Spiked Hot Chocolate
This amazing Spiked Hot Chocolate is made delicious with Godiva chocolate liqueur and bourbon. This is the best combination of liquor to compliment homemade smooth, rich hot chocolate. All you will need to make the best holiday season is a warm blanket, a roaring fireplace, holiday movies, and a mug of spiked hot chocolate!
If you enjoy adult hot chocolate drinks, try my Red Wine Hot Chocolate and Spiked Nutella Hot Chocolate.
Table of Contents
Kids have all the fun during the holiday season. Well, I think adults should have just as much fun, and what can be more fun than spiked hot chocolate?! Each sip is full of luxuriously rich and creamy hot chocolate with Godiva chocolate liqueur and bourbon to keep your adult self merry and bright. It’s a more indulgent cocktail than what you may be used to, but it’s the holiday season, so why not treat yourself?
Usually, I love to make a double batch of my favorite hot chocolate every time kids ask for it. So I make half for the kids, and half for the grown-ups. That way we can all enjoy sipping on our favorite hot chocolate while we watch Christmas movies!
I’ve spent a long time testing my hot chocolate recipe and making all of our family and friends taste the variations and tell me their favorites. After several trials, a clear favorite has emerged, and that is now our go-to hot chocolate recipe.
All we have to do for a cozy movie night with the hubby is to add a great combination of liquor to it. I’m telling you guys, this is the BEST way to feel that Christmas cheer!
Ingredient Notes
Milk – For my hot chocolate, I like to use 2% milk for the creamiest consistency. If you need to use milk substitute, I recommend oat milk but make sure to use a little less sugar because oat milk is slightly sweet.
Chocolate – I recommend bittersweet or dark chocolate for a deeper, more intense, and less sweet chocolate flavor.
Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened 100% cocoa powder will help enhance the richness of the bittersweet or dark chocolate.
Sugar – The amount used is perfect for my tastes, and I prefer a richer hot chocolate. You can add more or less sugar depending on your preferences.
Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract to really get the most out of the flavor profile here.
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur – You can use another brand if you’d like, but I find that Godiva has the perfect flavor and richness that’s ideal for this drink and many others like a Chocolate Martini.
Bourbon – Always keep in mind that while you don’t need top shelf bourbon, you do want to steer clear of the bottom shelf. Your cocktail will always be as good as the liquor you use to make it.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
What Alcohol is Best in Hot Chocolate?
I find that chocolate liqueur doesn’t change the natural flavor of chocolate, but it adds warmth and depth to the drink itself. Bourbon is a wonderful counterpart to chocolate, and goes so well together in desserts. So it goes perfectly in a hot chocolate as well!
Difference Between Natural and Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is essentially cocoa beans that are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground into the powder. Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color, has a higher acidity level and a more bitter, rich chocolate flavor. It’s good for baking chocolate cakes, brownies, and other baked goods.
Dutch cocoa powder is deeper and darker in color and has a lower acidity because it is alkalized with the Dutching process. The main difference will come in during baking because you need to know which leavener to use. Since we are making hot chocolate and not baking, it won’t matter much which one you use.
How to Make Spiked Hot Chocolate
All you need is about 15 minutes of your time, a sauce pot, and those few simple ingredients. Just heat it through, take it off the heat, and make it boozy. That’s it!
Start by chopping up the chocolate bar into small pieces. Next, heat up the milk in a sauce pot over medium-low heat. Make sure it’s hot, but NOT simmering.
Do NOT let this mixture ever reach a boil!
Using a strainer, sift the cocoa powder to ensure that there aren’t any clumps. Then, whisk in the sifted cocoa powder, chocolate, sugar, and vanilla until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
When the milks start to gently simmer, lower the heat more and continue cooking for just a few more minutes. Make sure to stir slowly while it’s cooking.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the chocolate liqueur and bourbon.
Serve with the toppings of your choice, and enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Recommendation
You can store leftover hot chocolate in a glass jar with a lid or any air-tight food storage container. Make sure to keep it refrigerated. It should keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To reheat hot chocolate, transfer it into a small sauce pot and heat through over medium-low heat, just until hot. Make sure to reheat it slowly and don’t let it boil!
If you’re planning on making this cocktail ahead of time, you can make hot chocolate without the liquors and just reheat if when needed. Add the chocolate liquor and bourbon after reheating. Reheat hot chocolate in a small sauce pan, over medium-low heat, just until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
Kahlua or Tia Maria – both are coffee liqueurs that you can use to add some coffee flavor.
Cereme de Cocoa – it’s a non-creamy chocolate liqueur with a rich intense flavor. (You can also use creme de cocoa in the classic Grasshopper cocktail.)
Bailey’s – also knows as Irish Cream. It’s a creamy whiskey sweet liqueur and you can always use homemade Irish Cream.
Galliano – is a sweet liqueur with a vanilla, herbal, woodsy taste to it.
Honey liqueur
Vodka
Whiskey or Scotch
Brandy
Marshmallows and whipped cream are the most classic options to add on top of your hot chocolate.
You can also drizzle some chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, or honey on top.
Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice will also make a good dusting on top.
Absolutely! You can easily double or triple this recipe, especially if you’re preparing for a party.
You can also transfer the cooked hot chocolate into the Crock Pot and keep it warm on warm setting during the party/gathering. Remember, not to add the liquors while the hot chocolate is cooking, add it after you’ve transferred it into the slow cooker.
Some More Hot Chocolate Recipes To Try!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!
Spiked Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 3 cup 2% or low fat milk
- 4 oz dark or bittersweet baking chocolate
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar little more or less to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur
- 3 oz bourbon
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces.
- Heat up milk in a sauce pot, over medium heat, until hot but not simmering.
- Use a fine strainer or a mesh sugar shaker to sift in the cocoa powder to ensure that there are no clumps.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and add chocolate, sugar, and vanilla extract. Slowly continue whisking as chocolate is melts and incorporates into milk.
- When milk starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for a few minutes. Make sure to slowly stir from time to time. (Do not let it boil!)
- Take off heat and stir in chocolate liqueur and bourbon.
- Serve with some marshmallows or whipped cream of top if you wish.
Video
Notes
- Make more: You can easily double or triple this recipe, especially if you’re preparing for a party.
You can also transfer the cooked hot chocolate into the Crock Pot and keep it warm on warm setting during the party/gathering. Remember, not to add the liquors while the hot chocolate is cooking, add it after you’ve transferred it into the slow cooker. - Storing: You can store leftover hot chocolate in a glass jar with a lid or any air-tight food storage container. Make sure to keep it refrigerated. It should keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat hot chocolate, transfer it into a small sauce pot and heat through over medium-low heat, just until hot. Make sure to reheat it slowly and don’t let it boil!
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in September, 2021.
Categories:
30 Minute Meals, Chocolate, Christmas Baking, Cocktail, Drink, Fall Recipes, Gluten Free, Whiskey/Bourbon,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
WOW! Look no further folks, this is a winner!
Thank you, Joy! I am so glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Wow!! Absolutely yummy 🥰
If I could give more than 5* I would ❤️
Also good with a shot of Butterscotch Schnapps instead!
Yum! I bet that would be so good!