Whether you are craving a sweet beverage to consume while watching ‘Home Alone’ for the tenth time during the Christmas season, or you simply wish to have a hot refreshment to make you feel sleepy before bed, there is only one drink that can do the trick: the old, trusty hot chocolate.
No matter how old we get, we will never get too old to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa. There is nothing better, especially when it is topped with some whipped cream and marshmallows.
While it is simple enough to make a weaker version with some instant cocoa powder, or even easier to go out and buy one from your closest Starbucks, you may be considering making a ‘real’ hot chocolate at home.
There are plenty of recipes that you can choose from, and if you are reading this article right now, you are in luck. We have chosen 15 delicious hot chocolate recipes for you to choose from, and they are all fairly quick and easy to whip up at home.
Check out our list below to get started.
1. Real Hot Chocolate (Delicious From Scratch)
Let’s start with the basics. There are only three components included in this hot chocolate recipe: milk, dark chocolate, and a touch of whipped cream.
A hearty, decadent drink, just the way it should be. You can create this tasty beverage at home with this recipe, and it will be ready to enjoy within minutes. Just don’t forget to serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top!
2. Easy Peppermint Hot Chocolate (eatloveeats)
This peppermint hot chocolate made without cocoa powder is so easy to make, and sumptuous enough to keep you warm over the christmas period.
It is prepared with ganache, which can also be used to make chocolate truffles, and the peppermint flavouring will instantly make you feel festive. This recipe is beautiful, rich, and creates the ideal mug of hot chocolate.
3. Oreo Hot Chocolate (Tastemade)
Everyone loves cookies. Everyone loves hot chocolate. Why not combine the two to create the ultimate hot beverage for those chilly winter nights?
The creme inside the Oreos will dissolve into the chocolatey liquid, melting together to create a sweet, scrumptious combination. Once you have tried this concoction, it may be hard to go back to your average cup of cocoa.
4. Disney’s ‘Frozen’ White Hot Chocolate (Sparkles To Sprinkles)
If you have kids who are huge Frozen fans, or you happen to be a fan yourself, you are going to adore this Disney themed hot chocolate.
This Disney’s Frozen White Hot Chocolate is not only stunning to look at, but it’s also incredibly tasty! This is a cheerful drink made with white hot chocolate and some bright blue coloring, creating a beverage so pretty that even Queen Elsa, herself, would recommend it.
5. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (A Beautiful Mess)
It is time to up your hot chocolate game, adding the flavor that everybody adores: salted caramel.
This Salted Caramel hot chocolate is perfect for any occasion, but especially when consumed during the colder months of winter. It is deliciously smooth and creamy, flavored with some delectable caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt, creating the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
6. Flanders’ Hot Chocolate – Inspired By ‘The Simpsons’ (Binging With Babish)
Anyone who has ever watched ‘The Simpsons Movie’ will be able to instantly recall the famous scene in which Ned Flanders creates the perfect cup of cocoa for Bart Simpson.
If you, like many others, felt devastated knowing that this hot chocolate could never exist in reality, don’t fret: you can now create it for yourself, in real life! Grab some marshmallows, and toast them to your heart’s content. Thank you, Flanders!
7. Pink Hot Chocolate (Old Salt Farm)
This one is dedicated to all the girly girls that would die for a Barbie-themed beverage to sip before bedtime.
This creamy cup of cocoa is one of the cutest drinks you will ever lay eyes on, and you can easily make it for yourself. Just make sure you have some red food coloring on hand to mix in with some white hot chocolate, and voila! You have yourself the perfect pink drink.
8. Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate (BBC Good Food)
For those who feel that making hot chocolate can be a little time consuming, this is the perfect recipe for you.
This is also a great idea for those making drinks for several people: who has the time to create each drink individually? Simply throw all the required ingredients into the slow cooker, and simmer for up to 2 hours. All the hard work will be done for you!
9. Unicorn Hot Chocolate (Imperial Sugar)
Here is another recipe that the kids (and the adults) are going to adore. Beware: your children may never accept another ‘normal’ hot chocolate ever again.
