I’m a big fan of hot cocoa (AKA hot chocolate) regardless of the season! My feeling is that if a chocolate bar is delicious, then a mug of hot melted chocolate is just as tasty (if not more so)! While I garnished this hot cocoa recipe for Valentine’s Day, it also would make a thoughtful drink to serve on Mother’s Day, or on a birthday! Or any day, really, because there’s no need to have any specific reason to drink this delicious Chocolate Cherry Hot Cocoa!
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When making hot cocoa from scratch, you need to be careful heating up the milk. Even if you’re in a rush, don’t be tempted to put the burner on high. Milk boils over really easily, and you’ll quickly have a big mess on your hands!
I chose to serve my chocolate cherry hot cocoa in a cute heart mug! While I don’t remember where I got the mug pictured here, there are a lot of really cute heart-themed mugs on Amazon!
Yields: 2 large mugs
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
Whipped cream, maraschino cherries, heart sprinkles, and chocolate shavings to garnish
1. In a medium sauce pan, add the milk, cocoa powder and sugar. Warm the milk under low/medium heat and whisk occasionally until the cocoa becomes smooth and blended with the milk (4-5 minutes).
2. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla and maraschino cherry juice. Stir continuously over low/medium heat until the chocolate chips are completely melted.
3. Increase heat to medium until a slow simmer forms (do not let it boil).
4. Turn the heat to low. Taste, keeping in mind that you’ll be adding whipped cream at the end. If the cocoa isn’t sweet enough, add more sugar a teaspoon at a time until you reach the sweetness level you prefer.
5. Pour into 2 large mugs. Garnish with whipped cream and 2 cherries. Add heart sprinkles and chocolate shavings (to make the shavings, I used a vegetable peeler and shaved off chocolate from a chocolate bar).
Enjoy your chocolate cherry hot cocoa!
What’s your favorite flavor of hot cocoa?