Kahlua Hot Chocolate
Making hot chocolate from scratch is easier than you might think, and the best part is that you’re free to add whatever you want to it… like a hint of Kahlua after the kids have gone to bed! This cozy “adults only” drink is made by simply adding a splash of Kahlua to a piping pan of hot chocolate. Don’t forget some marshmallows slathered in salted caramel and a drizzle of melted chocolate for a festive experience.
Pumpkin Spice Mexican Hot Chocolate
Pumpkin is at its peak at this time of the year, and hot beverages that call for it can be found everywhere one turns. Using homemade pumpkin puree, Mexican chocolate, a few spices, and cajeta (dulce de leche), the result is as close to heaven as one gets in one sip.
Over the Top Hot Chocolate
This decadent hot chocolate has rightfully earned its name, as it is certainly not your average cup of chocolate caliente with marshmallows. Candy canes are added as stirring sticks and for their peppermint flavor, but you may need to use straws to be able to sip the steaming liquid beneath the white fluff. To finish it off, the marshmallow is burned with a torch for a dramatic golden effect, just like a crème brûlée. Enough said.
Spicy Peppermint Espresso-Infused Hot Chocolate
The copious amounts of espresso in this drink make it one of the finest warm weather beverages for anyone who needs a morning boost or a mid afternoon pick-me-up. The cayenne pepper’s heat, the peppermint’s freshness, and the marshmallow’s cloudy texture will warm your hands, settle your heart, and put your mind at ease.
Champurrado
Very few things are more traditional in Mexico during the holiday season than clay mugs filled with creamy champurrado. This chocolate masa beverage is usually enjoyed during the posadas celebrations next to a plate of tamales, or as a cozy breakfast drink accompanied by huevos rancheros.
Skinny Frozen Hot Chocolate
Do you think it’s impossible to avoid super high-calorie foods and drinks during the holidays? Do you also think hot chocolate has to be served…hot? Skinny Taste throws these misconceptions out the window with this frozen hot chocolate recipe. Turned figure-friendly with the help of skim milk and some intensely-flavored unsweetened cacao powder, you can even add a drop or two of peppermint or coconut extract for some extra fun.
Fancy-Ass Hot Chocolate
A Cozy Kitchen shares this easy recipe of real, luscious hot chocolate, inspired by the Peruvian chocolatada prepared on Christmas Eve by melting big chunks of chocolate in large pans of warm milk. Getting your hands on some good quality chocolate is the first and most important step when making this thick and rich hot chocolate. Add a few spices to the mix, some homemade marshmallows, and you’re in for a real treat.
Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate made in coconut milk, also known as chocolate en leche de coco, is a traditional Colombian beverage perfect for this time of the year. The recipe does call for real milk, to which coconut milk and coconut extract are added for an additional layer of delicious flavor. Recreate this South American comfort drink at home and surprise your family with this twist on the winter classic.
Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha
Salted caramel is a piping hot trend in the culinary world right now. The contrasting sweet and salty flavors blend synergistically into one mouthwatering package, turning whatever they touch into gold for your taste buds. Make your own rich homemade salted caramel mocha with this recipe, which claims to be as delicious (but cheaper and healthier) than the Starbucks version.
Chocolate de Agua (Non-dairy cacao)
If your budget or time are tight, and you find yourself with an almost empty pantry, you can still pull off a tasty hot chocolate made with cacao powder, a few spices and water. This non-dairy recipe originated as a breakfast or dinner budget drink. As Clara, from Dominican blog Aunt Clara’s Kitchen wisely puts it, “necessity is the mother of invention, and nowhere is this truer than in the kitchen.”
