There’s nothing quite like wrapping your hands around a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Christmas is the perfect time to snuggle down with the cosiest of drinks of all! To elevate your hot cocoa experience beyond the ordinary, I’ve collected a delicious roundup of homemade hot chocolate recipes that promise to blow any instant hot chocolate out of the water and add a touch of magic to the season. From classic favourites to innovative twists, these recipes are sure to make your winter evenings cosier and more flavourful.
Hot chocolate at Christmas is like a cosy hug in a mug. When you curl up on the sofa and see the twinkle of the Christmas lights, holding a mug of hot chocolate between your hands just brings an instant sense of warmth and contentedness.
For me, hot chocolate is a Christmas tradition to be enjoyed. It goes beyond adding water to a mug of instant powder and becomes something to experiment with, to enjoy making with your loved ones. In short, homemade hot chocolate brings an extra layer of happiness to the festive season.
That’s why I’ve rounded up 20 of the best homemade hot chocolate recipes so you can enjoy this warming treat this Christmas!
All recipes and images are shared with permission from the original author.
French Hot Chocolate
We’re starting of the homemade hot chocolate list strong. French hot chocolate is a rich and luxurious treat made with fresh cream. A sip of this is sure to transport you back to the streets of Paris. The one skips out on the cocoa powder opting to use real chocolate for an intense flavour.
This is definitely an indulgent treat and due to its thick texture it’s designed for sipping but it’s certainly worth trying. If you can’t be indulgent at Christmas then when can you?!
Full recipe over on grandbaby-cakes.com
Malted Milk Hot Chocolate
If you’re a true chocolate lover then this intense and velvety malted milk hot chocolate will be the one for you! Malted milk powder adds an extra layer of richness to really bring out the chocolate flavour.
Espresso powder is used in the original recipe which is something to keep in mind but this ingredient can be skipped if you’re making this for kids or you don’t want the caffeine.
Full recipe over on brunchandbatter.com
Starbucks White Hot Chocolate
Recreating the much-loved Starbucks white hot chocolate at home is super easy with this recipe. The best thing about it? The minimal ingredients! This recipe only uses three ingredients or two if you don’t want any toppings.
A batch of this is certainly cheaper to make than heading out to Starbucks every time you want a treat too! It’s one of the easiest homemade hot chocolate recipes to make.
Full recipe on whitekitchenredwine.com
Snowman Hot Chocolate Bombs
These snowman hot chocolate bombs are such a fun Christmas activity to make and the reward after is pretty good too! They’d be perfect on Christmas Eve!
While they do require a little bit more time and effort than some of the other recipes here, I think you’ll agree that they’re totally worth it for how cute they look. Just place the snowman hot chocolate bomb into a mug of warm milk and watch him melt.
Full recipe on courtneyssweets.com
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Name me a more festive flavour than peppermint. This hot chocolate immediately makes you think of candy canes. This recipe comes with different options too so it can be an adults-only drink or a family-friendly drink.
If you fancy a boozy adults-only homemade hot chocolate then you can use peppermint schnapps for an extra kick but if you prefer it to be family-friendly then peppermint extract will provide all the flavour you need.
Full recipe on littlesunnykitchen.com
Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
This spicy hot chocolate has flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne with a boozy kick from the Kahlua liquor. It’s definitely an adults-only drink but certainly one to try for something a bit different.
This is certainly a drink that will warm you up on a cold day with that little spicy kick. It’s perfect for holiday celebrations with your friends and family. Cayenne makes it one of the most unique homemade hot chocolate recipes on this list.
Full recipe on cusskitchen.com
Hot Fudge Sundae Hot Chocolate
If you want to go really extra with your hot chocolate then this is going to be the recipe for you. It’s made with melted vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce to give that authentic sundae flavour!
It’s definitely an indulgent recipe but then again, it’s meant to be. Combining a delicious dessert with hot chocolate is a genius idea. The vanilla ice cream will add an extra layer of creaminess and a sweet vanilla kick.
Full recipe on sweetrecipeas.com
Orange Hot Chocolate
This is another boozy offering but the recipe can be adapted. The orange flavour in this comes from Grand Marnier but if you don’t drink or you want to make it kid-friendly, just use orange flavouring instead.
Chocolate orange is a classic flavour combination that many people love and the use of the Grand Marnier really takes it up a notch in my opinion. If you really wanted the extra hit you can even add the Grand Marnier into whipping cream for a delicious topping.
Full recipe on ohsweetcultureshock.com
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Well isn’t this just one of the prettiest hot chocolates you’ve ever seen?! This homemade hot chocolate would be great for Valentine’s Day too but the red colouring does lend itself to Christmas as well.
This is essentially a white hot chocolate as that works better to get that vibrant red colour but I think you’ll agree, it does look amazing. As a festive hot chocolate, you could find some Christmas sprinkles for on top of this or even some edible glitter.
Full recipe on simplystacie.net
Oreo Hot Chocolate
Oreo hot chocolate is a fun flavour anyone can enjoy. This recipe calls for crushed Oreos so if you’ve got kids this is definitely something they’ll have fun with but if you’ve had a bad day it’s also great for a bit of stress relief bashing those biscuits!
Oreo just works so well in hot chocolate thanks to its already chocolatey and creamy flavours. Don’t forget to leave some of these crushed cookies for sprinkling over the cream at the end!
