.png)
How To Build The Ultimate Hot Cocoa Bar
Create a crowd pleasing hot cocoa bar for the holiday season with these sixteen creative, easy, and most importantly, delicious ingredients!
Why build a hot cocoa bar?
It seems hot cocoa bars have been on trend for the past five or six years and it's easy to see why. Hot cocoa, with it's rich aroma and silky texture, is warm and comforting. It is luxurious sweet, and right from that very first sip, it evokes a sense of cozy contentedness that seeps into your soul.
If cozy contentedness strikes a chord in you, you might like this post:
The best thing about a Hot Cocoa Bar
is that it's super easy to assemble. I like to keep my hot cocoa bar set up on my counter throughout the entire season so that it's always ready for last minute guests. And well, quite honestly, for a sweet treat for me whenever I feel in the mood!
But also,
A hot cocoa bar is perfect for a no stress Christmas party!
You don't need to be the "hostess with the mostest" to build and host a fabulous hot cocoa bar themed get-together. You just need a good quality hot cocoa, a collection of mugs, and a few delicious ingredients. Assemble them together in a central location (like your kitchen island or dining table) and add in a few seasonal decor items to make it extra festive, and requires very little effort. Hit play on your favorite Christmas music playlist and viola! Instant party!
At the end of this post I've included a link
and pic of a few of my other Christmas favorites such as;
my recipe for Toblerone Shortbread;
my all-time favorite Christmas tree;
and my list of 24 ideas for a nostalgic Christmas.
How do you make a great hot cocoa bar?
Well, you start with the basics.
1. Hot Cocoa mix.
I keep a glass mason jar of pre-made hot chocolate mix in my cocoa bar. While nothing compares to making hot cocoa from scratch, a pre-mixed powder is so convenient to have on hand for last minute cravings.
2. Mini marshmallows.
These are a staple. What kid, young or old, doesn't like the delicious, melty texture of marshmallows when sipping a cup of sweet cocoa?
3. Whip cream.
During the winter months, I always have a can of whip cream on hand for the days I have a hankering for this sweet drink. It wouldn't be the same without it!
Now here's where we get creative!
Indulgent Hot Chocolate
4. Crushed candy cane.
Adding in a heaping spoonful of crushed candy cane gives you instant peppermint cocoa.
5. Mini Chocolate chips.
What's better than chocolate? More chocolate!
6. Cinnamon.
A little cinnamon goes a long way to adding decadent flavour!
7. Cayenne.
Just a pinch or two. So delicious!
8. Salted caramel sauce.
This is my favorite hot cocoa ingredient. I use a home-made sauce my mom and I make together. The absolute best!
9. Chocolate sauce.
Again, what's better than chocolate and more chocolate? Even more chocolate!
10. Toasted coconut.
Toasted coconut looks so pretty sprinkled on top of whipped cream. And let's be honest here, the visual experience is almost as good as the tasting experience when it comes to indulgent hot chocolate.
11. Sweetened condensed milk.
My friends, I eat this right out of the can. It's sooooo good! Adding it to your chocolaty drink will instantly elevate it to epic proportions!
12. Maple syrup.
Real maple syrup, folks. Not the artificial stuff you pour over pancakes.
13. Pure vanilla.
Simple, but delicious!
14. Pinch of salt.
Salt brings out the flavour of any food. Cocoa too!
15. Baileys.
Because, BAILEYS!!!!!
16. Kahlua.
This coffee based liqueur will pare perfectly with your hot chocolate!
I opted to transfer my ingredients to glass jars and containers. That way, you can see all the toppings and spices at first glance. Plus, it just looks so pretty! And while I love the look of tiered serving platters for display purposes, I keep mine set up on my counter underneath the upper cabinets on a large, flat tray. I've added in my collection of mismatched Christmas mugs and I love the eclectic look they lend. It's pretty and practical and perfectly suited to a very Hygge Christmas experience!
On a personal note;
A few years ago I had a conversation with a good friend, about creating the kind of atmosphere in my home, that would make people want to curl up on my couch, settle in, and feel completely relaxed and welcomed. I shared with her about how I wanted my home to be the kind of place where folks could find a way to unload their burdens and find rest in body and in spirit. I remember saying to her,
"I want my home to feel like a mug of hot chocolate."
She looked at me rather quizzically, and I admit, after I said the words, it seemed rather silly. I wasn't even sure what I meant.
Now though, a few years older and a few years wiser, it makes perfect sense to me. And that is just what I desire my home to be for everyone who steps through it's doors.
Read this post - Top 10 Favorite Hygge Essentials (For A Cozier Home)
Be sure to check out this post for the ultimate list of hygge movies to watch while you're drinking your perfect cup of hot cocoa!
And as promised, here are the links and sneak peaks of some of other Christmas favorites!
My all-time favorite Christmas tree!
And as always, Beloved,
Stay holy;
Stay hygge.
Love,
Melinda
And here's a little bonus for you! You can download this Advent Calendar for 24 creative ways to celebrate advent this year!
