My friend Beth–also the blog’s featured photographer–and I teamed up to bring you FOUR winter inspired hot cocoa recipes to enjoy as you admire the winter landscape… or palm trees depending on where you live!
In the northeast, winter has definitely arrived and along with it an urge to drink all things hot cocoa. A classic hot cocoa is a great way to start the season, but a few of these imaginative options will help you to enhance your sweet drinks!
Hot Cocoa Base:
- 2 Tbsps Cocoa
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 3 Tbsps Hot Water
- Pinch of salt
After the Base is stirred smooth, add warm milk until the mug is mostly full.
Up first is our Peppermint! After a generous amount of whipped cream, simply sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top!
Second is our Natural Maple Syrup. (I would highly suggest using real maple syrup). Again, after a generous amount of whipped cream is applied, drizzle a bit of sweet Vermont maple syrup. *Omit the honey from the base mixture to reduce sugar shock.
Number three on the list is Pink Himalayan Salt! A little crushed course salt adds just enough salty flavor to counter the sweetness of cocoa if you don’t have a very sweet tooth or cannot decide if you want something sweet or salty. *A dusting of cocoa powder was also added to ours.
Our final hot cocoa spice up is Marshmallow and Fall, because your Pumpkin Spice latte couldn’t be left behind! 😉 We used:
- 2 tps Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Allspice
(Makes 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice)
….And sprinkled it right on top of a pillow of marshmallow and whipped cream! *Lancaster Stroopies were also consumed with this hot cocoa. 😉
We hope you enjoy experimenting with these subtle flavors as you watch snow fall under a pile of blankets… that’s where you’ll find me!!
Love,
All photos courtesy of Elisabeth Kreider.
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