Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Peppermint Hot Chocolate 4.0 (98) This special hot chocolate makes a quick, easy, and cozy treat on a cold day. Close Credit: Brie Goldman Servings: 4 Jump to recipe A mug of this peppermint hot chocolate is an easy, comforting treat sure to get you into the holiday spirit. Our from-scratch recipe beats any pre-made powdered mix from the store. It calls for just five ingredients, including real peppermint sticks for maximum flavor and freshness. The drink is made with milk, ensuring it's delightfully creamy and thick. One batch yields four servings, though you can halve or double it as needed. Plus, it can be prepared in advance and stored for later, but we think it tastes best freshly made. For extra flavor and fun, garnish each mug with whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings. Directions Credit: Brie Goldman Combine cocoa and milk in pan: Place cocoa in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until cocoa has dissolved. Credit: Brie Goldman Add chocolate and peppermint and simmer: Add chocolate chips and crushed peppermint; simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and peppermint have melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Credit: Brie Goldman Boil, add salt, and serve: Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Add salt. Ladle into mugs; serve each with a peppermint stick. Credit: Brie Goldman Peppermint Hot Chocolate Variations Dairy-Free To make a dairy-free version, use your favorite plant-based milk (like oat milk) and dairy-free chocolate chips. You can also use water instead of milk, though the hot chocolate will be less creamy and rich. Dark Chocolate Use dark chocolate chips for a deeper chocolate flavor. Keep in mind that that the drink will taste less sweet, so you may want to add a sweetener. Espresso Add a shot of espresso for a caffeinated mocha-mint version. Vanilla Extract For more flavor, add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the recipe. Storing and Reheating Peppermint Hot Chocolate If you want to save the hot chocolate for later, let it cool first. Pour it into an airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The drink might separate during this time, but this is normal. Simply reheat in the microwave or stovetop, then mix before enjoying. 6 More Peppermint Chocolate Recipes to Try: Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle Easy Peppermint Bark Peppermint Fudge Peppermint Yule Log Peppermint Bark Cookies Double-Chocolate Peppermint Sandwiches Updated by Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez is a writer who focuses on food, health, nutrition, and DIY. She has a master's degree in nutrition, and has been writing professionally for nearly 10 years for digital and print publications, such as decorvow, Shape, Real Simple, Healthline, and SELF. She also creates original recipes, which have appeared on product packaging in stores.