Chocolate cocktail recipes perfect for your next party

No matter the occasion, we have a chocolate cocktail recipe to suit. Find the inspiration you need for your next big celebration.

It’s no secret that we’re partial to a chocolate cocktail here at Hotel Chocolat. We’ve even created a range of cocktail-inspired truffles, showcasing the perfect blend of cacao-rich chocolate and premium spirits. From our white chocolate Mojito to the Dark & Stormy made with 70% dark chocolate, we’ve explored some of the finest flavour pairings and encapsulated mixology in bitesize form. 

However, there’s also something undeniably satisfying about sipping a decadent cocktail — particularly when it’s made with malty cacao and real chocolate flakes. The beauty of whipping up an opulent chocolate cocktail is that you can adapt your recipes to suit the occasion. 

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of our favourite chocolate cocktail recipes for every kind of party.

Birthday party cocktail ideas

No matter if it’s your 21st birthday or your 80th, chocolate cocktails can bring a dash of sophistication to the party. If you need a little inspiration on flavour combinations, our party drink recipes make the ideal starting point.

Chocolate Espresso Martini

Combining coffee, coffee liqueur, and a dash of vodka, it’s unsurprising that the Espresso Martini is one of the UK’s favourite cocktails. The coffee brings a delightful punch of flavour, while the vodka makes it the ideal celebratory toast. 

Our chocolate take on the classic cocktail is the perfect digestif for birthday dinner parties. It features our silky-smooth Espresso Martini Velvetised Cream for a sumptuous base, while a shot of espresso and additional pour of vodka offer vibrancy and warmth. 

Take a look at our Chocolate Espresso Martini Cocktail recipe for the method.

Cacao G&T

What better way to celebrate a birthday than with a refreshing G&T? Our take on the popular two-ingredient cocktail swaps your regular gin for our very own Cacao Gin.

Developed by the talented mixologists at our Rabot 1745 bar, our Cacao Gin is infused with five botanicals — macadamia, juniper, coriander, orange, and grapefruit — along with cacao nibs and shells. Together, these infusions provide depth and a malty edge with a fragrant and uplifting finish. It pairs beautifully with crisp tonic water. 

See our Cacao Gin and Tonic recipe for ideas on how to garnish your drink.

Cacao Negroni

Our Cacao Gin is also a central ingredient in our chocolate-inspired Negroni recipe. Here, it’s blended with Campari and vermouth to add a twist to an Italian cocktail staple. We recommend lavender and an orange slice to add the final flourish.

In just five minutes, you can shake together a Cacao Negroni that your party guests will love.

Engagement party cocktail recipes

Before the wedding planning takes flight, an engagement party is a wonderful way to celebrate your union and bring your friends and family together ahead of the big day. A toast of Champagne might be traditional, but for cacao-loving couples, you can’t go wrong with a selection of chocolate cocktails. 

Pretty in Pink

For a party cocktail that exudes romance, look no further than our Pretty in Pink recipe. Bubbles, floral notes, and the signature malty profile of our Cacao Gin come together in a joyful pink concoction. 

While Prosecco and gin form the base, rose water and sugar syrup bring a touch of fragrance and sweetness, tempered by a squeeze of lemon. To add an extra element of whimsy, top each glass with an edible viola flower. 

As no shaking is involved, you can also set up a big batch of this cocktail ahead of time. Store it in an elegant drinks dispenser, and your guests can help themselves throughout the party.

See our Pretty in Pink Cocktail recipe for full details of quantities and preparation.

White Chocolate Martini

This sumptuous party cocktail recipe takes inspiration from the popular classic martini but brings a decadent dose of white chocolate to the mix. It’s smooth and satisfying without being too heavy and could make an excellent post-dinner drink at a sit-down engagement party.

To prepare your White Chocolate Martini, you’ll need our Vanilla White Hot Chocolate flakes, milk, and The Velvetiser™ — our at-home hot chocolate system. This hot chocolate maker stirs and warms your chocolate flakes into a velvety-smooth drink. 

Once you’ve prepared your white hot chocolate, you can combine it with ice, vodka, and triple sec in a cocktail shaker. Give it a good shake, then pour, sip, and savour.

