“Don’t forget the little things in life that make you happy. Don’t forget the little things in life that make you smile.”

I recently heard those sentiments in a song by Holly Kluge, and amidst my hurried, rushed, busy morning, as my mind was solely focused on all the things I needed to do, it stopped me in my tracks.

I was in my car when I heard the song, and upon its completion, I turned off the music and in the few moments that remained before I arrived back home to check off the day’s to-do list items, I simply savored those quiet moments.

As I looked out the window, the warmly hued autumn leaves brought a smile to my face as they’re certainly one of the little things in life that make me happy.

But, this scenery also flooded my mind with memories from my childhood, of little things that still make me happy even today.

This time of year I can’t help but recall many overwhelmingly pleasant memories of my grandparents. And, as I took a sip of my coffee, a subtly sweet, rich and chocolatey mocha on this particular morning, I thought of my grandpa.

Every year as the air turned crisp and the fireplace beckoned the carefully cured, hand chopped logs stacked by the side of my grandparents’ house, something special happened.

As the holiday season neared, our local small town grocery store always set up these huge (or at least they seemed huge to me as a child) bins of candy.

Most of the selections would be scooped out and weighed before being placed in white paper bags, and then there were a few special selections carefully positioned on the sides of the displays as well.

There were peppermints, hard candy raspberries, ribbon candy, peanut brittle, chocolate cremes, buckeyes, malted milk balls, fudge, chocolate oranges, and so much more.

And, my grandpa…well, he loved chocolate. But, he also loved sharing chocolate with his grandchildren.

I can’t say that I always loved each kind of candy he’d hand out, but what still brings a smile to my face today is the way he’d go about dispersing his candy bin haul.

“Hey sis, come ‘ere. You see what I brought home? Here, take a few of these, and don’t tell your mom.”

All us kids (me, my siblings, and cousins) would grin and chuckle when he’d hand us a peppermint, chocolate creme, or for a really special treat, a chocolate orange, because not only would he be grinning ear to ear as he placed the sweet confection into our hands, our grandma could also easily be seen behind him in her recliner, where she would inevitably shake her head in half-hearted disapproval at his attempts to sneak the sugary treats to us.

“Charles, you’ll spoil their dinner,” she’d say.

But, his smile would just grow bigger as we’d pop a piece or two of the rich, chocolatey goodness into our mouths.

Isn’t it amazing how memories like this, even years later, can still be counted among the happy little things in life that make us smile today?

What about you?

What little things, in your life presently, or in your memories, make you happy? What little things in your life make you smile?

Today we’re going to use my happy little memory, which is still currently evoking a warm smile, to share some delicious coffee recipes highlighting one of our favorite holiday flavors - chocolate orange.

But, as you peruse these recipes, even before you grab your mug and begin brewing, will you join me in this line of thinking, intentionally dwelling on those things in your life that bring you great joy.

This time of year we’re often reminded of thankfulness or gratitude, so I do hope you’ll join me as I challenge myself (and you) to truly reflect on all the little things in our daily lives that bring us happiness…from loved ones to the lull of a quiet rain, from sunny skies to soft, warm blankets, from memories of shared candies to mugs of piping hot, fragrant, delicious chocolate orange coffee.

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4 Incredible Chocolate Orange Coffee Recipes

Rich, silky chocolate, zesty, citrus fruit, and bold, smooth coffee may seem like an unlikely combination, but as these flavors are paired together, the chocolate and orange notes balance, leaving you with an exhilarating, mouth watering experience as you sip.

It reminds me of sampling a section of the chocolate orange candy my grandpa would share with me as a young child while sipping on a piping hot cup of coffee.

Can you imagine the melting of these flavors amidst the heat of your brew, slightly tart, rich, smooth, and nearly creamy? Delicate, delightful, and divine!

And, that is Lifeboost Chocolate Orange Coffee.

So, we’ve gathered the necessary ingredients and compiled a list of 4 fabulous recipes to highlight these sweet, smooth, and zesty flavors for a treat that’ll not only tickle your taste buds but bring warmth and nostalgia with each sip.

