When I think of the holidays, hot chocolate is one of the first things that comes to mind. No matter where I am, if I have it in my hands, I’m picturing myself near a cozy fireplace, cuddled in a blanket and with a holiday movie playing in the background. One of my favorite things about this sweet drink is how customizable it can be to everyone’s preferences and tastebuds.
You can use any variety of chocolate and any amount of mix-ins, milk substitutions or sugar substitutions, and you will still get a great cup each time (as long as you don’t let it boil for too long). I personally recommend using semisweet dark chocolate because it will turn out the richest and not too sweet, but any chocolate you like will work! Here are just a few of my favorite customizations to the classic holiday hot chocolate.
- cinnamon
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Cinnamon pairs with chocolate so well that your tastebuds won’t even realize this popular spice is the reason they’re celebrating. It screams the holidays and seems to provide an extra depth of flavor to the chocolate that you can feel on the first and last sip. Because it also goes perfectly with coffee, you could also treat yourself to a cinnamon espresso hot chocolate. The opportunities are endless! Just make sure to mix it in thoroughly, so the powder doesn’t settle at the bottom.
Natalie Rodriguez / Spoon - sea salt caramel
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I don’t know about you, but sea salt caramel feels fancy to me. You can either add some spoons of caramel sauce or swirl in some caramel truffles into your chocolatey mixture. Just be sure to add sea salt into the mix as well, so you get that perfect balance of salty and sweet. And because presentation is key, drizzle some caramel and sprinkle sea salt on top of your whipped cream, and you’ll be transported into the inside of a Ghirardelli chocolate square in no time. (Bonus points if you add a piece of the salted caramel chocolate on top.)
- peppermint
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You can’t go through the holidays without having some form of peppermint. It’s the flavor of the season! If you’re using peppermint extract, an eighth to a quarter of a teaspoon can go a long way for a mugful. A way that’s a little slower, but you’re much more likely to have on deck during the holidays, is using candy canes. You can just crush them a bit and stir them into the mixture until they are completely melted. If you have a little less patience, you can always use a strainer. With some whipped cream and a candy cane on top, you have yourself a practically professional peppermint hot chocolate.
Even though there’s nothing wrong with a classic holiday hot chocolate, it could be fun to change it up from time to time. Customize it however you want, and it’s the holiday gift that keep’s on giving. Just have fun, put on a movie and sip away!