It’s the most wonderful time of the year...especially if you’re a chocolate lover. As lemonade and iced tea exit stage left, hot cocoa hogs the spotlight. There’s simply nothing better than cuddling up with a warm drink on a cool night. But as much as you may already love hot cocoa, it’s possible to love it even more. In fact, there are many ways to enhance your mug of magic. Consider the following:
If you’re looking for cocoa with a little 21-and-over kick, this adult hot chocolate recipe is a must-make. It uses hot chocolate, whipped cream, grated chocolate (or chocolate syrup), and the all-important peppermint schnapps. It makes a great cocktail for dinner parties or for an evening watching horror movies. After all, this recipe is killer.
If your crockpot is collecting dust inside a kitchen cabinet, now you have a reason to use it. This crockpot hot chocolate recipe requires a little patience, taking more than two hours to make with simmering time. But it’s an excellent option if you’re hosting a Bronco-watching party or a sleepover. The recipe calls for whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and marshmallows, and creates a drink that is extra rich and creamy.
If you’re vegan, you don’t need to bid a tearful adieu to hot cocoa. This vegan recipe relies on non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, salt, sugar, cocoa powder, and vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips. Top your mug off with vegan marshmallows; there are several vegan brands or you can make your own.
Another recipe for the older crowd, this spiked gingerbread hot chocolate creation pairs the sweetness of chocolate with the spiciness of ginger. The end result is a one-two punch for your tastebuds. This recipe takes a bit longer to make (around thirty minutes) but is well worth the wait. Thrill your palate with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, berries, nutmeg, cocoa, milk, gingerbread syrup, ginger vodka (or spiced rum), and more.
This recipe cheats a bit, since it takes away the whole warm and cozy thing. Nonetheless, frozen hot chocolate is too delicious to omit. The entire concoction only takes about five minutes to throw together and uses ingredients that include chocolate, milk, chocolate syrup, cocoa packets, and whipped cream. Consider making it on one of Colorado’s warm winter days; we all know 70 degrees in December is within reach.
Sometimes, a simple cup of hot cocoa just doesn’t hit the spot. These recipes allow you to take your chocolate game to the next level. Cheers to cold nights and warm bellies.
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