14 Easy Ways to Add a Kick to Your Traditional Hot Chocolate
Winter is coming, and you know what that means: so many opportunities to drink hot chocolate.
Chocolate in pretty much any form is delicious, and when you can drink it warm on a cold day, there's not much that can top it. Cocoa-drinking can always get better, though, so we encourage you to try out hot chocolate hacks to create your ultimate mugful. You can start with a cocoa packet or from scratch—whichever you prefer—and you can mix and match ideas from the list below.
Hopefully you're ready, because life is about to get sweeter.
Just Add Marshmallows
Small or large, marshmallows make a perfect addition. You can drop them straight into your mug, or, if you're feeling extra fancy, pop them on a tray and put them in your toaster oven for two to three minutes. Remember to watch them so they don't start to burn.
Dip Oreos
Milk and Oreos go together, and so do Oreos and hot cocoa. Dip and enjoy.
Stir With a Candy Cane
Add a little peppermint flavor by using a candy cane to stir your hot chocolate. You can eat the candy as you drink your mug of cocoa. Yum.
Add Whipped Cream
If you like extra-creamy cocoa, top your cup with some whipped cream. You can buy it in different flavors and get even more adventurous.
Pour in Some Creamer
Creamer is usually for coffee drinkers, but you can put it in hot chocolate, too. Like whipped cream, it comes in different flavors. So many options!
Add Ice Cream
Ice cream can also make a beverage creamier. As a bonus, it'll cool your drink if it's too hot.
Sprinkle in Some Cinnamon
A pinch of cinnamon can go a long way. Add the spice to your taste.
Dip Churros
Be like a Spaniard and dip churros in your hot chocolate. The treats go so well together.
Mix in Nutella
If you want a little hazelnut flavor, melt some Nutella in the microwave and then add it to your cocoa. It'll probably take some trial and error to figure out just the right amount for you, but try starting with a spoonful.
Add Peanut Butter
You can make cocoa peanut butter-flavored, too. Like with Nutella, you can take a spoonful, melt it in the microwave, and then stir it into a cup of hot chocolate.
Dip a Donut
Donuts and hot chocolate are delicious separately and together. You can dip pretty much any donut into a cup of cocoa and expect to enjoy it.
Use Pirouline as a Straw
Bite both ends off of a Pirouline, and the rolled wafer cookie becomes a straw. And it adds extra deliciousness when you sip your hot cocoa through it.
Dunk Graham Crackers
Graham crackers are another good dipping option. Their flavor works well with chocolate, and they get an interesting texture when you dip them.
Spice It Up—Literally
If you really want your drink to have a little kick, try adding cayenne pepper. Sprinkle in just a little at a time, though, because you don't want it to get so spicy that it's unpleasant.
There's a lot you can do with hot chocolate. Click HERE to see some mouthwatering cocoa recipes.