10 Cozy Hot Chocolate Recipes to Try This Winter
During the winter time, hot chocolate is my absolute favorite drink. I think I make this almost daily around this time of year! That's how much I love hot cocoa! So, I'm sharing 10 hot chocolate recipes to try this winter!
When I had my bake shop, we had an extensive hot cocoa menu, which was even larger than our coffee menu! So, just to give you an idea, I'm a hot chocolate aficionado! I'm constantly coming up with new hot chocolate recipes, because I drink it all the time! So, I'm sharing my top picks for cozy hot cocoa that you can sip by the fire this winter. Everything from single serve hot cocoa to hot chocolate bombs (no mold required!). I got you covered for the ultimate cozy winter drink.
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History of Hot Chocolate
I looked up the history of hot cocoa, because I was curious. And, I found that it's very complex, dating back over 5,000 years ago! It seems that it originated in South America. The Mayans and Aztecs added spices to their cocoa and poured it back and forth between cups to make it frothy! Wow, what luxury we have now just by having a frother! And shortly after, Europeans brought Mexican hot chocolate back home to Europe where Spanish chefs added sugar and cinnamon.
We have Americanized the drink by making it thinner and removing spices. European hot cocoa is much thicker compared to drinks made here in America where many people make hot chocolate with (dare I say) water!
While many people are perfectly happy pouring hot water over a packet mix, I revel in gourmet hot chocolate that is made with real milk and chocolate or cocoa! Imagine what the Mayans and Aztecs would think now if they could taste their creations in the modern world!
And if you are wondering how different hot chocolate is from chocolate milk, check out Hot Chocolate Versus Hot Chocolate Milk.
Tips for the Best Hot Chocolate
- Use a high quality milk. This can be organic grassfed milk or even organic coconut milk if you are dairy free. The key being use a full fat milk as this will create a creamy and smooth hot cocoa and it won't be watery. So, stay away from lowfat milk or nut milks that are watery.
- Use high quality organic cocoa powder. My favorite is NuNaturals Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder, it's perfect for gourmet hot chocolate!
- Use high quality organic cane sugar. Organic sugar is less processed, allowing a more true natural sweetness to prevail instead of being overly sweet as white granulated sugar can be.
- Heat cocoa in a pot over the stovetop (not the microwave!).
- Use a drink thermometer to ensure you know when your cocoa is ready. Milk is drinking temperature at 140°F and when it goes above 160°F it will burn. Burnt milk has a burnt flavor that will transfer to your cocoa. To ensure hot chocolate perfection, using a drink thermometer is best! Heat your cocoa until it reaches 140°F to 160°F and no higher.
- Finish your hot chocolate with Homemade Organic Whipped Cream. This is so much better than that from a can! It only has 3 ingredients, takes a few minutes to whip up in your stand mixer, and it's free of stabilizers and other additives that are in store bought versions.
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10 Cozy Hot Chocolate Recipes
Caramel Hot Cocoa
Chai Tea Hot Chocolate
Coconut Hot Chocolate
Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
Creamy Dark Hot Chocolate With Homemade Whipped Cream
Healthy Gingerbread Hot Cocoa with Bone Broth
Easy Hot Chocolate Dip
Hot Chocolate Bombs Without a Mold
Boozy Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate Sweet Rolls
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