Nothing has us feeling more cozy or ready for the holidays than a warm cup of hot chocolate shared with friends and family. There’s just something so wonderful about the comforting, sweet treat that feels like it’s warming our souls right along with our bodies. Pair that with some soft blankets on a familiar couch and we could stay for hours!
We could seriously write a love letter to chocolate in all it’s forms (just check out our gourmet s’mores or our Piesgiving recipes); but today, we’re sharing our favorite tips to take your hot chocolate bar to the next level.
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The Star: Hot Chocolate
Great chocolate
It sounds simple because it is: the key to having great hot chocolate is starting with great chocolate. Things like toppings are a smart place to save money and get creative, but if you’re really dedicated to serving a hot chocolate that people remember, it has to start with the star ingredient.
We love using a quality milk chocolate for easy melting and incorporating, but everyone has their own preference. When selecting your chocolate, be considerate of any textures or flavors that might take away from your overall intended flavor and desired consistency. We typically keep our chocolate simple and use toppings to dress up each drink to our liking. When shopping, you may want to avoid chocolate with additions like nut or cookie pieces that would complicate your drink. Still want to branch out from plain chocolate flavor? Try some that’s mixed with peanut butter!
Toppings
Toppings for your hot chocolate are a hot chocolate bar essential. We like to get creative with some topping options and include them with traditional toppings to make sure there’s something for everyone. Our favorites are:
- Whipped cream
- Marshmallows (jumbo and mini!)
- Shortbread cookies
- Gingerbread men
- Giant candy canes (they can be found at Fresh Market and sometimes in the Wonder Shop at Target this time of year)
- Sprinkles
Hostful Hack No. 1: Make a list. Prior to shopping, make a complete list of meals, snacks, and beverages you plan to serve. From there, write down every ingredient or item you will need to fulfill that list. As you write them down, group like items together to make shopping a breeze. Finally, go through your pantry, refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets to check off the items you already have on hand. This will leave you with the only items you need to purchase.
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The Setup
Collect what you have on hand to help display everything for your hot chocolate bar in one convenient location. For example, Jenna has this wooden mug tree in her kitchen that doubles as a festive way to display her Christmas mugs without taking up a lot of valuable space. We also like to add extra height and dimension to the hot chocolate bar by using cake stands to display toppings. Our favorite conversation-starter cocktail napkins are these Christmas Linen Cocktail Napkins on a roll. So fun and so useful!
Hostful Hack No. 45: Maximize space. If you’re working with a small space, use existing furniture and structures to maximize your entertaining space. Dressers, consoles, and bookcases make for great self-service bars. Kitchen counters, peninsulas, and islands are perfect for buffet stations.
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What are your favorite ways to make hot chocolate? Do you have any less-traditional toppings you love?
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