Whiskey hot cocoa is an adult cocktail version of the popular winter drink, hot cocoa. This hot cocoa drink is made from scratch, spiked with whiskey, then topped with fresh whipped cream.

Table of Contents

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Equipment

• saucepan
• electric mixer
• mixing bowl

Ingredients

Whiskey Hot Cocoa (2 servings)

• 2 cups milk of choice
• 2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 oz whiskey

Because this recipe has only a few ingredients, use the highest quality you can for the best results.

This recipe works well with all types of milk, but fatty and creamy milk is best because it’ll help balance out the bitter cocoa and reduce the alcoholic bite from your whiskey. We used 2% lactose free milk. Other milks we recommend are whole milk, coconut milk, and soy milk.

If you don’t know how to melt chocolate properly, read on for two easy methods you can use!

Choosing your whiskey: As with all whiskey cocktails, you want to use good whiskey, but not the finest whiskey in your cabinet. If you were to ask any hard-core whiskey lover, they’d say that the BEST whiskey should be enjoyed by itself and not mixed (some might say “contaminated”), but to be honest, whichever whichever way you enjoy it is the right way to have it! You do you boo. Use Irish whiskey like Tullamore Dew or Bushmill’s. Another whiskey that works great is Basil Hayden’s dark rye whiskey. These are a few of our favorite whiskeys in our home bar because they’re versatile for cocktails but can also be enjoyed on their own.

Toppings

• whipped cream
• dark chocolate shavings
• cocoa powder
• mini dark chocolate mint cookies

Just like we mentioned for the hot cocoa ingredients, the higher the quality, the better the drink.

You can use whipped cream from a can, but there’s nothing quite like fresh, fluffy whipped cream. It’s deceptively easy to make, so keep reading for the deets.

We purchased some mini dark chocolate mint cookies from Trader Joe’s and omg they were adorable! They taste like Girl Scout’s thin mints, but they’re shaped like mini stars and have sprinkles. They’re a super cute topping for everything from hot cocoa to ice cream sundaes!

How to make whiskey hot cocoa

1. Warm the milk in a saucepan on medium heat. Do not boil.
2. Add melted semisweet chocolate and cocoa powder. Stir until well incorporated.
3. Add 2 oz whiskey in each mug, then top it off with hot cocoa.
4. Top with whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate mint cookies.

Two ways to melt chocolate

To melt semisweet chocolate, make sure they are broken into chips or cut into small pieces. This will help the chocolate melt fast and evenly. Here are two simple ways you can melt chocolate at home:

Microwave method – Microwave the chocolate chips in a bowl for 10-15 seconds at a time. Make sure you stir very well after you microwave. Repeat until all the chocolate is melted (it usually takes us 2-3 rounds).

Stovetop method – Fill a saucepan with water and turn the heat to medium. Add the chocolate chips to a heat resistant bowl. Then place the bowl in the hot water. The hot water will heat the bowl to melt the chocolate. Stir very frequently for 2-3 minutes or until all the chocolate is melted.

How to make fresh whipped cream

Fresh whipped cream may sound fancy and intimidating, but if there’s only one thing you ever make from scratch in your kitchen, it should be this. Seriously, once we tried it we could never have canned whip cream again (foodie lifestyle inflation lol).

You only need 2 ingredients for fresh whipped cream: 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tbsp powdered sugar.

Use ice-cold whipping cream as whipping it at a low temp is key to making the foam nice and fluffy. We like to chill our whipping cream overnight in the back of the fridge. Then we place it in the freezer for 5 minutes before use.

To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer on high for 3-5 minutes until you get medium or stiff peaks (to your preference.)

If it takes more than 5 minutes, it’s likely that your whipped cream isn’t cold enough or you may have over-whipped it. If this is the case, stop mixing and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes and try whipping again.

Note that over whipping will result in chunky, dense cream, so you may also need to add a bit more cream (unwhipped) to revive it.

We used a large cookie scoop to add the whipped cream to our hot chocolate. Add as much as your heart desires!

Final Thoughts

Whiskey, from-scratch hot cocoa, and fresh whipped cream come together for an adult version of everyone’s favorite holiday drink. Whipped cream mustaches are optional but highly recommended 🙂

References & Further Reading

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2019/06/04/fix-whipped-cream