Perfect Your Cocoa: How to Make Hot Chocolate Bliss

When it's time to get cozy, a fuzzy blanket, some candles or twinkle lights, and a soothing hot beverage are in order. While it’s hard to beat a cup of tea, sometimes you want something a little more decadent. Why not fix up a rich mug of hot chocolate to settle in with? While you may think there’s only one good way to stir up some cocoa bliss, our Comfort Cocoa can be used to mix up several different creative drinks to cuddle up with. Let's talk about how to make hot chocolate.

Make It Traditional

It's classic. Heat up 8 ounces of your choice of milk, mix in 2 tablespoons of cocoa, and top liberally with marshmallows. Perfection. Though after ten years of being a barista, I can’t help but play with flavors and toppings. My favorite is a tower of whipped cream, mini marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips.

If you like flavored hot chocolate, you could add extracts or syrups; mint, vanilla, and hazelnut are especially nice. Mixing in malted milk powder brings in an old ice cream shoppe charm. Even adding a pinch of salt will bring out some savory, salty-sweet undertones of the chocolate. Try mixing up your favorite chocolate combination or keep it pure. Either way, you get a happy mug of hot cocoa.

Make It Spicy

The traditional way isn’t the only way to make hot chocolate. If you like a little spice with your sweet, try mixing up your own Mexican hot chocolate! A dash of vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon and chili powder, with the option of sprinkling in some cayenne for some real heat, makes a homemade Mexican treat. This drink is earthy and spicy, which pairs so well with a good cocoa.

Make It Boozy

Take this childhood treat and make it grown-up with a splash of your favorite liquor. Whiskey, Irish cream, Kahlua, Rumchata, Amaretto, and mint schnapps are all wonderful flavors to stir into your cocoa for a little extra cheer. You could even infuse some homemade whipped cream with a complimentary flavor or liquor. Turn the fireplace on (or maybe a fireplace video like our Tea Lover's Yule Log) and get real cozy with it.

Make It Teatime

While the chocolate in cocoa does have a small amount of caffeine, hot chocolate is generally thought of as a decaf option. You can fix that, though. Just make a cup of tea. I suggest our creamy earl grey Mindful Morning or floral and spiced Portland Rose City Chai, and mix one to two tablespoons of Comfort Cocoa in for a unique twist on hot chocolate. If you prefer to keep your cocoa caffeine-free, you can still enjoy a chocolaty tea with an herbal blend with spice like Vanilla Sugar Cookie. You could also make it an anti-inflammatory chocolate golden latte by making it with our Golden Cacao herbal tea and some frothy milk.

Make It Vegan

Exciting news: Our Comfort Cocoa is vegan! Pair it with your favorite milk alternative, and you have a mug of chocolaty comfort that won't feel like it’s missing out. You can even go all out and make coconut whipped cream to dollop on top.

Make It Baked

Cocoa isn’t just for drinking. Did you know you could use hot chocolate for baking? These hot chocolate brownies are richly decadent and vegan! Pair with your cocoa of choice or favorite cup of chocolate tea for that extra cozy feeling.

Make It Dalgona

Dalgona coffee, or whipped coffee, has been all the rage. Starting in South Korea and spreading across the internet, this trendy drink whips instant coffee into a foamy topping for iced coffee or milk. This phenomenon isn’t limited to just coffee, though. Whipping can be done with powdered tea, such as matcha or golden latte powder, or hot chocolate for a coffee-free, blissful drink that’s fun to make.
If you are craving a fancy café style beverage, you could use whipped cocoa as a topping for iced coffee to make a mocha or use it to make a tea latte. This recipe can be stored in the fridge for a few days, so feel free to batch it and save some for later (or share, if you’re feeling nice).

Whatever your cocoa of choice is, I wish you many cozy moments.