Honey Cinnamon Chai Latte

Cheers to the new year! This was such a special beverage for an afternoon treat. The sweetness and spices are so good with thick foam.

Honey Cinnamon Chai Latte
Ingredients: (for 2 servings)

1 chai teabag
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon or cinnamon sugar

Directions:
Brew the tea.
While the tea is steeping, add a teaspoon of honey to the milk and froth the milk with a frother, or warm just enough to take the chill off and shake in a jar, or make whipped cream!
Stir some cinnamon or cinnamon sugar into the tea and top with the honey foam.
Enjoy!

Butternut Iced Coffee

This coffee and butternut syrup is a treat. The syrup is so flavorful and I topped it with tons of thick foam. There’s a richness and nuttiness.

The Three Bite Rule - Butternut Iced Coffee

Butternut Coffee Syrup
Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups ice
1-2 cups iced coffee (or espresso)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, mix sugar and water over medium heat until melted. Stir in butter extract and almond extract. Allow to cool – 1 hour to overnight.

The Three Bite Rule - Butternut Iced Coffee

Serve over iced coffee or iced espresso with 1-2 tablespoons of the syrup.

The Three Bite Rule - Butternut Iced Coffee

Top with cold foam. Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Butternut Iced Coffee

My milk frother was acting up but Mr. J came to the rescue. It reminded me that the wand one does not compare.

I normally drink coffee black but love a very special coffee moment. Make the syrup and reap the benefits for many cups to come. The syrup is good in the fridge for a month. Butter extract is a specialty ingredient but is an easy swap for many vanilla extract uses. I also used it in Snickerdoodle Chex Mix.

Pineapple Mojito

Cheers! I made these pineapple mojitos because we always have plenty of mint and love pineapple. There are a few touches to customize these.

Pineapple Mojito

Pineapple Mojito
Ingredients: (for 1-2 cocktails)

pineapple simple syrup (make ahead: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water)
1/2 cup pineapple
mint
1 cup pineapple juice/lemonade/tonic/soda water
1 shot white rum

Pineapple Mojito - The Three Bite Rule

Directions:
Prep and chill the simple syrup: boil the sugar and water to dissolve the sugar. Add in most of the pineapple and chill.
In a glass, muddle together the mint, pineapple from the simple syrup, and a few mint leaves.

Pineapple Mojito - The Three Bite Rule

In a cocktail shaker, shake together ice, a few mint leaves, the remaining pineapple chunks, and juice (if using tonic/soda water, add after). Pour into the glass.

Pineapple Mojito - The Three Bite Rule

Enjoy! Cheers! Top off with more ice, or a splash of juice, or a splash of water to taste.

These are sweet but refreshing from the mint. I’m excited to use the leftover pineapple simple syrup as my sweetener for ice green tea.

Pineapple Mojito - The Three Bite Rule

Creamsicle Smoothie

{originally published in 2013 and updated in 2023}

This smoothie came about as an alternative use for a bag of mandarin oranges I’ve been eating forever. 2 of the 4 of us eat them so they can seem never ending. I figured they’d be a good smoothie addition!

I loved the really orange AND cream flavors. I think frozen mango or frozen peaches add frostiness since the oranges weren’t frozen and tone down the acidity. 

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Creamsicle Smoothie
Ingredients:
(serves 2)
3 clementines or orange, pealed
1 cup frozen mango or frozen peaches
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup juice

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Directions:
Add everything to the blender and blend until totally smooth.
Drop in some ice cubes and blend again to make it thicker and more frosty.

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

I hate peeling oranges so this was perfect! It makes me want to get my hands on some blood oranges! Maybe they’ll be next!

Creamsicle Smoothie Redo - The Three Bite Rule

Cherry Lime Refresher

Bottoms up – cherry season is short so let’s have them every way possible – drinks included! I didn’t spike this one but go for it! This was a perfect mid-afternoon drink to sip while getting some stuff done. I can see this being ideal by the pool or for happy hour.

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

This one features some lime juice & simple syrup (or limeade), dark cherries, and topped with a few bubbles.

Cherry Lime Refresher
Ingredients: (for 2 drinks)

~3/4 cup cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons simple syrup
1 1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup bubbles (tonic, soda water, sparkling water, sprite, or soda)

Directions:
Chop the cherries and add to a glass with the lime juice & simple syrup and stir.

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

Add in the ice and top with bubbles. Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Cherry Lime Refresher

I loved this. The cherries are great and so sweet so the lime fits perfectly.

The cherry pitting trick is to push the pit through with a metal straw or a wooden skewer or a chopstick since I never want to track down a 1-task tool. I find dark cherries in the freezer section too.