Winter warming hot chocolate ideas

Keep cosy this winter with these delectable hot chocolate ideas

With winter on its way, we all need some comforting hot chocolate ideas lined up for those dark, chilly nights. With our adventurous hot chocolate flavours and a world of toppings to consider, there’s more to hot cocoa than meets the eye. Whether a mug of creamy milk chocolate goodness does the trick or you like something darker with a chilli kick, we’ve got some suggestions…

In this article, we’ll be sharing some of our favourite winter-warming hot chocolate ideas. Have a read, see what you fancy, and bookmark this page for later. You never know when those chocolatey cravings might take hold!

Classic winter hot chocolate flavour pairings

First up, here are some classic winter flavour pairings to get you in the festive spirit.

Orange and Chocolate

Though they work just as well in a summery fruit salad, oranges are undeniably one of the most Christmassy fruits. In the past, it was considered a great treat to be given an orange in your stocking. Plus, you can use oranges to make symbolic objects called Christingles — candles pushed into oranges for Advent and Christmas services.

In our opinion, when orange and chocolate collide, culinary sparks fly. Oh, and it goes without saying that chocolate is a must at Christmas.

Our Supermilk Blood Orange Hot Chocolate combines these two star ingredients. While the blood orange provides a powerful citrusy dose, our 65% Supermilk is a cocoa-rich creation that has all the creaminess of milk chocolate but with less milk and sugar. Together, they’re the perfect balance of fresh tang and silky smooth cocoa.

Once you’ve whipped up your chocolate orange hot chocolate, adorn your mug with a few fresh orange zest shavings. We recommend using uncoated organic oranges for the best taste.

Salted Caramel and Clementine

While blood orange packs a zesty punch, clementines are splendidly sweet. When paired with gorgeously moreish caramel, a fabulously festive combination results. Mix up a mug of hot cocoa with our Salted Caramel & Clementine Hot Chocolate Sachets. You’re sure to fall in love with this slightly different take on the classic orange and chocolate duo. These sachets of real chocolate flakes bring the perfect balance of subtle sweetness and uplifting citrus. And a dash of sea salt enhances all the ingredients and ties them together to create a well-rounded, satisfying flavour.

Why not compare our clementine caramel hot chocolate to our blood orange and chocolate alternative (mentioned above)? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Alternatively, if you know someone who adores cocoa-rich chocolate but can’t suppress their sweet tooth, why not pop a few of these winter warming hot chocolate sachets into their stocking?

If you’re making this hot chocolate yourself, garnish your mug with some real caramel chunks or a sprinkling of crumbled caramel biscuit. We can taste the dulce de leche notes already.

Black Forest Gateau

Our next winter hot chocolate pairing is based on irresistible Black Forest gateau — a classic dessert inspired by one of Germany’s most beautiful mountain ranges. Our Black Forest Gateau Hot Chocolate Sachets combines juicy morello and black cherries, rich chocolate sponge, and sweet whipped cream. As our high quality, cocoa-rich chocolate takes care of the chocolate side of things, you can be confident that this hot beverage is suitably indulgent. Velvety smooth, slightly fruity, and ideal for enjoying amongst the Yuletide merriment, we can’t get enough of these hot chocolate sachets.

Top your winter hot chocolate with a squirt of whipped cream — a key component of the traditional black forest gateau.

Chilli and Dark Chocolate

Sometimes those winter nights get so chilly that an extra kick is needed to warm the cockles. Our Dark Chilli Hot Chocolate blends the fiery tingle of Habanero chilli with our super sleek 70% dark chocolate flakes. If chilli isn’t really your thing, don’t worry. Our chilli hot chocolate tastes only gently spiced. It has just enough to make your insides feel all warm and cosy, but nothing like a hot curry! With a heavenly dark chocolate base, it’s great for those who don’t like their hot chocolate too sweet.

If you do want to sweeten the mix a little, you can always add a dash of local honey. Serve your hot chocolate topped with shavings of our dark chocolate batons. An extra dose of luxury never goes amiss!

To achieve the creamiest, smoothest results, set yourself up for the winter months with our Velvetiser — the hot chocolate machine of your dreams. Imagined and brought to you by a chocolatier, this machine will allow you to create barista-grade hot chocolates in your own home every day — who could say no to that!

Warm your cockles with a tipple

While we’re on the topic of warming up, it would be a crime to ignore our fabulous tipples. Add a hearty glug of our Velvetised Chocolate Cream to our Milky 50% Hot Chocolate or 70% Dark Hot Chocolate and enjoy a dash of punchy vodka with your evening beverage. You could even sample our Mint Chocolate Velvetised Cream if you’re feeling a little more adventurous. Mint is a fantastic after-dinner stomach soother, so a mint vodka hot chocolate will go down a treat as a dessert alternative.

Hot chocolate toppings

Nothing is more fun than decorating a mug of freshly made hot chocolate. Take out your perfectly-sized Hug Coffee Mug and top to your heart’s content. Plus, as we’re approaching Christmas, there’s never been a better time to unleash your creativity and adorn your winter hot chocolate with some truly festive toppings.

Create a snowstorm with squirty cream, plant a chocolate Christmas tree, and fill your winter wonderland with our smiley gingerbread men. For a simple topping, break up one of our slabs and add a piece to your mug as a garnish. You could even enjoy your beverage with some of our Dunking Biscuits or a luxurious truffle or two — it’ll be our little secret!