Settling Into The Season
The holidays are among us, and nothing combats the cold outside like a cup of hot chocolate. Many of us are looking forward to curling up and keeping things cozy with this beverage, but why not take it to the next level and spruce up your hot chocolate game? Here are 20 creative ways to do exactly that.
1. A Pinch of Something
One of the simplest ways to elevate hot chocolate—or really any chocolate recipe—is to add a pinch of salt. It may sound counterintuitive, but salt actually brings out the natural sweetness of chocolate and adds a little balance. You can even do this with cake batter or cookie dough.
2. A Little Spicier
Why stop at salt, though? You’d be surprised how well chocolate works with a little spiciness. For a bit more fun, try adding a dash of cinnamon and cayenne to take things to the next level. The sweetness will counteract the spice, leaving you with nothing but smooth sipping.
3. The Irish Version
For some old-fashioned and responsible fun, you can add a bit of Bailey’s and do a twist on Irish coffee. Just be sure to drink responsibly, and throw in a little whipped cream for fun. There are plenty of Bailey’s hot chocolate recipes already on the web to choose from if you want an authentic experience.
4. Skip The Powder
Instead of going for the usual, boring, instant chocolate powder, there are plenty of other ways to make hot chocolate. We’ll get into plenty of those options in this list, but to start, try a truffle. You can find these chocolate delights all over the place, and melting one into a mug with a sprinkling of salt ensures a velvety taste.
5. Instead of Marshmallows
We would never suggest skipping the marshmallows. However, instead of the dry, fluffy kind that just hang around, use marshmallow crème instead. You can easily pour this over the top of your drink and toast it with a kitchen torch to get those beautiful golden-brown ribbons.
6. A Mexican Twist
You’re probably familiar with Mexican hot chocolate, but are you familiar with horchata? This is a traditional beverage created by soaking rice and blending in cinnamon and sugar. It’s definitely one of the creamier and heartier drinks on this list, and you can make it faster by subbing in some pre-boxed rice milk. Turns out you can milk rice too.
7. When in Doubt, Schnapps
The goal here isn’t to drink too much, but many of these additives work great with a cup of hot chocolate. To that end, nothing says time for the holidays like a pour of peppermint schnapps into some hot cocoa. However, there are plenty of other flavors that work well too. Some swear by the success of butterscotch schnapps.
8. Try a Bar
By now you’ve probably noticed there are plenty of ways to skip the powder, and the simplest way to do that is to use an actual bar of chocolate. It may seem intimidating at first, but you can find these chocolate bars in the baking section. Just chop them up and let them melt in the milk. Easy peasy.
9. A Tropical Twist
There are so many ways to add some surprise flavors into a hot chocolate, but coconut probably isn’t one that comes to mind. However, by simply subbing in some coconut milk and creating a coconut cream cap, you can add a fun and unique creamy flavor to top off your traditional cocoa.
10. The Artisan Route
You know how coffee shops seem to have bottles upon bottles of interesting flavor additions? Well, plenty of us keep similar drink mix-ins in our own homes. But you can do a lot more than add it to your coffee; you can add it to your cocoa too. Try whatever flavor you have, but of course, toasted marshmallow and salted caramel take the cake.
11. For An Extra Kick
It’s interesting how well the world of coffee and hot chocolate blends. In fact, you can try adding espresso powder or instant coffee to your chocolate mix-in for even more fun. Plenty of people add coffee to their cake and cookie recipes, as it just adds another layer of depth to anything already sweet.
12. Up Your Marshmallow Game
Hot chocolate is only as good as its add-ons, whether that be whipped cream or marshmallows. But when it does come to marshmallows, don’t let the plain flavor limit you. Why not try something adventurous like the strawberry or minty flavored ones? You can always take a torch to them for fun.
13. More S'mores
By now you’re probably getting tired of hearing about marshmallows, but there’s just so much to do. Up in the hills of Eastern Canada’s Blue Mountain, they serve hot chocolate like a s’more. This means they stick ground-up graham crackers all over the inner lining and rim of the cup. Then they pour in the chocolate, top it with a pile of s’mores, crackers, and chocolate drizzle, and toast everything. You can’t beat that.
14. Grocery Staples
Odds are you have Nutella at home, and plenty of these everyday staples can turn things up a notch. Hazelnut works great with chocolate, and the creamy texture of Nutella translates well into hot chocolate. All you have to do is add in some Nutella when mixing in your usual chocolate. Just be sure to have the milk simmering, not boiling, when you do this.
15. Fire and Ice
Hot chocolate might traditionally be served warm, but don’t let that stop you from experimenting. In Italy, an affogato is a traditional dessert made from pouring coffee over ice cream. But as we know, hot chocolate substitutes coffee pretty well.
Masud Allahverdizade on Pexels
16. Sweet and Salty
We have already talked about throwing in a pinch of salt, but chocolate isn’t the only thing salt works with. In fact, salted caramel is a favored flavor many people adore. You can incorporate salted caramel into your hot chocolate in a variety of ways. You can drizzle it on top, stir it in while still hot, or even use it to coat the rim.
17. Getting Hotter
If cayenne doesn’t do the trick for you, it’s all too easy to take things to a whole other level. How do you feel about toasting some literal chilis or creating a grounded spicy pepper stir-in? The best chilis to use for this are powdered chipotle, ancho, and cayenne peppers.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels
18. Did Someone Say Oreo
The world is obsessed with these vanilla-filled cookies, and you can easily incorporate them into your favorite seasonal drink. Just be prepared to grind up some Oreos and add them to your hot chocolate powder for mixing in. Of course, you can just use cookies and cream syrups and top some whipped cream with crushed Oreo bits.
19. Frozen Hot Chocolate
Of course, you can always substitute hot chocolate for the frozen variant. Don’t let the name fool you; this isn’t just a chocolate milkshake. Instead, you’ll have to make warm hot chocolate, let it cool, and freeze it before blending it into a slushie-like format. Then it’s the simple matter of adding in plenty of whipped cream, marshmallows, and drizzle to recapture the magic.
20. The Trendsetter
If you really want a showstopper that will leave all your guests gawking at your hot chocolate game, then look no further. The internet sensation of Dalgona coffee, which is a fluffy, whipped, and vibrant drink, can easily be replaced with hot chocolate. You’ll have to follow exact recipes to achieve the shape, but it’ll be worth the effort.
KEEP ON READING
20 Ways to Elevate Your Hot Chocolate Game
20 Discontinued Snacks All Millennials Will Remember
20 Problematic Foods You Should Stop Buying
The 10 Worst Fast-Food Coffees & The 10 Best Ones
