I am a big time coffee drinker. Seriously. Every single morning, no matter the season, I have my coffee. Now, when the weather starts cooling down, I will still have my coffee in the morning, but in the evening I have decided to switch it up with, wait for it: Hot Cocoa.  

The other night, my roommate decided to join me for some, so I decided to have some fun with it, creating my very own peppermint hot cocoa station at home.

This is the perfect setup if you want to enjoy a nice cup at home, or if you want to bring this set up at your next office Christmas party.

Here is one recipe to try, courtesy of MarthaStewart.com. 

Ingredients:

  • – 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • – 1-quart milk

  • – 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (3 ounces)

  • – Seven peppermint sticks; 3 crushed (1/4 cup), four left whole

  • – Pinch of salt

  1. Directions:

  2. – Place cocoa in a medium saucepan and then slowly whisk in milk until cocoa has dissolved

  3. – Add in your choice of toppings and crushed peppermint; simmer over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until chocolate and peppermint have completely melted, roughly 8 to 10 minutes

  4. – Let the mixture come to a boil and then remove from heat

  5. – Add salt and then serve in your choice of a mug

Setup:

So many people will set up nice bars for their holiday get-togethers, but not everyone thinks about this sort of “bar.”

Warm up your best cocoa and include all your favorite toppings so guests can build their very own version. Read on to see how I did it!

Photo: Unsplash

For this bar, you can use chest jars, an old drawer, or even glass serving trays to set up a shabby chic display.

Photo: Unsplash

There’s also no such thing as too many toppings in this bar! Try to use a bunch of different bowls and mugs. Fill them with cinnamon sticks, caramel bites, marshmallows, candy canes, whipped cream, whatever topping you desire.

Photo: Unsplash

A beautiful backdrop also adds a special touch and makes your whole bar so much prettier. You can use wreaths or festive tablecloth runners to help jazz up the display a bit. 

Don’t be afraid to mix and match your containers, that's the whole fun of doing this ladies.

Photo: Unsplash

Do you set up any fun hot cocoa bars during the holidays? What's your favorite drink of choice?

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lifestyle , peppermint hot cocoa , recipes , stay warm , winter