Hot Chocolate
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Wrap your hands around a mug of indulgently rich hot chocolate—a splash of whiskey turns it into the ultimate grown-up treat for a chilly day.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Real hot chocolate—that is, made with actual chocolate instead of just a powdered mix—is truly a luxurious treat. It’s like sipping on a milk chocolate bar melted into liquid form. And if you spike it with whiskey, which I highly recommend, it’ll warm your bones from the inside out.
Sometimes, I give the recipe a Mexican twist by adding a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and replacing the whiskey with tequila. You can also omit the booze to make it kid-friendly—although, consider yourself warned: the kids won’t want to go back to the easy powdered cocoa mix after tasting this!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Hot Chocolate
- Whole Milk: Provides the base for the hot chocolate, contributing to its creamy texture and rich flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and creaminess, making the hot chocolate extra indulgent and smooth.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Sweetens the drink while adding a slight molasses flavor.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Enhances the chocolatey flavor, bringing a deep, intense chocolate note to the drink.
- Salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: Provides chocolatey richness and contributes to the luxurious texture and flavor of the hot chocolate.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle, aromatic flavor that complements the chocolate.
- Whiskey or Bourbon: Optional for adult versions, adds a warming, boozy kick and depth of flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium saucepan, add milk and cream.
Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
Whisk contents over high heat.
Bring to a simmer.
Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and vanilla.
Whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Ladle into mugs and top each drink with 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon (or the desired amount), if using, and whipped cream, if desired.
Enjoy!
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Boozy Hot Chocolate
Wrap your hands around a mug of indulgently rich hot chocolate—a splash of whiskey turns it into the ultimate grown-up treat for a chilly day.
Ingredients
For the Hot Chocolate
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch salt
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whiskey or bourbon, optional for serving (rum or tequila may be substituted)
For the Sweetened Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Hot Chocolate
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt over high heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and vanilla and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Ladle into mugs and top each drink with 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon, or the desired amount, and whipped cream, if desired.
For the Sweetened Whipped Cream
- In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream with a whisk until slightly thickened. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and continue whipping until cream holds its shape.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 511
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 112 mg
- Cholesterol: 61 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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OM Gosh! We have a local bakery near by. The kids and I go there for a special treat because their hot cocoa is the best. It should be for $5.50 per cup! This recipe is even better than our local bakery! I am so excited that we can make this “special treat” at home for a fraction of the cost. I used 1/4 Lindt (that was all I had) and 3/4 chocolate chips. I imagine it would be even better using the full amount of a high quality chocolate. So amazing! Thank you Jenn for another great recipe.
Wanting to make your hot chocolate recipe but I am the only one who will be drinking it. Was wondering if it could be cooled, refrigerated and reheated as needed, of would it be better to try and scale the recipe for one?
Hi Gary, I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be okay to refrigerate some of it and reheat. Hope you enjoy! 😊
Even better to make it spicy (ala Mexican hot chocolate) with some Mexican Chile Powder or some Chipotle powder! Just a small amount, but packs a wonderful flavor that blends so well with the chocolate! Yum