1- OML

I’ve got a friend who lives in the south, and instead of saying OMG, she says OML…oh my lawd!

OML could also stand for orange mocha latte here, but I figured OML was an appropriate name for this creation as one sip will have you exclaiming “oh my lawd!”

Lifeboost flavored coffee selections do not contain any sweeteners or added calories, just natural baking extracts and essential oils, so you can already enjoy these flavors as-is in this brew, but when you add a bit of chocolate syrup and orange zest, those tastes are really brought to the forefront for a warm, smooth, sweet, and citrusy treat.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces strongly brewed Lifeboost Chocolate Orange Coffee
• 2 teaspoons orange syrup (see recipe below)
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• Whipped cream, for topping
• Orange zest, for topping
• Chocolate syrup, for topping

Instructions

• Brew coffee and pour into your favorite mug.
• Stir orange syrup into the coffee, then set aside.
• Add milk and chocolate syrup to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring to combine. (be careful not to over heat as the milk could scorch)
• Add heated chocolate milk to the coffee/orange mixture, then stir to combine.
• Top with whipped cream, orange zest, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Enjoy!

Homemade Orange Simple Syrup

• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 3 oranges, peeling only

Combine water, sugar, and orange peels in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reduces slightly (not long after the sugar is fully incorporated).

Remove from heat and strain out the orange peels. Allow the mixture to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two weeks.

2- Chocolate Orange Over Ice

Things are starting to get chilly here in the midwest, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a good iced coffee in these “ber” months.

I think I most enjoy iced coffee drinks in the fall and winter months when I’m on the go, out tackling errands. Then I save the warm drinks for those times when I’m at home, all cozied up in my favorite chair.

But, no matter your favorite time to enjoy an iced brew, this super simple recipe is a must try!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Chocolate Orange Coffee
• 2 oranges, freshly juiced/squeezed
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
• Ice

Instructions

• Squeeze the juice from two fresh, ripe oranges, then set aside.
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup along the inside of a medium sized drinking glass.
• Fill the glass with ice, then add fresh squeezed orange juice and cold brew.
• Stir the juice and coffee to combine…or skip the stirring, and allow the flavors to mix as you sip. Enjoy!

3- Chocolate Orange Ho-Cho

Hot chocolate meets coffee meets subtle notes of citrus all resting beneath a silky layer of chocolate foam…I could only think of one phrase when assembling this treat - yes, please!

And, after one sip, my reaction was reduced to a single word - YUM!

I will admit, the orange flavor is more subdued here, with the coffee and chocolate combo taking the stage, but as you sip you’re softly reminded of the fruit’s sweet zest in a most refreshing way.

I hope you enjoy this treat as much as I do!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Chocolate Orange Coffee
• 1 serving of your favorite hot chocolate mix (I used Blume Reishi Hot Cacao mix, and it was fabulous.)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce

Instructions

• Add freshly brewed coffee to your favorite mug, then stir or blend in your favorite hot chocolate mix. Set aside.
• Add heavy cream and chocolate sauce to an electric frother and froth on the heated setting.
• Pour frothed chocolate cream over the prepared coffee. Enjoy!

4- Almost Monte Cristo

A Monte Cristo cocktail is often described as a great after dinner sip and a close cousin to Spanish coffee.

But, a true Monte Cristo adds an extra level of tartness to each sip as the rim of the glass is dipped in lemon juice. So, to avoid masking the orange notes in our Chocolate Orange Coffee here, we’re skipping the lemon juice and dubbing this an “almost” Monte Cristo.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Chocolate Orange Coffee
• ½ ounce Kahlua
• ½ ounce orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier)
• Whipped cream, for topping
• Grated chocolate, for topping

Instructions

• Add freshly brewed coffee to a mug.
• Stir in Kahlua and orange liqueur.
• Top with whipped cream and shaved/grated chocolate. Enjoy!

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Light Roast.

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.