cereal to a large bowl. Pour the milk into the bowl and stir vigorously. Let steep for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, collecting the milk in a medium bowl. The milk will drain off quickly at first, then become thicker and starchy toward the end of the straining process. Using the back of a ladle (or your hand), wring the milk out of the cereal.
- Whisk the brown sugar and salt into the milk until fully dissolved. Store in a clean pitcher or glass milk jug, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.
- For the Cereal Milk Punch: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add cereal milk, bourbon and Licor 43 (if using). Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
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