Coffee-Infused Cocktails To Make At Home

We’re bringing you two easy-to-make drinks inspired by CLIF BAR® Coffee Collection, thanks to mixologist Pam Wiznitzer. Below you’ll find the recipes, some tips for making coffee cocktails at home, plus an excerpt from the Infatuation Academy cocktail class with Pam that was held in September 2020.

Latte, You Stay

Inspired by CLIF BAR® Coffee Collection Vanilla Almond Latte

You’ll Need:

• 2 oz vanilla-infused vodka or vanilla vodka

• 1 oz cold brew or espresso

• .75 oz homemade orgeat or almond syrup

• 1 oz milk or cream

• 1.5 oz chilled soda water

Combine the vodka, cold brew, orgeat, and cream in a shaker. Shake and strain into a highball glass, and top with chilled soda water. Garnish with grated coffee grinds.

Start Your Engines

Inspired by CLIF BAR® Coffee Collection Mini Espresso

You’ll Need:

• 1.5 oz coffee

• 1 oz coconut Water

• .5 oz fresh squeezed orange juice (two wedges worth)

• .5 oz simple syrup

Combine ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain over ice into a lowball glass. Top with toasted coconut if you’d like.

Pam's Tips for Better Coffee Cocktails

The Infatuation: What tips and tricks do you have for making coffee cocktails at home?

Pam Witznitzer: Think about temperature and seasonality. Coffee can be served hot and cold, and your drink can reflect the weather outside to mix up the perfect beverage. Blend it up with ice in the summer for a refreshing cooler, or serve it piping hot in the winter to warm you up on those cold nights. Also, the flavor of coffee is very pronounced in a cocktail. You don’t need a lot of it to have it stand out in a drink. Try to limit the amount of coffee to under 2 - 3 ounces (unless it’s an Irish coffee, you should use closer to 3 - 4 ounces).

TI: How do CLIF BARs power you through your day and your toughest workouts?

PW: CLIF BARs are the perfect bites right before, during, or directly after a workout. With the right combination of nutrients and the burst of caffeine, it’s the best snack to have on hand for sustained energy. Plus, they are incredibly tasty which is really satisfying after an intense workout session.

TI: How do coffee cocktails or mocktails power you through your evening?

PW: If you’re looking for a hint of caffeine to sustain or energize your evening, coffee drinks are a great way to kick up your night in an easy and delicious way. As opposed to your mornings where you might drink a whole cup of coffee, coffee cocktails/mocktails use far less of the ingredient so the amount of caffeine is more manageable. Plus, the effects of that amount of coffee will wear off just in time for bed!

TI: How did you come up with the recipes? How were they inspired by CLIF BAR® Coffee Collection flavors?

PW: The recipes were developed in relation to the flavors of the CLIF BARs. After trying the range of CLIF BAR offerings and tasting how varied they were, it was hard to choose two of them to make into cocktails and mocktails. I wanted the beverages to be easy to mix, just like the bars are easy to rip open and eat after a workout. Additionally, the drinks were crafted with ingredients that mix well with coffee as the main standout in the beverage. Coffee should be the focal point, not hiding in the background of the drink.