Everybody knows that hot cocoa is basically the best thing ever, especially when you are feeling chilly and need something to warm you up.
But let's try something different here. Let's go even more rich and decadent.
How, you ask? Enter "sipping chocolate," also known as drinking chocolate, which is a little less sweet than the powdered stuff but much thicker, because real melted chocolate is used in it. And the best part? It's actually a lot easier to make than you might think, since you just need to melt a bunch of stuff over the stove.
Swap out your hot cocoa for rich, luxurious sipping chocolate. You won't regret it!
1. Quick and Easy Drinking Chocolate
This might be the easiest recipe ever that you can make just about any time. Plus, you can change up the flavor on this one however you want, whether you are a French vanilla lover or a pumpkin spice fiend.
2. Spiced Sipping Chocolate
With honey, dark chocolate, cinnamon, chili powder and a little bit of orange zest to give that extra pop of flavor, we can't imagine ever turning down this powerful, rich masterpiece.
3. Lavender Drinking Chocolate
This recipe calls for super-dark raw chocolate, but use whatever you fancy. The floral lavender aroma will dance the tango on your tongue with the slightly bitter, heavy chocolate. Want to go the extra mile? Plop a couple of homemade marshmallows on top.
4. Vegan Mayan Drinking Chocolate
With subtle spices and the ultimate thick creaminess of coconut milk, we predict that you will fall in love with this "I didn't know it was vegan" delight.
5. Vegan Peppermint Drinking Chocolate
If mint is more your thing, consider swapping out those spices for a few drops of peppermint extract, or even just melting in a bit of crushed peppermint candy.
6. Caramelized White Hot Chocolate
Ok, this one is not technically drinking chocolate, but the rich, nutty, butterscotch flavors you'll taste are so delicious that we don't think you'll be too mad, especially because you can go easy on the liquids and heavy on the white chocolate to mimic the dark-chocolate type.
7. Salted Sipping Caramel with Mezcal
Another hybrid here. In the event that you want something like drinking chocolate but not quite chocolate, we've got you covered. This incredible sipping salted caramel will hit the spot, complete with an optional adult addition of smoky Mezcal to cut through a little bit of the richness. P.S. Bourbon would be awesome here, too, if you can't get your hands on Mezcal.
8. Nutella Hot Chocolate
Yes, this IS what dreams are made of. Feel free to go easy on the milk and sugar, and add them in gradually, to taste, in order to achieve the perfect sipping chocolate effect.