The holiday season may be over, but that doesn’t mean the celebrations need to end! It’s a whole new year and there’s always a reason to get together with friends and family, especially when it’s to warm up with a big mug of hot chocolate.
Host the ultimate hot chocolate bar in the middle of winter and yours will be the party no one wants to miss. From gourmet hot chocolate with a variety of toppings to cute little take-home gifts, this is a great way to use up the rest of those cookies from your holiday baking marathon. Below you’ll find our 4-step guide to creating the perfect hot chocolate bar to kick off the new year.
The first step to making an awesome hot chocolate bar is to start with the best hot chocolate in the world. Skip the store-bought mix and opt to make something truly unique and homemade. Our Gourmet Peppermint Hot Cocoa is a mug full of rich, chocolate flavor. A dash of our Pure Peppermint Extract gives you a festive zing in every sip.
Make it ahead of time and then keep it in a crockpot on low throughout the party so everyone will have a warm glass full of chocolate deliciousness for hours on end.
Now that you have the perfect base for your hot chocolate adventure, it’s time to get creative with a wide selection of toppings. From classic to whimsical, these toppings bring out new levels of flavor. Let friends and family make their own creations and watch the fun unfold! Our recommendations for the perfect hot chocolate toppings are:
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you have to stop baking! Keep warming up your kitchen with all those cookie recipes you didn’t have time to make during the holiday season. Cookies and hot chocolate are such a comforting and deliciously indulgent combination, you owe it to your guests to bring out the good stuff.
If you need some inspiration, check out some of our most tried-and-true recipes:
Chewy Macadamia Nut Cookies with hearty nuts and Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder have velvety after-tones of creamy, mellow vanilla flavor.
Crisp Vanilla Butter Cookies are a classic cookie to dip in hot chocolate, and the Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder enhances the buttery flavor of the cookie even more.
Who doesn’t love a classic recipe like Chocolate Chip Cookies? Made with Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, you get the perfect pairing of vanilla and chocolate in these oh-so delicious cookies.
Chocolate Toffee Brookies are perfect for when you can’t decide between a brownie or a cookie! Our Organic Fairtrade Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract tastes spectacular alongside Pure Chocolate Extract, bringing a complex and subtle flavor that complements the toffee flavors in this treat.
The perfect way to end your amazing party is to send everyone home with a little gift. Keep the chocolatey goodness going by packing up small mason jars full of Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix. The Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder gives the mix the same rich vanilla flavor that you would normally get from extract, but in powder form. Plus, a surprising hint of cinnamon makes the mix an ideal goodie bag gift.
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