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Kid-friendly gingerbread hot chocolate bar with creamy Christmas cocoa and five easy festive toppings.

Kid-Friendly Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Bar

Rich and creamy homemade gingerbread hot chocolate flavored with chocolate, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and molasses, served with five easy kid-friendly Christmas toppings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
  • - 4 cups 960ml whole milk
  • - ¼ cup 25g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • - 4 oz 113g semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • - 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • - 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
  • - ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • - ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • - Pinch of salt
  • 5 Easy Toppings
  • - 1 cup mini marshmallows
  • - 1 cup whipped cream
  • - ½ cup coarsely crushed gingerbread cookies
  • - ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • - 2 tablespoons festive Christmas sprinkles

Method
 

  1. Finely chop the semi-sweet chocolate and set aside.
  2. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat.
  3. Add cocoa powder and whisk thoroughly.
  4. Add brown sugar and continue whisking until dissolved.
  5. Whisk in ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  6. Add the molasses and whisk until completely incorporated.
  7. Heat gently until hot and steaming, stirring frequently. Do not rapidly boil.
  8. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate.
  9. Whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and the drink is smooth.
  10. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  11. Divide marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed gingerbread cookies, mini chocolate chips, and sprinkles into separate serving bowls.
  12. Adults should pour warm hot chocolate into mugs for younger children.
  13. Let everyone customize their mug with their favorite toppings.
  14. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses.
  • Heat the milk gently rather than boiling it.
  • Adjust ginger and cinnamon if you prefer a stronger gingerbread flavor.
  • For young children, adults should handle the hot saucepan and pour the drinks.
  • Always make sure individual servings have cooled to an appropriate temperature before giving them to children.
  • Leftover hot chocolate can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated.
  • Nutrition information doesn't include toppings because the amount used will vary.