Your little princesses’ fantasies will all come true when handed this wonderful combination of beautiful rainbow colours, puffy tiny marshmallows, and warm, milky white chocolate. Truly magical.
10. The Best Orange Hot Chocolate (Shivani Loves Food)
Chocolate tastes even better when paired with other tasty flavors, and orange is no exception. Chocolate orange truly is the combination of dreams.
This zesty hot chocolate is just what you need to stay warm during the winter. It’s deliciously smooth and rich, and it just takes three ingredients to make. What more could you possibly want?
11. Baileys Hot Chocolate Recipe (Baileys UK)
Why should the children get to have all the fun, huh? This recipe is exclusively made for grown ups to enjoy.
There are numerous ways to stay warm and cosy during the colder months, but this Baileys version of hot chocolate, complete with all of your favourite chocolate toppings, has to be the finest.
12. Chilli Hot Chocolate (Waitrose)
It is time to turn up the heat! Next up, we will be mixing two flavors that work fantastically well together.
For good reason, South Americans have been mixing and tasting these components together for generations. This hot chocolate recipe is the most incredible blend of velvety chocolate and fiery chilli peppers. If it works, it works!
13. Mexican Hot Chocolate (Nigella’s Recipes)
This recipe combines three amazing ingredients that us grown ups love: coffee, chocolate, and liqueur.
There is nothing quite like the creamy richness of this Mexican hot chocolate. It is perfect for those warm, cosy nights on the couch, once the kids have been put to bed. Treat yourself!
14. Hazelnut Cream Hot Chocolate (BBC Good Food)
Sorry, kids – this is another treat for grown ups only! Although, the hazelnut flavored liqueur could be removed from the recipe if desired.
This beverage is ready for consumption with a scoop of chocolate hazelnut spread and a dash of nut liqueur. This alcoholic hot chocolate with whipped cream is the ultimate luxury in a glass.
15. Italian Hot Chocolate (Inside The Rustic Kitchen)
When it comes to food and drink, Italians have a way of creating consumable goods that we will never be able to compete with.
There is simply no other hot chocolate like Italian hot chocolate. It is incredibly thick, velvety, and luxurious. If you want to cuddle up on the couch with something sweet, steamy and soothing, this is the recipe for you!
BONUS. Hot Chocolate Dessert Charcuterie Board (Number 2 Pencil)
Here is the bonus content that no one asked for, but we all deserve: your very own homemade hot chocolate charcuterie board! Ideal for parties and get-togethers, this board will impress everyone in the room. Give it a try!
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Make Homemade Hot Cocoa?
The easiest way to make homemade hot chocolate at home is by simply melting some crushed up chocolate in a saucepan filled with milk. Stir the two ingredients together until the mixture thickens, and then serve with some whipped cream and marshmallows.
Another way to create homemade hot chocolate is by heating it up in a slow cooker.
When Is The Best Time Of Year To Drink Hot Chocolate?
The most popular time of the year to consume hot chocolate is during the colder months of winter. While other hot beverages, such as coffee and tea, are heavily consumed during all months of the year, hot chocolate tends to be associated with the Christmas period, meaning that it is purchased and created more during this time.
What Kind Of Chocolate Should I Use To Make Hot Chocolate?
Hot chocolate can be easily made by using cocoa powder and sugar, or hot chocolate powder. If you would like to create hot chocolate with a bar of chocolate, seek one with no added vegetable fat and a high cocoa percentage. The chocolate flavor will be fuller and deeper when using bars with a greater cocoa percentage.
Which Is Better: Hot Chocolate With Milk Or Water?
You can enjoy hot chocolate in so many different ways, but should you use milk or water as your base for your hot chocolate? Both work perfectly fine.
Milk is usually creamier and thicker, making your hot chocolate a real treat. However, hot chocolate with water makes the chocolate flavor come out a lot more.
Final Thoughts
There is nothing quite like a rich, sweet hot chocolate when it’s cold outside. With these recipes, you can create your own at home, and they will taste better than anything you could order from a coffee shop. Plus, you will be saving your money!
Good luck!
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma
Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.
Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.
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