Toasty Hot Chocolate Cocktail

This Toasty Hot Chocolate Cocktail is the latest party drink that will keep you cozy and warm! Serve it during tailgating parties, for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, New Years, or even Valentine’s Day! Or make it on a chilly night when you want a unique and comforting cocktail.

While I don’t drink hot chocolate in the dead of summer, I certainly drink it pretty much any other time of year. I have even been known to sip on a boozy hot cocoa even on a cool spring evening. It’s one of those drinks that I can’t resist and I don’t want to wait until there is 3 feet of snow on the ground to enjoy it. It’s a Christmas staple at our house though, so you can just about guarantee that during our Christmas parties that there will be this incredible toasty hot chocolate cocktail.

I love the combination of rich hot chocolate paired with cherry liqueur and coconut rum. It is festive, enjoyable, and nothing goes better together than cherries and chocolate if you ask me.

Something else I love to do with this hot chocolate is to make it as a gift. You can get little mini bottles of cherry liqueur and coconut rum. Place them with a couple of mugs with pre-packaged hot chocolate mix and a small jar of cherries. Don’t forget to include a little bag of marshmallows with directions on how to make the boozy hot chocolate cocktail.

Related: Make your holidays a breeze with these easy-to-use cocktail shakers that will make you feel like a real bartender!

Ingredients Needed:

I think it’s pretty amazing that you can combine just 5 ingredients and end up with one of the best winter drinks you’ll ever taste.

Hot Chocolate Mix – It’s completely acceptable to use store-bought hot chocolate. You can also mix up a batch of homemade hot chocolate too. Both taste yummy!
Cherry Liqueur – Yum, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Wait until you try it in a boozy hot chocolate!
Coconut Rum – The creaminess of the coconut rum is the perfect drink to add to this hot cocoa.
Maraschino Cherries – While they are optional, they really round out the drink and offer an extra sweetness that is hard to resist.
Toasted Marshmallows – There is some wiggle room with the marshmallows. You can completely omit them, toast them or leave them untoasted. The ball is in your court here!

How To Make This Toasty Hot Chocolate Cocktail

Not too surprisingly, this hot chocolate is simple to make too. It only has a couple of steps, so it’s fantastic for entertaining.

Prepare the hot chocolate according to the instructions on the packaging. Then pour it into two mugs. Add ½ ounce of cherry liqueur and 1 ½ ounces of coconut rum into each of the mugs.
Add a maraschino cherry and toasted marshmallow to each mug, sip and enjoy!

PRO TIP: To toast the marshmallows you can put the marshmallow on a fork and very carefully use a blow torch to toast it. Or you can place it in the oven on a lined baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until it reaches the desired toastiness. You can also use fire from a grill or fire pit to roast marshmallows too. No matter which method you choose, be super careful so you don’t get burned.

Do I Make Hot Chocolate With Water?

This is totally up to you. Sometimes I will use hot water, but other times I want something richer and smoother. You can swap the water for whole milk, dairy-free milk (coconut is amazing), heavy cream, or half and half. Each option has its upsides, so I recommend trying the ones that interest you the most to see what you like best.

Can I Make This Hot Chocolate Cocktail For A Crowd?

Yep! And it’s completely easy! Each batch makes 2 cocktails so you will need to make enough for your crowd. I like to allot 2 drinks per person, but you may need more or less depending on your group. Prepare as much hot chocolate as you want and keep it in a crockpot on the lowest setting. Be sure to stir it every once in a while so it doesn’t burn to the sides of the slow cooker.

I recommend not pouring in the alcohol until you are ready to serve. You can place the alcohol needed in the mugs so they are ready to go, or pour what you need in shot glasses so everyone can make their own.

Don’t forget to set out the garnishes as well. I recommend toasting a bunch of marshmallows at once by placing them on a baking sheet that has parchment paper. You can take a torch and heat them at once or broil them.