Pumpkin Latte, Smumpkin Latte...give me the salted caramel mochas at Starbucks any day. I know they are horrible for me...but they only come around once a year and I can't resist a salty and sweet combo...so sue me.  I get 'em every chance I can during the months of November and December and half of the time I don't even ask for skim milk (gasp).  I was talking with a friend who is equally as obsessed as I am and we mentioned how some bourbon would the perfect addition for a holiday after dinner drink!  Challenge accepted...and I present to you, at home bourbon salted caramel mochas!

You know how after a big holiday meal, you really want dessert but there really isn't that much room left in your belly and then you end up eating that piece of pie anyway and your stomach hates you for the next two hours and your pants feel like they might decide to pop open at any second?  Yeah..I know that feeling, it happens a little too often during the holidays.  

The solution is...no not giving up dessert because that's a ridiculous idea, but the solution is to drink your dessert and if there is a little alcohol in there then so be it...live a little.

Ingredients:

Mocha-

• 2 Cups of Milk

• 2 Cups of Brewed Coffee

• 6 Tbsp. Drinking Cocoa Powder (not the baking unsweetened kind)

• 2-4 Oz. Bourbon

Caramel Sauce-

• 1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar

• 3 Tbsp. Salted Butter

• 1/4 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

Salted Whipped Cream-

• 1/2 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

• 1/4 Cup of Granulated Sugar

• 1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt

Directions:

• In a small saucepan, put sugar for the caramel sauce in the pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is melted and has turned light brown. If the sugar starts to clump, reduce heat slightly. Melt butter into the sugar and then whisk the heavy cream into mixture until well combine and remove from heat. Cool and store leftover sauce in the fridge.

• In another saucepan, heat milk and coffee together over medium heat until liquid is very hot but not boiling. Whisk in cocoa powder until smooth and well combined.

• While the mocha mixture is getting hot, beat your whipping cream, sugar, and salt in a bowl until it forms a stiff peak and is the consistency that you like your whipped cream to be.

• Right before serving, mix your bourbon into the mocha mixture and stir well.

• Pour mocha liquid into a mug, top with whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce over top. Add another small sprinkle of sea salt and serve immediately.

*You can buy caramel sauce and whip cream if you don't want to make your own, but I highly recommend making your own!

I don't know why I haven't made this drink before because it's super easy and you can make it in advance if you so choose to and then just heat it up right before serving!  I'm a first timer at making my own caramel sauce and I gotta tell you it wasn't half bad...and it was utterly delicious.  

If you make this drink for your holiday party or family get together, I guarantee you will trump Aunt Susie's famous pie...although she might be the only one not very happy about that!

Cheers to drinking dessert this year!