Our White Chocolate Martini recipe page has all the ingredient proportions and step-by-step instructions.

Hen party cocktail ideas

From an evening of sophistication to a glamping weekend or an adventure abroad, our chocolate cocktail recipes are perfect for hen parties. One person can take charge as the bartender, or you can turn the cocktail-making experience into a fun activity for the group to enjoy together. 

Either way, here are some of our favourite hen party cocktail recipes.

Nuts About Raspberry Chocolate Martini

Taking our White Chocolate Martini as a base recipe, you could swap the white chocolate for our Nuts About Raspberry Hot Chocolate flakes.

Lashings of milled hazelnuts give this vegan* hot chocolate an astonishingly creamy texture, while pressed raspberries offer a zingy note of fruitiness. The raspberry flavours also pair beautifully with the dash of orange triple sec, reminiscent of a Cosmopolitan cocktail.

What better way to round off your hen party dinner?

*We believe this chocolate is suitable for vegans. However, as it is made in the same environment as our milk chocolate, we cannot guarantee it is free from milk.

Espresso Charger

Iced coffee meets our creamy Espresso Martini Velvetised Cream and a shot of tequila to create a vibrant and energising cocktail. Celebrate as an after-dinner toast or sip and enjoy as you dance the night away with the girls. 

Find out more about making our Espresso Charger.

Chocolate cocktail recipes for anniversary parties

However long you’ve been together, mark the moment with an anniversary party that celebrates your love and reminds the two of you what brought you together in the first place. 

Why not set up a cocktail station where your guests can have a go at creating their own drinks? We’ve selected a few cocktail recipes we feel would be great additions to any anniversary party. You can even write out the ingredients and methods on recipe cards for your guests to follow.

Velvetised Rising Sun

A decadent drink that’s more than the sum of its parts, our Velvetised Rising Sun offers nuanced notes of dulce de leche with a smoky warmth. It combines our Salted Caramel Velvetised Cream with a shot of tequila, served over ice. 

Our main Velvetised Rising Sun Cocktail recipe includes a section on melting chocolate to decorate the rim of your glasses. However, if you’re planning to set out recipe cards for guests, we suggest skipping this step and instead offering some of our chocolate flakes for sprinkling as a garnish. Our 70% Dark Hot Chocolate will provide a great hint of contrast. 

Velvetised Chocolate Martini

If rum is your tipple of choice, let it stand out against the oh-so-sippable creaminess of our Velvetised Chocolate Cream in our take on the much-loved martini. 

By simply combining 50ml of Velvetised Chocolate Cream with 25ml of your favourite rum and shaking the mixture with ice, you can soon have a silky-smooth cocktail that tantalises the tastebuds. 

Again, our Velvetised Chocolate Martini usually involves adding melted chocolate to your glass but this is an optional addition.

More party cocktail ideas made with chocolate

We’ve explored a handful of chocolate cocktail recipes suitable for an array of parties but you really can adapt these ideas for any celebration. In fact, we have a whole host of other party cocktail recipes to try. See if any of the following take your fancy…

• Our Cacao Breakfast Martini is an icon of sophistication. Uniting Cacao Gin with triple sec, lemon juice, and marmalade, it’s an excellent choice for weddings. Why not serve it as your signature welcome drink or as a toasting drink during your wedding breakfast and speeches?
  
• Celebrating in winter? Make it a cosy affair with a Tipsy Hot Chocolate — ideal for Christmas get-togethers, office parties, and more.
  
• Toast to a former colleague’s success as they move into retirement with our refreshing Dark Mint Soother cocktail — it’s rich yet light, embracing the revitalising tingle of mint liqueur.

Celebrate in style with chocolate cocktail recipes from Hotel Chocolat

At Hotel Chocolat, we’re always discovering new, innovative ways to enjoy chocolate. 
For more party drink recipes and other cacao-related inspiration, keep an eye on our blog. You can find more Velvetiser cocktail ideas, learn about our favourite cacao-infused drinks, and be the first to see our latest chocolate cocktail suggestions.