Tonight I’m having a Christmas party and I’m looking forward to serving this delicious cold and creamy latte drink. And although I’m not a coffee drinker, this cool drink is like a milkshake meets a latte and more like a dessert in a mug than anything else. We call it “punch” because we serve it cold, in a punch bowl.

Coffee Latte Punch:

Makes 14 (1 cup) servings

1/3 cup instant coffee

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon 2% milk (8 cups)

1 cup half & half

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Add the instant coffee and sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside until cool.

Pour the coffee mixture into a large container and stir in the milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, pour the coffee mixture into a large punch or serving bowl. Stir in the half & half. Using a scoop, add the ice cream to the bowl and let sit until most of the ice cream has melted – approximately 25 minutes. Gently whisk everything together until incorporated and serve.

Tips: You can substitute 1 cup of hot, double-strength brewed coffee or espresso for the instant coffee and water if you like.

Sometimes I don’t fully mix in the ice cream, instead I leave it floating on the surface as a yummy sweet topping for each serving.

You can find this recipe, as well as Christmas inspiration, decorating ideas, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Images by John Granen.

IT'S ME, SERENA!

I bounced through the first years of my life in a hippie gypsy wagon, hand-built by my father, wandering the back roads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. My family eventually settled into a tiny cabin in the woods on property that was once inhabited by Native American Indians.

I spent my childhood days searching for arrowheads, teaching myself to sew on a treadle sewing machine and to bake in a wood-burning stove, with no running water, refrigeration, or electricity in our home. My family lived frugally and early on, inspired by my parent’s thriftiness and style, I gained a knack for thrifty creativity and turning ordinary objects into something useful. And I dreamed of the home I would create for my own family someday.

Now I’m married to my husband, Colin, and our children are all grown. After 24 years of producing The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair, I'm spending time visiting other markets around the world. You can watch episodes of Serena Goes to Market here.

I share more about my life story from time to time, here on my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, and Facebook.

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