For those who are lovers of coffee as well as some of the best hot chocolate, our hot chocolate coffee recipe just might be the next best thing.

Before we get into the recipe, let’s look at some creative and excellent ideas for toppings for your beverage.

Topping Ideas

There are so many topping ideas for your hot chocolate coffee that it might seem like the sky’s the limit. Here are a few ideas.

Chocolate Syrup

Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top of your cup of hot chocolate coffee to add visual interest and enhance the flavor of chocolate. This will help to make your beverage sweeter and more chocolatey.

Whipped Cream

Most everyone loves whipped cream to top off their hot chocolate. Why not use a squirt of it on your hot chocolate coffee in much the same way. It enhances the visual aspects as well as the flavor.

Chocolate Chips

You know those mini chocolate chips that are just so delightful you could use them anywhere? Consider sprinkling them on top of your cup of hot chocolate coffee. You might want to sacrifice and use them on top of your whipped cream to help keep them from sinking into your beverage.

Candy Cane

For a festive Christmas or holiday season flair, chop up some candy cane and use that on top of your hot chocolate coffee. Or why wait for Christmas, it works great to give some additional flavor and sweet perspective any time of year.

Pretzel Stick

A crumbled or grated pretzel stick is another delicious addition to any cup of hot chocolate coffee. But if you’re worried about it getting soggy, wait and add it right before it’s serve to maintain the crisp aspect of the pretzels.

White Chocolate

A drizzle of white chocolate might just be the right touch to add flavor and make your drink extra fancy. You can melt the chocolate first and drizzle or grate the chocolate and add shavings that way.

Cinnamon

Do you enjoy a hint of cinnamon with your hot chocolate or coffee? Consider adding a cinnamon stick or a dusting of ground cinnamon to the top of your drink.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is a great natural sweetener. And if a naturally sweet drink is what you like, then a drizzle of maple syrup might turn out to be just right.

Marshmallows

And of course we can’t leave out marshmallows for our hot chocolate topping. After all it has been a long-standing tradition. You can use large marshmallows, mini marshmallows, or even colored marshmallows if you prefer.

Ingredient Substitutions

Following are potential substitutions that you might choose to use due to dietary restrictions or eating preferences.

Milk:

Using hot milk or heating your milk is key to this recipe and is what melts the chocolate. If you’re a dairy free eater, perhaps you’ll want to find a plant-based substitute that can be used instead of the whole milk.

Plant-based milk such as coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, and soy milk are all good alternate solutions. But some of these milk alternatives curdle quite easily when heated, so be sure to go low and slow when heating them.

We do recommend using a milk alternative for the best flavor rather than just adding plain hot water to the mix which will indeed just water down the situation and the taste.

Chocolate:

We recommend using real chocolate in this recipe for the best results. Dark chocolate is a good option, but if you prefer another kind of chocolate go ahead and try that instead.

Using real chocolate will be better than using a hot chocolate mix, but when you’re in a pinch that will be okay too. Melted chocolate just provides a richness in flavor that’s harder to achieve with a powder.

Natural cocoa powder is added to the ingredients to enhance the chocolate, but keep in mind this is not a sweet chocolate. So, we’ve included a spoon full of sugar to bring up the sweet aspect of your hot chocolate drink.

Coffee:

Although our recipe calls for espresso, there are some coffee drinkers who might prefer to make a similar amount of strong coffee using instant coffee powder. There of course are many different ways coffee can be made.

But the key is choosing coffee that’s fairly strong because only a small amount of hot coffee is used and is then diluted when added to the mix.

No matter what type of coffee beans you choose to use, we’ve got an idea that this just might be one of your favorite hot beverages.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Coffee Recipe

Below are our step-by-step instructions for how to make this easy recipe for Hot Chocolate Coffee Recipe. If you’ve got a desire for coffee but have chocolate on your mind, we’ve got you covered with this rich and delicious drink.

Equipment

coffee maker

whisk

medium saucepan

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

8 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate chips

1 shot of espresso or strong coffee

1 tablespoon of sugar

Marshmallows for topping (optional)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, add milk, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Whisk over low to medium heat until the chocolate has melted and the liquid is smooth.

Add coffee and whisk until well combined.

Pour into mugs and serve with marshmallows or desired toppings. Enjoy.

How to Store Hot Chocolate Coffee

Leftover hot chocolate coffee can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

This beverage doesn’t freeze exceptionally well because of the addition of milk which tends to separate when frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Following are frequently asked questions that relate to hot chocolate coffee recipe. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to drop it in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to respond.

What is hot chocolate and coffee mixed together called?

Hot chocolate and coffee mixed together is called hot chocolate coffee. Use our recipe above to make your batch. The flavor is delicious and wonderful.

Is mixing hot chocolate and coffee good?

Yes, if you enjoy drinking hot chocolate and coffee, mixing the two flavors together just might be the next best thing for you to enjoy. The two flavors meld together wonderfully well and make your taste buds rave the experience.

Does hot chocolate powder taste good in coffee?

You can use hot chocolate power to help enhance the flavor of your cup of coffee. And there are other options as well such as chocolate syrup, melted chocolate, chocolate powder and more.

How to make hot chocolate like coffee shops?

The key to making hot chocolate with a flavor that’s rich and delightful like a coffee shop is to use heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk. This gives it the flavor and smooth texture that you’ve come to love and appreciate.

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Easy Hot Chocolate Coffee Recipe