High West Wednesdays: Cowboy Coffee

A recipe for the coziest cuppa, inspired by skiing

Jump to the recipe.

Imagine striving for first chair on a storm day—up in the dark, camped out in the parking lot hours before lifts start spinning. That’s what this next High West cocktail is all about, an homage to first tracks and a reward that’s worth the effort. This drink is a warm little love letter to arriving before dawn, even though you won’t see the sun until tomorrow because it’s supposed to dump for the next 24 hours. It’s blasting the heater on your boots so they’re pliable in the frigid pre-sunrise parking lot. And it’s to making the drive even if Ski Patrol never opens that avy gate. For the renegade who loves to ski with friends but goes solo at any suggestion of a last lap before 4pm, we bring you High West’s Cowboy Coffee.

This quick and dirty cocktail is easy to whip up on the tailgate—and yes, even the whipped cream falls into the easy category. With just a few simple ingredients, you have the perfect brew to ease the morning’s powder panic while waiting for the lifts to finally open. So as you’re packing up gear the night before, add your cocktail shaker to your tote and you’re sure to start the morning right.

Coffee obviously is the primary ingredient in this recipe. If on normal mornings you fuss over bean origins and grind size, this cocktail offers a lot of flavor forgiveness. You could easily use your expensive single-origin beans, but you still end up with a damn tasty drink when you start with the gas station house blend. But if you’re looking for a spot to experiment, you can’t go wrong with a good dark or medium-dark roast for this drink, as cocoa, toffee, and toasted marshmallow notes all play so nicely with the sweet cream and spicy bourbon. If you choose a light roast, expect fruity, floral, or bright notes—as well as heightened acidity—based on your bean.

Another way to play with this recipe is to test it out with different whiskeys. Our recipe uses High West’s Bourbon—a high-rye beaut that’s like a log fire burning in a lodge hearth thanks to its notes of baking spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. While the subtle sweetness of bourbon compliments sweet cream and black coffee like a dream, you could easily sub it out for High West’s Campfire or Double Rye. Both whiskeys deliver unique profiles that are just as good sipped as they are mixed into your favorite cocktail.

Lastly, a super silky whipped cream tops this winter warmer like fresh storm snow. While you could pull out the can of pressurized easy whip from the fridge, we recommend taking the extra few minutes to whip the cream in your cocktail shaker. The result is less airy and fluffy than your standard mid-day hot cocoa topper. It’s more like Sierra cement than lake effect, and in this case it’s just right. Because this whipped cream is closer to a liquid than a solid, it layers into every sip of your drink, not just the first one. It might take a few tries to master the shaken cream technique, but just like big hucks and deep carves, the best things in life require a little skill.

Ingredients

For the vanilla simple syrup (makes enough for approximately 18* drinks):
1 cup Demerara sugar or sugar in the raw**

1 cup water

1 vanilla bean pod

For the whipped cream (makes enough for three to four drinks):
8 oz heavy whipping cream

0.75 oz vanilla simple syrup
 
For the Cowboy Coffee (makes one):

1.5 oz High West Bourbon

0.5 oz vanilla simple syrup

4 oz hot coffee

* Leftovers are a great upgrade for your home-made lattes.
** High West prefers the caramel-toffee flavor from Demerara sugar for their simple syrups. You can also use turbinado sugar for more molasses notes or plain white sugar for simple sweetness.

Instructions

Prep your vanilla simple syrup in advance:

1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.
2. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the beans from the pod.
3. Add the scrapings and split pod to your pan.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir consistently until the sugar has fully dissolved.
5. Pour into a small glass bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator. Use within three weeks.

Whip up your Cowboy Coffee:

1. Add whipped cream and 0.75 oz of simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake vigorously until the whipping cream has thickened but is still silky. High West’s team says you can feel and hear the change as you’re shaking—it will go from liquid to a consistency like wet concrete. In kitchen terms, if you achieve soft peaks, you’ve whipped too far.
3. Combine High West Bourbon, 0.5 oz of simple syrup, and hot coffee in a mug.
4. Gently pour the cream onto the coffee so it floats on the surface.
5. Enjoy!

Thanks to our friends at High West for sharing their recipe for unforgettable winter AMs. Will you try this legendary brew in the parking lot while killing time before first bell? Or are you more likely to whip it up on a cold gray day when you’re dreaming of far-off snow? Either way we hope this cozy quaff makes your morning. Cheers!

Words by Alli Wright, who joined the Backcountry Herd in 2022. A climber, trail runner, and backcountry skier, she can be found in a hammock with a book or planning a crafternoon when she’s not chasing vert. 

Recipe designed by Holly Booth, High West’s Lead Bartender. While she’s primarily a whiskey drinker, she loves their Mountain Gin, too.

Published November 3, 2025.

Pairs Well With Gear