I love hot chocolate. Like, really love it. I also love flavored steamed milk. I buy it in the middle of the summer and the Starbucks employees ask me if I’m aware they sell iced drinks. I don’t drink coffee so I guess this is my vice. One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is host a hot chocolate bar. Sometimes we’ll invite another family over, sometimes we’ll host an adult get together, and sometimes I kick my husband and kiddos out of the house for a few hours and have a girls night in. Today I’m going to show you how to step it up a notch and put something together that’s super trendy and super gourmet! And you don’t need to throw a party to enjoy these, it’s a fun after dinner treat for the family, or just a cup for one on a chilly day.
I put together these flavor combinations with normal ingredients you can find in your own cupboards and at the grocery store. I’m not listing ingredient amounts because it’s really a to-taste thing. If you’re setting up spread for a get together, try putting all of these combos in little stations where people can put the add-ins in themselves. I use little espresso sized cups so people can grab several tastes without feeling an overload! First I’ll show you my creations, and then I’ll give you my hot chocolate tips. Here we go…
Here’s a video segment of these recipes, along with my s’mores hot chocolate, on Studio 5 tv.
I make my own (have to being dairy-free). I make mine with 1 1/2 cups coconut milk heated just under a boil. I use dutch cocoa with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Pour the milk into the cocoa (or combine it all on the stove) in a mug. Garnish with a homemade marshmallow and enjoy. It tastes just like a mounds candy bar…delicious!
I can’t wait to try some of these ideas!
We’re having a cold day here in May and was so happy to stumble across your picture of Hazelnut hot chocolate on Pinterest…..oh yum! I made it with cinnamon whipped topping instead of chocolate because that’s what I had on hand and it’s delicious! Can’t wait to try the rest!
~ Mara
Hi! Discovered your page while I was looking for an easy gourmet recipe for hot chocolate to add to one of our blog stories. We featured the Raspberry Truffle with links all back to you!
Can’t wait to try all of these yummy drinks!
Caron
I came across this site when googling recipes for hot chocolate. I am trying to discover 1 – if there is a store/shop dedicated to hot chocolate like there is for coffee and 2 – are there enough varieties of hot chocolate ‘flavors’ that currently exist so make a shop successful, if one doesn’t already exist? Any thoughts from the author?
Thank you ever so much for this posting. So much inspiration. I think we will be having a new holiday tradition. Yummers.
~C8>
Love this idea! If I were to do this for a slightly bigger event, say a wedding reception…how would you recommend keeping the hot chocolate at the right temperature?
Hmmm..I don’t know- maybe a slow cooker?
How about a chocolate fountain?
I love your cute cups that you used! Where did you get them from? I am so going to do a hot chocolate bar this year. Thanks for sharing!
I have a question – I love, love, love hot chocolate and all these recipes look wonderful, does anyone know of a lactose free product I can use instead of milk? Not everything heats up great.
Thanks!
i host a cookie swap for my family and friends every year. im really considering having a hot chocolate bar this year. i know they would all love it.
Wow! Ok, obviously I’m a bit late to the party, but these are amazing! We are definitely doing this next winter! Thanks for all the great ideas!
Not sure if you care, or if anyone is reading these comments anymore but I figured it out (I am the Tiramisu hot chocolate recipe above)! I will offer little coffee flavored chocolates (Thank you Switzerland, and your full isle of chocolate in even the smallest of grocery stores!) to melt into the milk instead of plain dark chocolate.
I am hosting our book club this month and am going to serve a Gourmet Hot Chocolate bar! I LOVE this idea.
I've been mixing up my own concoctions to go along with your fabulous ones. My favorite that I have come up with is TIRAMISU.
Whole milk
DARK chocolate crumbled into it
(I would love to offer a bowl for a pinch of instant coffee for flavor, but I think some of my guests would be appalled.)
Rum flavoring
Marscapone cream
(I may or may not add that pinch of instant coffee here, somehow I think my guests would be less opposed to 'eating' a teaspoon of flavored cream than drinking it, but we'll see)
Served with Lady Fingers.
Does it sound great? Tell me it sounds great… 😉 Any ideas for getting that Tiramisu coffee flavor without offending my guests?
Thanks for the great idea! My mom in Utah saw you on TV and forwarded your site to me.
Megan
Zurich, CH
OMG I luv luv these ideas.
I would like to feature them on my site and link back to you.
Next Monday for our weekly menu round up.
You can see it at
http://maggielamarre.com
I hope that's ok with you if not please let me know?
Maggie
nursegirl- not rude at all! We just avoid excessive caffeine due to our religious beliefs/lifestyles. Although with the amount of chocolate I consume I may need to cut back there too, haha!
I love your site! I really don't mean to be rude, but I'm curious. Why can you drink hot chocolate but not coffee?
these look awesome!!!
🙂
yum yum… neat ideas. will have to definitely give that nutella one a go.
I absolutely ♥ Hot Choc, so must weigh in here.
Try it with whipped cream that's only been whipped about 1/2 way, so that it is still pourable. Pour slowly over the back of a teaspoon on to your very hot Hot Choc. When you take a sip the cold cream floats on top and hits your palate while at the same time the hot choc hits the tongue.
Quite an experience.
Trust me 😉
Hey, just saw this on foodgawker! Way to go!
Oooh, the Nutella one is definitely calling out to me. And I just happen to have two jumbo jars of Nutella on hand. Hot chocolate, here I come! 😉
Oh my goodness look at the options!!!! YUM!!! Great creations!
Yes!! We're hosting a New Year's Eve thing (totally low-key), and I now have my dessert! Have people bring cookies, and provide the hot cocoa bar… in fact, I just ordered the espresso cups set! You rock!
Such a cute and fun idea! I also adore hot chocolate. Thanks for all the great pictures as well! Now I've got a hankerin' for some hot chocolate!
Yummy!! I so love your ideas! Thought I'd share my favoritest hot chocolate adder right now. Hershey's Cinnamon chips. They melt so lusciously and are an awesome mix with hot chocolate, white, milk, or dark. I top that with some spray cream (don't know why but I LOVE it on hot cocoa) and enjoy.
As far as lactose-intolerant people, have you tried using Almond Milk instead? I've read you can heat it, but haven't tried doing that myself. I'm sure it would make an incredible hot chocolate though, I'd be tempted to do that even though I can have milk!!
Oh my word, to die for. Decisions on what to make for Christmas morning but I think I will make the caramel ones as my daughters LOVE caramel!!! You ladies are awesome!
Now this post just gave me an excuse to host a winter party! I love hot chocolate too!
I recently had a to die for Hot Chocolate many of you may be familiar with. I was given a gift card to Star Bucks and not being a coffee drinker I went in search of Hot Chocolate. They had on the menu a Carmel Salted Hot Chocolate!! Yummy, they best tasting yet!! At home I recreated it by simply putting a drizzle of Caramel (1-2 tsp.) in the Hot Chocolate and sprinkled a little Kosher salt on top of the marshmallows. I crave it daily, just can't get enough!
ok, this is our next girls night activity! A hot cocoa bar and hours of talking with the gals. Thank you so much for the inspiration!! 🙂