10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (2024)

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Don't forget the marshmallows!

By

Katlyn Moncada

10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (1)

Katlyn Moncada

Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production.

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Updated on December 1, 2022

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (2)

When cold weather hits, there's little more soothing than curling up with a cozy mug of hot chocolate. We've rounded up some of our greatest hot chocolate recipes to make your cup of cocoa more decadent. Expect some delicious ideas for hot chocolate mix-ins, stir-ins, and of course marshmallows!

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Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate with Almond

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The secret to this chocolate drink is a sprinkle of cinnamon and a few drops of almond extract. These extra ingredients may not sound like they'd make much difference, but trust us, your cocoa will be more complex than most as a result. Top with a sky-high dollop of whipped cream and a little more cinnamon for a truly indulgent treat.

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Hot Chocolate Seven Ways

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (4)

If you like decadent homemade cocoa, you'll never get tired of trying out all the combinations this recipe offers. Start with our basic hot chocolate recipe, then transform it into peanut butter, spicy, or even pumpkin variations! You'll have enough hot cocoa recipes to keep you busy all winter long.

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DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs with Marshmallows

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (5)

Hot cocoa bombs bring a party to your mug! There are several varieties of hot chocolate bombs on the market, but it's way more fun to make them from scratch. Fill a spherical mold with chocolate, cocoa mix, marshmallows, and sprinkles for an interactive sweet treat.

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Hot Chocolate Mix

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (6)

Packaged in a cute, homemade reindeer jar, this hot chocolate mix is perfect for gift-giving. Plus, it only calls for five ingredients. This easy hot chocolate recipe won't take you long to make, but it'll be one of the cutest food gift ideas you can share during the holiday season.

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Aztec Hot Chocolate

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (7)

The Aztecs were among the first cultures to enjoy hot cocoa. This tribute to the original sipping chocolate features ground chipotle chile pepper, cinnamon, and espresso powder for a slow cooker hot chocolate you won't forget. Don't worry, that extra spice doesn't really bring the heat, but rather enriches the cocoa flavors.

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Hot Cocoa

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (8)

This hot chocolate recipe is a lovely option to enjoy after a frigid day sledding or tackling any other outdoor activity. Check out the four variations for liqueur ideas and other hot chocolate topping ideas. Once you've mastered the basic recipe, you can dress it up (like with homemade marshmallows).

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White Hot Chocolate

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (9)

This white hot chocolate recipe is anything but bland. In fact, it's full of fall spices. Cinnamon and cardamom add a delicious flavor to this simple vanilla-infused hot cocoa recipe made in a slow cooker. It makes enough for 12, so save the recipe for a day the whole family is gathered.

Decadent White Chocolate Desserts

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Timberline Hot Chocolate

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (10)

This dark chocolate drink is best with a dollop of schlag (the German name for a whipped cream sweetened with vanilla). If you want to get real fancy, add a dusting of cocoa and some crushed toffee. Oh, and don't forget a side of cookies. We can already picture ourselves enjoying a steamy mug in front of a cozy fire.

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Frozen Hot Chocolate

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (11)

No, this isn't hot chocolate, but it sure is just as delicious. This blended version turns hot cocoa into ice cubes before blending them into a delicious, frosty beverage. Change-up the flavors with our variations for mint, salted caramel, and mocha.

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Hot Orange Mocha

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (12)

When you need an extra boost of caffeine, opt for this hot chocolate recipe. The base is made with strong coffee, but adds cocoa powder, orange, and brown sugar for a zesty-sweet finish. The mocha is delicious on its own, but we highly recommend making the whipped honey-orange topping for a creamy finish.

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10 Fancy Hot Chocolate Recipes You Need to Try (2024)

FAQs

What is the number one hot chocolate? ›

Best Overall: Starbucks Classic Hot Cocoa

This cocoa has a huge, rounded chocolatey flavor without leaning too heavily on any bittersweet notes or getting too heavy or rich.

