Peppermint Hot Chocolate

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Peppermint Hot Chocolate is festive, fun, rich and creamy hot drink to make with a handful of simple ingredients! This silky smooth hot chocolate features a combination of peppermint extract and peppermint chips for the best flavor.

Enjoy more of my favorite peppermint recipes like Peppermint Cheesecake, Peppermint White Chocolate Fudge.

peppermint hot chocolate in a glass mug topped with whipped cream and peppermint crunch.

I’ve been making peppermint hot cocoa for many, many years, and my family never gets tired of it! At this point it’s a pretty cherished tradition in our home to sip on this smooth, minty hot chocolate while watching Christmas movies or decorating the tree.

While I do have plenty of other homemade hot cocoa recipes I love (scroll to the bottom of this page to check them out), this one might just be at the tip top of the list! It’s got just the right amount of pepperminty goodness to compliment the rich chocolate flavors perfectly. It fills me with all of those wonderful festive feelings!

The peppermint flavor in this homemade hot cocoa recipe comes from both peppermint extract and my favorite Andes peppermint crunch baking chips. You should be able to find them in most grocery stores. If you can’t snag them anywhere, any peppermint white chocolate chips should do the trick. Try not to eat them all while you cook!

Ingredient Notes

labeled ingredients to make peppermint hot chocolate on a wooden board.

Milk – Whole or 2% milk both work very well. Note that with 2% the consistency will be a little lighter but still very pleasant.

Baking Chocolate Bar – Use a bittersweet baking chocolate bar and chop it to incorporate better.

Sugar – You can always add more or less depending on your own personal tastes.

Cocoa Powder – use Unsweetened 100% cocoa powder to create that rich chocolatey flavor we’re aiming for.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Peppermint Hot Chocolate

collage of two images of adding cocoa powder and chopped chocolate and peppermints to cocoa.

Chop. Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces.

Heat the milk. Heat up milk in a sauce pot, over medium to medium-low heat, until hot but not simmering.

Add cocoa powder. Use a fine strainer or a mesh sugar shaker to sift in the cocoa powder (1) to ensure that there are no clumps.

Add first few ingredients. Whisk in the cocoa powder and add chopped chocolate, peppermint chips (2) and sugar.

PRO TIP: Never let milk come to a boil! Make sure to cook your hot cocoa over medium to medium-low heat and not any higher. Don’t allow the milk to boil or it’ll curdle.

collage of two images of adding vanilla extract and peppermint extract to cocoa.

Make it minty. Stir in the vanilla extract (3) and peppermint extract (4). Slowly continue whisking as chocolate melts and incorporates into milk.

Lower the heat. Lower to medium-low and continue to cook for a few minutes. Make sure to slowly stir from time to time.

Enjoy! Take off heat and serve.

pouring peppermint hot chocolate into a glass with candy canes around.

Storing and Reheating Instructions

You can store leftover peppermint hot cocoa in a glass jar with a lid or any other airtight food storage container you may have. Make sure to keep it refrigerated. Properly stored, it should be good for 2-3 days. Make sure to pour our the amount you need rather than dipping a spoon into it.

To reheat peppermint hot chocolate, simply pour it into a small pot and heat through just until hot. Make sure to reheat it slowly over medium-low heat to avoid scalding it!

peppermint hot chocolate in a glass mug with whipped cream and peppermint crunch and candy canes.

Recipe FAQs

What can I use to create peppermint flavor?

There are a few options to get peppermint flavor into your hot cocoa. You can use soft peppermint candy like Andy’s mints, Hershey’s peppermint kisses, Ghirardeli peppermint bark. In addition to the soft candy option, I like to use a little peppermint extract to enhance the flavor.

What are good toppings for hot chocolate?

Marshmallows and whipped cream are the most classic options to add on top of your hot chocolate. Sprinkle on some crushed candy canes, chopped peppermint candy, or chocolate shavings on top. You can also drizzle some chocolate syrup on top.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, definitely! This peppermint hot cocoa recipe serves 4, but you can easily adjust as much as you need to. Feel free to double or even triple this recipe so there’s enough for everyone!

a glass mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, peppermint crunch, and candy canes around.

More Peppermint Recipes

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