In the colder months, large puffy coats, scarves and fuzzy gloves emerge. However, sometimes even all these layers aren’t enough to bring warmth back into your body. That’s when you need a hot beverage to warm you up from the inside out. One of the tastiest cold-weather drinks is hot chocolate. Though it is a classic, hot chocolate doesn’t have to be the same ol’ milk and chocolate anymore. It has the potential to be so much more.
There are many delicious, inventive hot chocolate varieties. Here’s a list of the five best recipes I have tried out.
For when you’re feeling calm…
Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
The months of October and November bring everything pumpkin-flavored, so might as well try a little pumpkin in your
hot chocolate.
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/8 tsp ginger
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream
Instructions:
Warm milk in a saucepan over the stove and stir in pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Top the hot chocolate with whipped cream and nutmeg at your discretion.
For when you’re feeling bold…
Frozen Hot Chocolate
Why have frozen hot chocolate in winter? Because it’s good, that’s why. Even though there is cool air outside and you can stay inside, bundle up in some blankets and try a cup of the best frozen hot chocolate.
Ingredients:
6 oz chopped semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups whole milk
1 Tbsp and 1 tsp of powdered hot chocolate mix
3 Tbsp sugar
6 cups ice cubes
Whipped cream
Instructions:
Warm 1/4 milk and chocolate chips until chocolate is melted. Add and stir hot chocolate mix and sugar. Pour 1/2 cup of milk, stir and let cool to room temperature. Pour cooled chocolate mixture into a blender and add the remaining milk and ice cubes. Top with whipped cream.
For when you’re feeling adventurous…
White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Plain milk chocolate hot chocolate can get a bit boring. Change things up and add a bit of mint to your hot chocolate.
Ingredients:
4 cups of milk
8 oz white chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Whipped cream
Crushed peppermints
Instructions:
Warm milk in a saucepan over the stove and stir in the white chocolate chips until melted. Remove the mixture from the stove and put in vanilla and peppermint extract. Top it with whipped cream and crushed peppermints.
For when you’re feeling like a kid…
Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate
Cookies-and-cream anything has to be one of the best flavor combinations. Take the flavors and add them to your steaming cup of hot chocolate.
Ingredients:
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of hot chocolate powder
4 to 5 Oreos
Whipped cream
Instructions:
Warm milk in a saucepan over the stove and add in hot chocolate powder. Grind the Oreos up in a food processor or blender and add them to the warm milk mixture. Top with whipped cream and crushed Oreos.
For when you’re feeling nostalgic…
The Original Homemade Hot Chocolate
Different flavors of hot chocolates can be great, but there is nothing quite like the original. But instead of using a typical, plain hot chocolate mix, make your own. This way, you still make something warm and wonderful, but you keep it simple.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/8 tsp salt
Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients. Stir the mixture into hot water or milk and you are done. Sweet and simple.