What do coffee shops use to make hot chocolate? ›

Most use Monin dark chocolate sauce, which we lightly dilute with hot water before topping off with steamed milk. One of our cafes uses a drinking chocolate mix from Ritual Chocolate, which is prepared into a sauce in batches and is then served the same way.

What is the most delicious chocolate ever? ›

“Chantaburi Dark 70%” was best unflavoured dark chocolate bar, made by PARADAi, a small micro-batch chocolate maker in Thailand, with a fabulous score of 91.8 out of 100 on our chocolate scale, which is one of the highest we have seen this year.

Is 100% hot chocolate good for you? ›

It Contains Iron And Magnesium

Hot chocolate is also a good source of iron and magnesium. Iron helps to transport oxygen throughout the body and is important for energy production, while magnesium helps to regulate blood pressure and supports healthy bones.

Which state drinks the most hot chocolate? ›

Massachusetts is not alone in their number one selection, as hot cocoa was the most common favorite drink in the country, coming in first place in 17 states including New York, California, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island.

What is the most popular hot chocolate in Mexico? ›

The two most common brands are Ibarra (made by a company in Jalisco, Mexico) and Abuelita (a Nestlé product), but they are far from the only ones. If you have access to other brands or artisanal chocolate products, take advantage of them.

How to jazz up hot chocolate? ›

  1. Looking to jazz up your hot cocoa? ...
  2. Cinnamon sticks can be tossed into hot cocoa to give it a warm, earthy, and spicy flavor. ...
  3. Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream to your hot chocolate to give it a richer, creamier texture. ...
  4. Traditional milk isn't the only thing that can be used to make hot cocoa.
Dec 4, 2023

How do you doctor up hot chocolate mix? ›

Ideas to Customize:
  1. 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1-2 drops pure peppermint extract.
  2. 1 shot whiskey, dark rum, or peppermint schnapps.
  3. Pinch kosher salt highly recommended for all flavor combinations.
  4. Pinch espresso powder will enhance the chocolate flavor.

What company makes the best hot chocolate? ›

For the best of both worlds—cafe flavor but in your PJs—our Test Kitchen recommends Starbucks Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix. These cocoa packets make super-rich cocoa. This hot chocolate isn't too sweet, rather it had a nice dark chocolate flavor.

What was hot chocolate originally called? ›

The name of this concoction was a combination of both Mayan and Aztec cultures. "The Mayan word 'Xocol', that means 'hot', and the Aztec word 'atl' means 'water'," Spehr said. "So 'xocolatl', that's where 'chocolate' comes from. Originally, this means 'hot water'."

Which chocolate is best for hot chocolate? ›

Homemade hot chocolate recipes contain very few ingredients, and the largest ingredient is chocolate, so be picky. Use dark or bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate will be too sweet, at least for most European tastebuds.

What is the tastiest chocolate brand? ›

10 Best Chocolatiers
  • Teuscher (Zurich, Switzerland)
  • Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
  • Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. ( ...
  • Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York, New York, USA)
  • Norman Love Confections (Ft. ...
  • Valrhona (France)
  • Godiva Chocolatier (Brussels, Belgium and worldwide)

What makes hot chocolate taste better? ›

You can add a little vanilla to adjust the flavor if you like. If you want your hot chocolate richer, darker, use a little more cocoa. If you want your hot cocoa milder and sweeter, use more milk.

Is Swiss Miss hot chocolate better than Nestle? ›

Even with water, Swiss Miss looked and tasted rich and creamy, so we can only imagine how it would taste if we added a little milk. Both Whole Foods and Nestle's hot chocolate mixes were drinkable, but neither could compare with Swiss Miss's indulgent chocolate flavor and texture.

Why does Mexican hot chocolate taste better? ›

The spices used in Mexican hot chocolate make it so unique and different from the hot chocolate you are probably used to. But don't worry - it's not super spicy. Rather, the spices amplify and complement the chocolate. They add extra warmth to this drink - perfect on a cold winter day!

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