When it’s chilly outside it’s time to set up our Hot Cocoa Bar with all the fixings of a delicious warm drink and sweet treats to go with. Candy canes, fudge sauce, assorted candy, mini marshmallows, whipped topping and more fill our hot chocolate station.
Who can resist a piping hot mug of hot chocolate? I certainly can’t! Garnish with your favorite toppings and you’re all set.
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Hot Cocoa Bar
A candy cane stirrer will turn a simple cup of hot cocoa into a gourmet peppermint mocha hot chocolate.
Add the crowing glory of whipped topping and sprinkle with M&M’s, assorted candy, fudge sauce, caramel sauce, sprinkles, the choices are endless.
A chocolate covered spoon for stirring adds a festive touch.
You can personalize your hot chocolate bar with the toppings that you love most and add cookies and other sweet treats to go with.
And even add a shot of my Homemade Peppermint Vodka and make a peppermint hot chocolate.
Of course, I love to add a shot of my favorite whiskey and make a Bourbon hot cocoa!
Add a shot of your favorite liquor and make it a boozy beverage!
You'll want to make a cup of hot cocoa coffee too!
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Set it up with assorted jars and bowls on a tray or tiered tray. and pretty mugs for everyone. It’s time to get toasty warm!
I’ve linked up with two of my favorite blogging friends for a progressive holiday menu!
Start your festivities with a Baked Brie With Jam from Kristin at Dizzy Busy and Hungry.
Move on to the main event with a Grilled Prime Rib Roast courtesy of Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks.
And, of course, my Hot Cocoa Bar will be your sweet treat at the end of the day!
It's going to be a delicious holiday dinner at your house this year!
I make commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Be sure to visit the Swirls of Flavor Amazon Storefront for GG's personal kitchen recommendations!
Hot Cocoa FAQ's
What is needed for a hot chocolate bar?
Your hot chocolate bar should include hot chocolate mix, hot water or milk, a thermos for keeping the hot water warm, assorted toppings, mugs or paper cups, spoons or stirrers.
Is there a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?
Typically hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder and hot chocolate is a drink made from cocoa beans. Even though these two drinks are different, the names hot cocoa and hot chocolate are used interchangeably.
Is it better to use milk or water in hot chocolate?
Whole milk will give your hot chocolate more creaminess and richness than water. Low-fat and nonfat milk can also be used.
If you want a thicker richer hot chocolate, make your hot cocoa with half and half. .
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Serve your favorite store bought or homemade hot cocoa mix
- Make a slow cooker hot chocolate recipe
- Flavor your hot cocoa with gingerbread syrup
- Make it boozy and add a jigger of whiskey, Baileys, Peppermint Schnapps or Peppermint Vodka
- Garnish with your favorite hot chocolate toppings
- Add chocolate-covered spoons for stirring
- Serve hot water in a carafe to add to a hot chocolate mix
- Use to-go cups with tops
Hot Chocolate Toppings
Personalize your Hot Cocoa Bar and add your favorite hot cocoa toppings such as:
- Biscotti
- Candy canes
- Caramel sauce
- Chili powder (for a hint of heat)
- Chocolate covered spoons
- Chocolate truffles
- Chopped candy bars
- Cinnamon sticks
- Crushed pretzels
- Dark chocolate chips
- Edible glitter
- Fudge sauce
- Ground cinnamon
- M&M’s
- Milk chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows
- Mini oreos
- Nuts
- Peanut butter chips
- Pirouette cookies
- Rock candy sugar stirrers
- Shredded coconut
- Sprinkles
- Starlight peppermint candy
- Toffee bits
- Whipped topping
- White chocolate chips
Hot chocolate bar ideas
You’ll definitely want to try these hot cocoa bar ideas:
- Serve your hot cocoa with chocolate covered spoons
- Use candy canes as stirrers and make yourself a peppermint hot cocoa
- Provide festive sprinkles for you holiday get togethers
- Include winter themed sprinkles during the cold snowy months
Ingredients
Ingredients for a hot chocolate bar
- Instant hot chocolate mix
- Hot water or milk
- Mini marshmallows
- Candy canes
- Fudge sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped topping
- Cookies
- Sprinkles
Easy Christmas Desserts
DIY Hot Cocoa Bar
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Ingredients
- 12 servings instant hot chocolate mix
- 12 cups hot water or milk
- Mini marshmallows
- Candy canes
- Fudge sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped topping
- Cookies
- Candy
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Instructions
- Serve hot water in a carafe and place remaining ingredients in serving jars.
- Arrange on a tray or table.
- Combine hot chocolate mix with hot water, add stir-ins and toppings.
- Serve with cookies and your favorite sweet treats.
Notes
- Serve your favorite store bought or homemade hot cocoa mix
- Make a slow cooker hot chocolate recipe
- Make it boozy and add a jigger of whiskey, Baileys or Peppermint Schnapps
- Garnish with your favorite toppings
- Add chocolate covered spoons for stirring
- Serve hot water in a carafe to add to a hot chocolate mix
- Use to-go cups with tops
- Serve your hot cocoa with chocolate covered spoons
- Use candy canes as stirrers and make yourself a peppermint hot cocoa
- Provide festive sprinkles for you holiday get togethers
- Include winter themed sprinkles during the cold snowy months
Nutrition
Welcome to the Ultimate Holiday Dinner Giveaway! GIVEAWAY CLOSED
I’ve partnered with two other bloggers to bring you a holiday dinner complete with an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Take a look at their recipes and then enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card to purchase some holiday goodies.
Appetizer: Brie Appetizer via Dizzy Busy and Hungry
Entree: Grilled Prime Rib Roast via Jersey Girl Cooks
Dessert: Hot Cocoa Bar
This looks so delicious! I want peppermint vodka with it!
