Hot chocolate is a rainy day watching movies with your family, a moment of warming up in between your trips sledding down the hill, or even a rare, quiet moment in the hustle of daily life. It finds its way into small moments in the day that are fondly remembered, encompassing happiness in each sip. Creamy, sweet, and smothered in whipped cream, syrups, and spices—no other drink brings warmth quite like hot chocolate. This National Hot Chocolate Day, cozy up with your favorite mug filled with comforting hot chocolate.
For those on-the-go, an order at your local coffee shop is a great way to recognize the day. But if you have some spare time, why not experiment with recipes at home to delve into the many tastebud-wowing possibilities that come from a sip of hot cocoa? Grab the chocolate milk and marshmallows, because it’s time to sample—the perfect excuse to drink lots of hot chocolate.
The most obvious way to experiment is with your toppings. Add peanut butter or a scoop of hazelnut spread on top. Some odds and ends of leftover candy can be piled on top of whipped cream. Of course, rainbow sprinkles are always a fun addition. But while a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a dash of cinnamon will have you wishing for a quick refill, don’t forget to get creative with what you add to your milk, too. While you might sneak a shot of espresso into that first mug, don’t stop there! Mulled Hot Chocolate brings allspice, orange peels, and cinnamon to your mug, with additional flavor coming from the extra chocolate and vanilla stirred in, or bring even more flair to your hot chocolate by adding cardamom, a simple addition with huge results.
As your drink heats up, to make the national day more of an event at your home, make your own cocoa toppings. Whipped cream and marshmallows are easy to enough to make once you have your ingredients gathered. Marshmallows are a simple combination of gelatin, vanilla, sugar, and corn syrup, filling your mug with hundreds of mini marshmallows or plopping in a marshmallow bigger than your palm. Whipped cream is just whipping cream beaten into stiff peaks with sugar that completes any dessert or hot drink. (For chocolate lovers, why not place a dollop of this chocolate whipped cream on your hot chocolate?)
With all these options, you have to celebrate all day long! This National Hot Chocolate Day, sip on a mug full of hot chocolate made with real milk.
