Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Boards
What do you do when it’s -7° F outside? You have a hot chocolate party. Duh.
The holidays are here! And with the holidays comes the bitter cold of Wyoming winter. When it hits -7 degrees, “burrrr….” doesn’t begin to describe it. Baby, it’s cold outside. The kind of cold that hurts your teeth. But fear not, I’ve got a fix that will warm your spirits and your tummies:
A platter of festive, show stopping, delicious goodies to amp up your hot chocolate game.
I know!! I’m excited, too! With a few dressed up store-bought treats, some snowy inspired boutique sprinkles, and my favorite vanilla sugar cookie recipe, this mix is too cute for words.
When it comes to hot chocolate fixings, the more the merrier (no pun intended). From marshmallows to chocolate syrup, any of your favorite treats will do. I’m all about dipping options, because hot chocolate goes with everything. Here’s what I used to create this adorable mix of sweets sure to end your shivers!
Powdered Donut Holes. Old school and the best for dunking! Easily found at the your local grocery, but dressed up with a drizzle of Wilton Vanilla Blue Candy melts and Oh Snow Cute Sprinkles from Sprinkle Pop Shop.
Pretzel Rods. Found in the snack isle, these are drinking straw length and add a savory, salty twist when dipped into hot chocolate. I drizzled them with melted white chocolate and a splash of sprinkles.
Giant Snowflake Marshmallows. Because it’s the holidays! These snowflake marshmallows are from Stonewall Kitchen and are the cutest toppers for a mug of steaming hot chocolate.
Peppermint Lollipops. Do we need candy? Yes! Peppermint and chocolate go hand in hand. These monster size pops are from Stonewall Kitchen.
Snowflake Shortbread Sugar Cookies. Nothing soaks up hot chocolate like a traditional shortbread sugar cookie. Purchase a trusty store-bought version or go homemade with my recipe below. To create the design, I used a cookie cutter stamp I found at Michael’s craft store.
Sprinkles. I think we can agree that sprinkles make everything better. My favorite sprinkle blends are from Sprinkle Pop. Not only are they beautiful, but they taste amazing.
Hot Chocolate. We can’t forget the hot chocolate! My favorite mix is from Stonewall Kitchen. I add a dollop of whipped cream to make it extra rich.
Load the platter up and go to town! There’s no wrong way to put this idea together. I like to add height with mini cake stands and color with festive napkins…because there’s bound to be some spills.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
This is my favorite recipe for classic hot chocolate. It’s perfect for dipping!
Homemade Hot Chocolate
* Serves 4
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half & half
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine the whole milk, half & half, and chocolate chips, whisking often till the chocolate has melted into the milk. Don't let it boil.
Add the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Allow to barely simmer for 2 more minutes, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour into mugs immediately and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
