Last week I shared my favorite Christmas date nights you can have at home, and the hot chocolate bar idea was a huge hit! So I decided to share how I put mine together, with all the different toppings and ingredients you can use to make your hot chocolate bar better than the rest.
A hot chocolate bar is perfect for a date night at home or to go with a get together with friends. It’s super easy to throw together, and will be a hit, no matter how simple or involved you make it. I just used powered hot cocoa mix, but you can also make some homemade cocoa to make them even more decadent and special! I haven’t made my own hot chocolate before, but there are plenty of recipes online you can try if you’re feeling particularly adventurous. And if you do, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to give your recipe a try.
Hot Chocolate Bar
Add Ins
Think creamy and decadent! And, of course, delicious.
Coffee creamer (like vanilla, caramel, peppermint and white chocolate)
Ice cream
Peanut butter (stir till it’s melted in)
Toppings
Get toppings that will go well with chocolate (please, please, please avoid gummies or sour candy, for the love of all things chocolate), and bonus points if they can melt into the drink.
Whipped Cream
Mini marshmallows
Crushed Oreos
Crushed peppermints/candy canes
Mini chocolate chips
Peanut butter chips
Cinnamon
Chopped up candy bars
Sprinkles
Chopped nuts
Shredded coconut
Syrups
It’s time to mix in some flavor, and make your whipped cream look extra fancy. Go crazy and pretend you’re a Starbucks barista. You’ll feel cool, I promise.
Chocolate
Peanut butter
Caramel
Vanilla
Salted Caramel
Extras
Peppermint stick/Candy cane
Rolled wafer cookies
Coffee stirrers
Pretzel sticks covered in chocolate
$25 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway!
And if making a DIY coffee bar isn’t your thing (or you just love Starbucks holiday drinks as much as I do), then you should head on over to my friend’s blog! She’s hosting a giveaway for a $25 gift card to Starbucks, and her post is all about how to save money this holiday season. It’s a great read, and hey… who wouldn’t love to win a free gift card?!
Now it’s your turn to talk! Answer one of these questions in the comments below:
What is your favorite topping for hot chocolate?
Have you ever made a hot chocolate bar before?
This is such a good idea! I’m intolerant to milk (and thus most chocolates) so it won’t be easy to make this but i’m going to try it with milk free chocolate bars or cocoa powder and soy milk!
Oooh those sound like great substitutions for the cocoa. I didn’t know they made milk free chocolate bars… So cool!
Cinnamon, whipped cream and chocolate chips, for the win!!!
Mmmm delicious! Cinnamon and hot chocolate is such a classic combo. Love it!
I love the idea of a hot chocolate bar! Everything looks wonderful and yummy!
Thanks Chrissy! They are so fun, aren’t they?
I love all of the extra whipped cream on top of your hot chocolate, it looks delicious!! We have a coffee/hot chocolate bar & it is my favorite place in our house! Too good to resist! :)
Oooh yes! The more whipped cream, the better. Next time I’m definitely adding in some coffee. I love subbing milk or water with coffee. Yum!
I really need to do this!! My daughter would be in heaven and so would I!! I love this idea. Hot chocolate is a winter staple. Great ideas for toppings!
I know my sisters would be ALL over a hot chocolate bar! It makes a night at home so much fun.
I seriously can not wait to make a hot chocolate bar for my party! such a great idea! (mine will have a dab of bourbon in it though!) ;)
Yes! I was thinking about doing a hot chocolate bar for the New Years Party I’m cohosting.
HOT CHOCOLATE BAR! I need to do this. This is a must. Adding to our Sister Bucket list!
Aw how fun! I need to make a sister bucket list. <3
I like to put peanut butter in mine! Oh my goodness…so good :)
SARAH. Why have I never thought of that before?! Genius!! I’m definitely doing that next time I make hot chocolate. YUM.
Nothing is better than a good cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. Love the bar set up!
I agree! And thanks Ryan. It was so fun and easy to put together. :)
I’ve never made a hot chocolate bar before, but it seems like a great idea! My favorite topping is good ole’ whipped cream!
Hot Chocolate bars are so fun! They’re easy to make, and make ordinary hot chocolate so much better. And you can never go wrong with whipped cream! Yum!
We love hot cocoa in the winter. The more toppings and add-ins, the better!
I agree!! I’m all about the toppings in my hot chocolate.
What a fun and yummy idea! This would go perfectly with our cookie decorating day!
Ahh that sounds like the perfect day! It doesn’t get much better than cookie decorating and hot chocolate.
This is such a cute idea! I love it.
Aw thanks Sara! It was so much fun!
What an awesome idea. My daughter would think this was the coolest thing ever!
Yes! I know my younger sisters would be all over a hot chocolate bar. They are so much fun!
Oh yum, I need to try this for Christmas! This is such a great idea everyone would love!
Yes!! It would be so fun to do with the whole family. I think it’d be perfect to have something to sip on while opening presents on Christmas morning.
I haven’t had hot cocoa in FOREVER. I’m so overdue, this all looks delicious! And what a fun thing for a party!
GIRL. You need to get some asap! Hot chocolate is one of my favorite holiday treats. And I agree!! I’m thinking about doing this for our New Years Party. :)
We did this at a party recently … such a huge hit! Love the idea of adding pretzel sticks covered in chocolate!
Aww I’m sure it was a blast! And right?! A spoon you can eat?! Yes please!
What a cute idea! I would love to do something like this sometime!
Thanks Neely! It’s a blast and so easy to throw together.
Hi. This is the second time today that I have heard about a hot chocolate bar. This is clearly a sign that I need this in my life.
I agree! You can’t go wrong with hot chocolate, and the more toppings the better in my opinion haha.
This amazing! Want!
Isn’t it?! Hot chocolate is my jaaam during the holidays!
I’ve never made one but I really want to!! I’m thinking maybe salted caramel or peppermint chocolate!?
You should. And YES YES YES. Salted caramel hot chocolate sounds divine. Yum!
I love this! What a fabulous idea!
Thanks girl! It’s so much fun. <3
I’ll be having several guests for winter, so this hot chocolate bar is perfect for company! Who doesn’t love hot chocolate on a cold, winter night!
I agree! The hot chocolate bar is perfect for serving something to guests. Easy and fun- what else could you ask for?!
This is so fun! I actually just had hot chocolate tonight.
Yum! I love hot chocolate during the colder months.
This is the cutest little set up! Definitely trying this at my next winter event!
Thanks Erica! It will be a hit, I’m sure. Hot chocolate bars are my favorite!
You have totally motivated me to create a hot chocolate bar! This is beautiful! ~nicole
Awesome! Let me know how it turns out :)
Such a great idea! All the toppings are amazing well!
Thanks Danielle! In my opinion, the more toppings the better… right?
Exactly!
Yes!! It’s one of my favorite holiday treats.
Thanks Cristina! I need to try making homemade hot chocolate someday. I’m sure it’s heavenly!
I have never done a hot chocolate bar before, but this looks like SO much fun! I’ll have to do a mini-kid friendly version for my littles!!
Girl it was a blast! I’m sure your littles loved it. We did another one for a NYE party and it was a hit.
I love this! So cute and festive!
Thanks girl! It was SO much fun to put together and enjoy. And it was a hit at our NYE party!
This is such a cute idea! I love how you set everything up. Looks so yummy.
Thanks Suzanne! It was so much fun to put together, and was a huge hit at our NYE party.