To make peppermint hot chocolate, melt pure cacao into hot milk with a little sweetener, then stir in about ⅛ teaspoon of peppermint extract per mug once the pan is off the heat. For Christmas hot chocolate (or hot cocoa), steep a cinnamon stick and two strips of orange peel in the milk first, then finish with a pinch of nutmeg and a little vanilla.
We make both with Alma Cacao, a pure ceremonial cacao: 100% whole cacao paste shaved into small pieces, with its cacao butter left in and nothing added.
Peppermint hot chocolate recipe
Makes 1 mug (about 9 oz) in about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 20 g cacao pieces (about 2 tablespoons): we use our ceremonial cacao pieces, but any 100% cacao paste in small pieces works
- 1 cup (8 oz, 240 ml) milk, dairy or plant (our dairy-free hot chocolate guide compares plant milks)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey or sugar, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract, or half that for a gentle mint
- A tiny pinch of fine salt
- To finish (optional): whipped cream or coconut cream, a crushed candy cane, a sprig of fresh mint
Steps
- Make the base. Melt the cacao in a few spoonfuls of the milk over low heat, whisk in the rest of the milk, the sweetener and salt, and heat until it steams, about 180°F (82°C), without boiling. Our classic cacao hot chocolate recipe covers this base step by step.
- Add the peppermint off the heat. Stir in the extract, taste, and add a drop or two more for a stronger mint.
- Froth and serve. Whisk hard or use a handheld frother until foamy, pour, and top with whipped cream and a little crushed candy cane.
Fresh mint hot chocolate (no extract)
For a softer, more herbal mint, heat the milk until it steams, take it off the heat and add 8 to 10 torn fresh mint leaves. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes (longer for more mint), strain, then make the base with the minty milk and skip the extract.
Candy cane hot chocolate: stir-in and rim
No extract? In step 1, whisk in a crushed full-size candy cane instead of the sweetener until it dissolves, then taste; a second one makes a stronger mint.
For a rim, crush 1 or 2 candy canes in a sealed bag with a rolling pin and spread the crumbs on a plate. Just before serving, so the candy stays crunchy, dip the mug's rim in a little honey or maple syrup and press it into the crumbs.
Christmas hot chocolate recipe with orange, cinnamon and nutmeg
Makes 1 mug (about 9 oz) in about 15 minutes, including the steep.
Ingredients
- 20 g cacao pieces (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup (8 oz, 240 ml) milk, dairy or plant
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 strips of orange peel, about 3 inches long, cut with a vegetable peeler (the orange part only)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey or brown sugar
- A small pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated if you have it
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- A tiny pinch of fine salt
- To finish (optional): finely grated orange zest, whipped cream dusted with nutmeg
Steps
- Steep the orange and cinnamon. Warm the milk with the orange peel and cinnamon stick until it steams. Take it off the heat, cover, and leave it for 10 minutes (up to 30 for more flavor), then lift out the peel and cinnamon.
- Melt in the cacao. Pour the orange milk into a jug, leaving a few spoonfuls in the pan, and melt the cacao in them over low heat. Whisk the rest back in with the sweetener, nutmeg and salt, and warm it until steaming, about 180°F (82°C), below a simmer.
- Finish. Off the heat, add the vanilla, whisk to a foam, pour, and grate a little orange zest on top.
Short on time? Skip the steep and whisk ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest in with the sweetener. Like a little heat? Add a pinch of chili or cayenne, or try our Mexican hot chocolate.
Making holiday hot chocolate ahead for guests
Both recipes scale by the mug. For 8 guests, use 160 g of cacao (about 1 cup of pieces), 2 quarts of milk and ½ cup of sweetener.
- Flavor by the mug. Not everyone loves mint, so make a pot of the Christmas version and set out candy canes that mint lovers can hook over their mug and stir in.
- Steep the milk ahead. Strain it and refrigerate it within 2 hours of heating. USDA guidance on leftovers gives 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so you can do this up to 3 days before the party.
- Rewarm low and slow. On the day, melt the cacao in a couple of cups of the milk over low heat, then whisk in the rest with the sweetener and any spices. Heat until it steams, about 180°F (82°C), scraping the bottom often and never letting it boil. Add the vanilla and any peppermint last. A fully made, chilled batch rewarms the same way.
- Keep it hot. Hold it in a slow cooker on warm. The FDA advises keeping hot buffet foods at 140°F or warmer (check with a food thermometer) and discarding perishables left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Serving a crowd? Our hot chocolate bar guide covers keeping a big pot hot, plus toppings, cups and setup.
A note for hosts: a mug made with 20 g of 100% cacao has about 16 to 32 mg of caffeine, a sixth to a third of the caffeine in a typical 8 oz cup of brewed coffee (about 95 mg). The low figure is USDA's; published lab data for baking chocolate run about twice as high, because cacao varies from bean to bean. Cacao's main stimulant is theobromine, about 260 mg per mug by USDA figures. Theobromine is a mild stimulant, so people sensitive to caffeine or other stimulants may feel it. If you are pregnant or nursing, take medication or manage a health condition, check with your healthcare provider first. Our guide compares the caffeine in a mug of cacao with coffee and tea. Cacao and chocolate are toxic to dogs, so keep mugs and bags out of reach.
Why we use pure cacao for holiday hot chocolate
Whole cacao paste keeps its cacao butter, so plain milk makes a rich, glossy mug; cocoa powder has had most of that butter pressed out. Pure cacao is also unsweetened, so you set the sweetness, and its deep, slightly bitter flavor keeps the mint and orange bright.
Alma Cacao's small pieces melt into warm milk in about a minute, with nothing to chop or grate. It is single-origin, from native communities of the Peruvian Amazon, traditionally fermented, sun-dried, stone ground and made in small batches. It is tested for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury) by an ISO 17025 accredited lab and made in a GMP certified facility. The co-op we source from gives 2% back to the producer communities, and we donate another 2% of every sale to For the Love of Mateo.
A 1 lb canister makes about 22 mugs. Giving it as a present? Our hot chocolate gift set pairs a ½ lb pouch with two handcrafted ceramic cups, and our hot chocolate gift ideas cover the rest. For delivery by Christmas, order by Wednesday, December 16.
Common questions
How much peppermint extract goes in hot chocolate?
About ⅛ teaspoon per 8 oz mug. Peppermint extract is strong, so start with half of that, stir it in once the hot chocolate is off the heat, taste, and add more a drop at a time. For a pot of 8 mugs, start with ½ teaspoon and work up to about 1 teaspoon.
Is fresh mint or peppermint extract better for hot chocolate?
It depends on the flavor you want. Extract gives the cool, candy-cane taste most people expect, and it takes seconds. Fresh mint gives a softer, more herbal cup: steep 8 to 10 torn leaves in the hot milk, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, and strain them out before you add the chocolate.
Can you make Christmas hot chocolate ahead of time?
Yes. Up to 3 days ahead, steep the milk with a cinnamon stick and orange peel, strain it, and refrigerate it within 2 hours of heating. On the day, melt the cacao in a little of the milk over low heat, whisk in the rest with the sweetener until it steams (about 180°F), and add the vanilla last. Never let it boil.
What flavors go in Christmas hot chocolate?
Warm spices and citrus: cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and vanilla are the classic mix, plus cloves, cardamom or star anise for extra spice, and peppermint is a favorite too. Steep whole spices and orange peel in the milk, add vanilla and peppermint at the end, off the heat, and finish with a cinnamon stick, grated orange zest or crushed candy cane.