Yes! A delicious way to turn your hot cocoa into a peppermint mocha boozy beverage! Cheers Tam!
I like gingerbread cookies and I have a great recipe for it.
Gingerbread cookies will be delicious with a cup of hot cocoa!
I think my favorite holiday recipe is Peppermint Bark candy
I love Peppermint bark!!
My Grandmother always made homemade chocolate gravy for Christmas breakfast. I'm not sure if it really is a holiday recipe but for me it really is!
Peppermint Bark candy is a good choice! I love it too!
Peppermint Bark is a favorite of a lot of people I know. Good choice, so delicious!
Chocolate gravy, that's sounds interestingly delicious. And if your Grandma made it for Christmas breakfast then it is a holiday recipe for your family. I love family traditions!
I love gingerbread bars! Nettie
The Hot Chocolate Bar looks so good, it is fast becomming my favorite Christmas recipe!
I used to bake with my grandma, and my mom. I started making whole dinners by myself at the age of 8. Because my family had the family business. And I had to feed my siblings. I love the cookie recipes. And will they some for christmas.
This is mine! (Not my recipe though)
https://pin.it/6gyYUUz
My favorite recipe is for chocolate french lace sandwich cookies. I make them every year and the kids love 'em.
My mother always made nut bread over the holidays and I still do it every year
This all looks so delicious!
Favorite holiday recipes include chocolate babka and peppermint bark.
I guess mine would be green rice
I always enjoy making bourbon balls during the holidays.
We love making homemade sugar cookies
My favorite holiday recipes are homemade sugar cookies decorated with icing!
Delicious!
I love making holiday cookies too!
Oh! I would love those. Bourbon is my favorite!
I've never had green rice!
Two good choices for favorites!
Thank you so very much! Happy holidays!
I love keeping family traditions throughout the years!
They sound so delicious and so pretty too!
So pretty and delicious!
I started cooking a family dinner once a week when I was about 9 years old and that began my love of cooking. You had a lot of responsibility when you were just 8 years old!
Thank you so much! I love that it has stir-ins, toppngs and even cookies to munch on too!
Gingerbread bars are so delicious and a festive holiday flavor!
My favorite recipe remains my mother's Italian cookies. They used to attract people from all over the neighborhood. Not to mention our relatives.
Your mom's cookies must have been amazing!
Love the Hot Chocolate bar idea. My grands will love it too. Maybe we will all be together by Valentines and I can tweak the decor a bit. Can’t wait to do this!
I love the idea of making a Hot Cocoa Bar for other occasions! And yes, let’s hope that we can be together with our loved ones by Valentine’s Day. Savor the Moments, GG
I love candies like Buckeyes for Christmas!
I am getting hungry looking at this stuff
I am a simple woman. I like stuffing, Greenbean, casserole and turkey. Every year we have ham to but my favorite ham is pineapple glazed honey baked ham.
I recently tried Buckeyes for the first time. So good!
You're too funny! But yes, you eat with your eyes first, so makes perfect sense to me!
It all sounds so delicious! And now I'm hungry for all of that, especially a pineapple glazed ham!
I am so ready for it. So excited about the season and about making something like this bar!
Can't wait to give this bar a try. It looks so festive!
What a great idea for Christmas! Going to make this for my kids; they can't resist hot chocolate!
This hot cocoa bar is so cute and festive, I can't wait to put one together myself during the holidays! I never knew hot cocoa and hot chocolate are technically two different drinks, cool to learn that too!
We did this for Christmas last year and it was a total hit! Definitely doing it again this year!
A hot cocoa bar is so much fun. Happy holidays Nathan!
We all need some holiday cheer this year! And this hot cocoa bar will fill the holidays with lots of deliciousness!
Wow, how fun this is and great for the holidays!
Thanks Talaia! Everyone always loves this when I serve it, especially during the holidays! Enjoy!
Love this. I plan to put one together for Christmas. Pinning for later!
Awesome idea for an amazing cocoa bar is a perfect section for this Holiday season! Every stuff looks so delicious and yummy! Kids will definitely love this section!
We had a sledding party for some of our friends and and their families. I made this hot cocoa bar, and everyone loved it!
What a treat especially during this time of the year! These are some lovely ideas and I am going to use them when kids are home for winter break.
I love this idea, and it is really cute!
I am going to make this at home and I am sure everyone will love it!
The cutest idea! I did this at my cookie swap for my friends and it was a big hit! Thank you for the inspo!
Thanks so much Samantha! Happy to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe!
I had a great time making our hot cocoa bar with my girls this weekend. We had an early family Christmas celebration and the cocoa bar was a huge hit. Thank you for such a great idea. We are doing this again for our weekend holiday cooking baking event.
This is such a great idea for a winter or holiday party! I am going to do an adult hot cocoa bar with peppermint snaps and whickey!
I made this hot cocoa bar part of our family kids' Christmas festivities many years ago and it never gets boring! We love doing candy canes, marshmallows, hershey kisses, Christmas tree brownies and white chocolate covered pretzels....along with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It's such a fun time for the kids.
This is a super fun idea for the whole family! It was such a hit for New Year's Eve that I am going to set this up for Valentine's Day as well. It's so festive and delicious, and hot cocoa is perfect all winter long!
Loved this so much, did it on Christmas Eve with a group of friends. Thanks for such a great idea!
A DIY hot chocolate bar is always so much fun!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. It's always so much fun to have a DIY hot cocoa bar for everyone to enjoy!
I love that your family enjoyed this Kristin! And yes, it will be ideal for Valentines Day too!
Happy that you and your friends enjoyed this Shelby!