I’ve got a fun idea for you to help any little ones in your life celebrate the holiday season this winter … a Hot Chocolate Bar!
Now, it’s not all 100% real food, but I did what I could to make things somewhat homemade and also dye-free. This would be the perfect addition to a Cookie Swap or Gingerbread House Making Party—all things my girls are totally into right now!
Supplies Needed for a Hot Chocolate Bar
It did take me a little time to pull everything together, but my 6th grader (who loves to help with things like this) loved every minute of it. :) Here’s a list of our supplies:
Ingredients
- Sprinkles (we used dye-free)
- Crushed peppermint
- Toasted coconut
- Chocolate shavings
- Crushed white chocolate pieces
- Candy canes (dye-free)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Grated cinnamon
- Homemade whipped cream
- Homemade chocolate sauce (in a squeeze bottle)
- Marshmallows (we offered both store-bought mini marshmallows and homemade in two flavors: mint chocolate chip and salted caramel)
Tools
- Mugs or paper coffee cups
- Insulated carafe (with warm homemade hot chocolate – recipe below)
- Little cups and scoops for the toppings
- Spoons and stirrers (we used wooden disposable spoons)
- Napkins (recommended, haha)
Optional
- Wooden chalkboard sign and other labels (optional)
- Wooden crate and/or tray to help with setup (optional)
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As you can see on the top row, we also thought it’d be fun to add a little game where the kids could guess how many marshmallows were in the jar. The winner takes all! What’s your guess?
I was excited to have another reason to make homemade marshmallows (besides our end of school year, backyard, movie party with smores). I always include store-bought (dye-free) marshmallows as well, because I know some kids won’t touch anything that looks too different from the norm!
Lastly, I’d say the kids’ creations came together pretty well – they were not scared to pile ’em high! This turned out to be a lot more fun than I was even expecting (and I promise, I thought it’d be fun!). I ended up leaving it set up for the rest of the weekend so my husband and I could indulge as well along with anyone else who stopped by. :) I’ll definitely be doing this again next year! And it will be even easier now that I have all the stuff.
I’d love to know if you’ve ever set up a Hot Chocolate Bar and included anything I did not mention here. If so, please do tell! And here’s that Homemade Hot Cocoa recipe for you (made with maple syrup instead of sugar)…
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Warm up this holiday by creating your own DIY hot cocoa bar. This party idea is perfect for the kids, and includes homemade marshmallows, candy, and more!
Ingredients
- 6 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder, I like the Hershey’s special dark version
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
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Warm the milk in a sauce pot over low heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and syrup for a couple minutes until combined. Drizzle into the milk and stir to dissolve.
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Transfer to a large insulated carafe or pitcher and serve with toppings of choice.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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Homemade Snack Bars (Dairy-Free + More About Food Sensitivities)
Thank you for the hot cocoa recipe! I’m not a huge fan of chocolate or hot beverages, but I tried this tonight as part of preparing for a Christmas party I’ll be hosting this year to see what I thought regarding serving it to my guests. It was so simple and SO good. I can’t emphasize how much I loved the simplicity of this recipe. I think the reason I liked it so much taste-wise was b/c of the maple syrup as I’m a huge maple fan, despite the fact that the (special dark) cocoa was really the only taste I could discern. Still–this was the best hot cocoa I think I’ve ever had and look forward to the ease I’ll have in offering it at my upcoming party!
This looks like lots of fun. Our grandson’s birthday is in early December and one year our daughter set up a fabulous hot cocoa bar for his party. I loved the way it looked with the cotton batting for snow. It was a real hit: https://thesearchforimperfection.com/easy-diy-hot-cocoa-bar/
Thanks for your recipe for hot chocolate! My family makes maple syrup, and I’ve had fun experimenting with their different infused flavors (their new peppermint maple syrup is my favorite so far and 100% real!).
A Hot chocolate bar would be perfect for this years family get together. I will be sure to try it.
Just wanted to thank you for your chocolate sauce recipe. I have used it for hot chocolate and chocolate milk ever since I saw it in your first cook book. When my family made the switch to real food five years ago,the simple powdered hot chocolate packet mix was what I missed most. But not anymore because of your sooo convenient chocolate sauce!
I’m so glad to hear that! So simple and so good :)