Hot Chocolate Recipes To Surprise Your Guests

When cold and windy afternoons start to strike it’s an immediate invitation to start doing indoor activities, such as rolling inside your bed with a hot beverage in hand and your favorite movie on the TV. But if you are more of a people’s person and like to have a few friends over on cold afternoons, you can ditch the traditional hot chocolate and surprise them with a few new recipe ideas that will keep them warm and coming for more. These recipes are super easy to make, and the results are beyond tasty, so get creative and try a new version of hot chocolate!

1. Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Peanut butter and chocolate have always been an iconic duo for our taste buds! Why not transforming it into a hot beverage to keep us warm? This version of hot chocolate is creamy, dairy-free, gluten-free and bursting with flavors. To make this hot chocolate you will need:

13 oz.can full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup almond milk
6 tbs bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbs granulated sugar or coconut sugar
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8tsp sea salt, optional

Start by adding the coconut milk, almond milk, chocolate, peanut butter, and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat whisking it until the mixture is smooth. Then add the cocoa powder, vanilla and optional salt, whisk until it is completely combined. Remove from heat, if you want a thick hot chocolate you can wait for about 5 minutes with the mixture covered or serve immediately. Enjoy in your favorite holiday mugs!

2. Red Velvet Hot Chocolate

Transform one of your favorite cake flavors into a hot chocolate to drink on cold nights! This recipe is not only really delicious to share with friends, but it also has a nice red shade that won’t make you believe you are having hot chocolate! To make the red velvet hot chocolate you will need:

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 ounce white chocolate sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red food coloring

First combine the milk, heavy whipping cream, chocolate chips, white chocolate sauce, and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, until the chocolate has melted, stirring occasionally when this has happened, had the red food coloring, you can use as much as you desire to get the exact shade you desire. Serve topped with cream cheese whipped cream and some candy cane bites or red sprinkles to give it a finishing touch!

3. Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Be ready to transform this pumpkin spice hot chocolate into your favorite autumn beverage! This recipe is not only incredibly creamy, but it has those strong flavors that transport us immediately to a landscape of orange and red falling leaves. To make this hot chocolate you will need:

1 cup of milk (any kind you like.)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips milk, dark, or semi-sweet
1/4 cocoa powder
1 tbs pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves

Start by heating the heavy cream, chocolate chips and cocoa powder in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second intervals until they have melted. Proceed to add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, ginger, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and whisk until fully combined. if you want you can avoid any of the spices or add some of your own choosing. Re-heat if necessary and top it with whipped cream and grated chocolate before enjoying!

4. Raspberry White Hot Chocolate

If you have never heard of pink chocolate, this is your chance to make your own! This recipe is one of those you can enjoy all year round because its taste is so fresh and fruity it will make you feel whimsical. To make this you will need:

12 oz raspberries fresh or defrosted from frozen
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup cream
6 oz white chocolate finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

The first step consists of sprinkling the sugar on the raspberries, let it sit for about 15 minutes until they soften and release juices. Blend the raspberries and pour the puree through a strainer. Now combine the milk and cream in a saucepan until simmer, remove from heat and add the chopped white chocolate, whisking it until fully melted. Proceed to add the berry puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Serve immediately and make extra because you will want more later!

5. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Adding caramel sauce to our hot chocolate might sound like an idea that will send you directly into a diabetic coma because of the sweetness of these two ingredients, but adding salted caramel sauce to your traditional hot chocolate will change the way you see this traditional beverage forever! To make this awesome creation start by getting the following ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp lemon juice fresh
4 1/2 cups milk room temperature
8 oz milk chocolate finely chopped
2 oz dark chocolate finely chopped
Big pinch salt
Whipped cream and salted caramel sauce to garnish, optional

To make this hot chocolate start by rubbing together the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar is damp and fragrant. Add the sugar to a hot saucepan and stir constantly until it gets and amber color. Steam the milk into the sugar but don’t stop stirring, don’t let the milk boil. Then add the chopped chocolate and mix until its melted. Proceed to add the salt and taste it to check if it needs more salt before serving. Decorate with whipped cream and a bit more of salted caramel sauce if you want too!

6. Cookies And Cream Hot Chocolate

Just like the ice cream flavor, this hot chocolate recipe with a twist is savory and will keep you warm in the cold weather. Mixing pieces of crushed Oreos to your hot beverage gives you a little bit more of texture your taste buds will surely enjoy. To make this recipe you will need:

2 cups nonfat milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 finely crushed Oreos
Whipped cream optional

Start by adding the milk, cocoa powder, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat, whisk until smooth and uniform color. Add the crushed Oreo cookies, that you have previously crushed with a food processor, and stir until they have partially dissolved, or if you want them you could mix until they completely dissolve. Before serving top with whipped cream and more crushed Oreos.