Hot Cocoa Bar Ideas for the Holiday Season

Hot Cocoa Bar

There’s nothing cozier than enjoying a warm cup of hot cocoa during the holiday season. And during this merry time of gathering with friends and family, why not spread the cheer with a hot chocolate bar for your guests to enjoy. Luckily, with a bit of planning, you can easily put together a delectable spread for guests of all ages to enjoy.

What You’ll Need

Putting together a hot cocoa bar is simple. The essentials include:

• Mugs or cups
• Cocoa mix or recipe
• Toppings
• Treats to pair with hot chocolate

More Hot Chocolate Toppings

Hot chocolate isn’t complete without including delicious toppings to pair with it. When putting together a hot cocoa bar, it’s important to provide a variety of options for different tastes and palates—the more the merrier. The best way is to offer both sweet and savory toppings allowing your guests to customize their perfect cup of cocoa.

Tasty toppings for your hot cocoa bar could include:

• Candy canes or peppermint sticks
• Marshmallows
• Sprinkles
• Coarse sea salt
• Whipped cream
• Mini chocolate chips
• Cinnamon or cinnamon sticks
• Shortbread or rolled wafer cookies
• Shaved chocolate
• Caramel and/or chocolate syrup
• Coconut flakes

Our Favorite Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipes

How to Make Cocoa from a Chocolate Bar

Did you know you can make delicious homemade hot cocoa mix with a chocolate bar? Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 chocolate bar (dark or milk chocolate)
• 1 cup milk of your choice
• Optional: sugar, cinnamon or salt

To make a quick, homemade hot cocoa by melting a chocolate bar:

1. Break or cut chocolate bar into small pieces. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm milk until it’s hot but not bubbling.
3. Remove milk from heat and add chocolate pieces to saucepan. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
4. Optional: If you’d like to add extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon, sugar or salt to the mixture.
5. Pour into mug or cup. Add toppings if desired and serve immediately.

Holiday Treats to Pair with Your Hot Chocolate

It’s not a party without snacks. Pair your hot cocoa bar with a medley of cheerful desserts, like a salted caramel or peanut butter fudge — or dunkable salted caramel turtle cookies.

More Holiday Inspiration

Need more help planning for the holidays? Check out our other articles on holiday inspiration and shopping opportunities to make the season merry and bright.