14 Easy Ways to Add a Kick to Your Traditional Hot Chocolate

Winter is coming, and you know what that means: so many opportunities to drink hot chocolate.

Chocolate in pretty much any form is delicious, and when you can drink it warm on a cold day, there's not much that can top it. Cocoa-drinking can always get better, though, so we encourage you to try out hot chocolate hacks to create your ultimate mugful. You can start with a cocoa packet or from scratch—whichever you prefer—and you can mix and match ideas from the list below.

Hopefully you're ready, because life is about to get sweeter.

Just Add Marshmallows

Small or large, marshmallows make a perfect addition. You can drop them straight into your mug, or, if you're feeling extra fancy, pop them on a tray and put them in your toaster oven for two to three minutes. Remember to watch them so they don't start to burn.

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Dip Cookies

Milk and cookies are the ultimate combination, as do cookies and hot cocoa. Just grab your favorite brand, dip and enjoy.

 

Stir With a Candy Cane

Add a little peppermint flavor to your beverage by using a candy cane to stir your hot chocolate. You can even eat the candy as you drink your mug of cocoa. Yum!

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Add Whipped Cream

If you like extra-creamy cocoa, top your cup with some whipped cream. You can buy it in different flavors to get even more adventurous. Whether you like taste it as you sip or mix it all up is up to your personal tastes.

 

Also read about: 7 Minty Recipes for a Fresh January Start

 

Pour in Some Coffee Creamer

Creamer is usually for coffee drinkers, but you can put it in hot chocolate, too. Like whipped cream, it comes in different flavors, from salted caramel and mocha to mint, French vanilla and so much more. These days, the options truly are endless.

 

Add Ice Cream

Ice cream can also make a beverage creamier. As a bonus, it'll cool your drink if you usually don't like your hot chocolate to be too hot, and different flavors can also add more fun to your drink.

 

Sprinkle in Some Cinnamon

A pinch of cinnamon can go a long way to make your cozy winter hot chocolate even more warming and soothing.

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Dip Churros

Do as the Spanish do and try dipping churros in your hot chocolate. The treats go so well together, combining the rich chocolate of your drink with the tasty cinnamon sugar of churros.

 

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Mix in Nutella

If you want a little hazelnut flavor, melt some Nutella in the microwave and then add it to your cocoa. It'll probably take some trial and error to figure out just the right amount for you, but try starting with a spoonful.

 

Add Peanut Butter

You can make cocoa peanut butter-flavored, too. Like with Nutella, you can take a spoonful, melt it in the microwave, and then stir it into a cup of hot chocolate.

 

Dip a Donut

Donuts and hot chocolate are delicious separately and together. You can dip pretty much any donut into a cup of cocoa and it'll be delicious.

 

Use a Rolled Wafer Cookie as a Straw

Bite both ends off of a rolled wafer cookie and it transforms into a straw. This also  adds extra deliciousness when you sip your hot cocoa through it.

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Also read about: 6 Ways to Feel Productive While You're on Winter Break

 

Dunk Graham Crackers

Graham crackers are another good dipping option. Their flavor works well with chocolate, and they get an interesting texture when you dip them.

 

Spice It Up—Literally

If you really want your drink to have a little kick, try adding cayenne pepper. Sprinkle in just a little at a time, though, because you don't want it to get so spicy that it's unpleasant.

 

There's a lot you can do with hot chocolate. Click HERE to see some mouthwatering cocoa recipes.