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Hand’s up if you’re a fan of Reese’s?! If that’s you then you’re bound to love this peanut butter homemade hot chocolate. The peanut butter melts right into the hot chocolate so it’s just like drinking a Reese’s peanut butter cup!
Most of the recipes here use real chocolate but this one is a traditional hot cocoa recipe as it uses cocoa powder so if you want to celebrate hot cocoa day the way it should be celebrated, give this recipe a go!
Full recipe on vibrantlygfree.com
White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate
We’ve had white chocolate hot chocolate, we’ve had peppermint hot chocolate and now it’s time to combine them both in this creamy, smooth recipe! This one doesn’t use alcohol but if you want to, I say go ahead, it’s Christmas after all!
Crushing a candy cane on top or adding white chocolate peppermint bark, really elevates this drink beyond your standard white hot chocolate. And it’s all about those extra little touches at this time of year.
Full recipe on thatlemonadelife.com
Blackberry Hot Chocolate
OK, so this might seem like an odd flavour combination in hot chocolate forn at first but it’s almost like a slightly more sophisticated version of Costa’s Blackforest Hot Chocolate.
This recipe calls for dark chocolate so it does have quite an intense flavour alongside the tartness of the blackberries but if you want a homemade hot chocolate drink that feels classy and grown up then there’s no better recipe than this one.
Full recipe on littlesugarsnaps.com
Unicorn Hot Chocolate
In stark contrast to the last recipe, we have this explosion of colour next. Don’t be fooled by its fun appearance though, this unicorn drink packs a punch and it’s definitely not child-friendly.
Hidden in this pink, blue, and purple delight is Creme de Cacao and Creme de Casis. It’s a hot chocolate and cocktail hybrid that is perfect for this time of year. It’s a very sweet offering with notes of white chocolate, cocoa of blackcurrants so only one for those with a very sweet tooth.
Full recipe on aspiringwinos.com
Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
We’ve had hot chocolates from France and Mexico and now it’s Italy’s turn! This is another hot chocolate/dessert hybrid due to how thick it is. This one does use cocoa powder rather than real chocolate.
This is a really velvety homemade hot chocolate option but it is very thick so it’s typically served in smaller portions and enjoyed as a dessert with some whipped cream.
Full recipe on vibrantlygfree.com
Elf on the Shelf White Hot Chocolate
This is perfect for making with your kids. It’s a super easy recipe so with some supervision due to the hot ingredients, your little ones should have some fun with this.
If you’re participating in Elf on the Shelf, this is a great hot chocolate to go along with it. Though if you are putting yourself through that this December, I highly recommend checking out one of the boozy hot chocolates for yourself!
Full recipe on sparklestosprinkles.com
Dark Hot Chocolate with Amaretto
The sweet almond flavour of this hot chocolate perfectly balances out the intense dark chocolate. The Amaretto can be replaced with almond extract but it won’t be quite the same.
Flaked almonds and a drizzle of chocolate sauce make for the perfect topping for this drink. The almonds and amaretto also make it feel a bit more sophisticated than the peanut butter hot chocolate I shared earlier. Though both are delicious!
Full recipe on thelittlestcrumb.com
Cereal Milk White Hot Chocolate
Don’t overthink this one, cereal milk white hot chocolate is exactly what it sounds like. The milk has been infused with cereal for that sweet flavour. If you’re someone who drinks leftover cereal milk then you’re going to love this!
You can use whatever cereal you want but do keep in mind this is a white hot chocolate so pick something that will go with that. This recipe does require the cereal to sit in the milk for around 30 minutes so a little planning may be needed.
Full recipe on sweetrecipeas.com
Spiked Baileys Hot Chocolate
Baileys hot chocolate is one of my favourite drinks at Christmas so I just had to include a recipe for it in the roundup. Pretty much any flavour of Baileys will work, but I always think the original is best.
The key to getting a good strong Baileys flavour is to add it in last once you’ve removed your hot chocolate from the heat as it stops the alcohol from evaporating. This is one homemade hot chocolate recipe that I’ll always return to.
Full recipe on marleysmenu.com
Grinch Hot Chocolate
We’re rounding off this list of homemade hot chocolate recipes with another family-friendly option and one that’s super fun for movie night! Just look at that vibrant green color!
Transport yourself to Whoville with this Grinch hot chocolate. This recipe is very rich and sweet as it’s made with condensed milk so I’d highly recommend serving this in small cups rather than huge mugs! Marshmallows and a mini candy cane perfectly finish this off.
Full recipe on onmykidsplate.com
Conclusion
These homemade hot chocolate recipes are perfect for any autumn and winter day but there’s just something extra special about hot chocolate at Christmas isn’t there? Polar Express didn’t have that hot chocolate scene for nothing!
With these hot chocolates you can have everything from a decadent dessert, a fun cocktail, an activity with the kids are a warming nightcap with a loved one. There’s a mix of traditional hot cocoa recipes made with cocoa powder as well as recipes made with real chocolate.
I hope you find a little mug of magic with one of these homemade hot chocolate recipes!
If these recipes have got you in the mood for more festive drink offerings then why not check out these 25 Christmas Cocktails?
Which of these homemade hot chocolate recipes would you like to try? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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