We are just a few days away from the official first day of winter, which means it is perfectly acceptable to drink hot cocoa on a semi-regular (okay daily) basis. And while it's tempting to go to Starbucks and order their Peppermint Mocha almost every day, we're pretty sure our wallets wouldn't be too happy about that. Luckily, it's pretty easy to make that sweet drink right at home; all you need is a box of hot cocoa packets, hot water (or milk), and a microwave.
That said, sometimes microwave hot chocolate can be, well, kind of sad. Those mini marshmallows that come in the boxes are pretty tiny – they're even smaller than the 'mallows inside Lucky Charms! But thanks to the glorious corners of the Internet, there are some pretty genius ideas about how to spruce up your hot cocoa at home. Here are seven hacks that will make you feel like your kitchen is a gourmet café.
1. Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
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If Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are your favorite Halloween candy (and, let’s be real, who doesn’t love them), the obvious thing to do is spoon peanut butter into your hot cocoa right before putting it in the microwave. The blog One Sweet Mess has a perfect recipe – just substitute the microwave for the stovetop.
2. S’mores Hot Chocolate
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What’s better than hot chocolate with marshmallows? Hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows and graham crackers – obviously. You can toast your ‘mallows right in the microwave and then crush in graham crackers – or, if you’re really going all out, you can dip your mug in them to make a pretty rim. Check out this recipe at Minimalist Baker.
3. Oversized ‘Mallows
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Let’s be real – traditional marshmallows are just too small. If you’re serious about your hot cocoa game, you’ll pull out the big guns. Check out SmashMallow – they offer oversized marshmallows in unique flavors like strawberries & cream, espresso, and mint chocolate chip.
4. Nutella Hot Chocolate
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For Nutella addicts, simply add a tablespoon of Nutella to your mug right after removing from the microwave. You might want to reduce the amount of hot cocoa powder you use — or not, if you believe that there’s no such thing as too much chocolate.
5. Mexican Hot Chocolate
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If you like a little kick in your food (or if you have a cold you can’t shake), this is the perfect addition. Follow the directions on your microwave hot chocolate packages, but also stir in 1 tsp of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
6. Extra Creamy Hot Chocolate
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Have you ever made brownies and thought, “Hmm, maybe I should just drink the brownie batter?” Well, this recipe from Craving Chronicles allows you to literally make liquid brownies in the microwave. You’re welcome.
7. Peppermint Hot Cocoa
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Nothing goes together like mint and chocolate — it might be a better pairing than peanut butter and jelly, if we dare say so ourselves. A dash of peppermint extract is an easy way to get the flavor, but if you want to pull out all the stops, check out Gimme Some Oven’s recipe for Peppermint White Hot Chocolate. Although her recipe is geared towards the stovetop, she has directions for doing it in the microwave — and it’s easy as pie.
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