In the cold winter months, a great way to warm up is with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. However, this tasty treat can grow boring quickly. Try some of these cool twists and one might find a new favorite hot chocolate recipe.

Mayan Hot Cocoa:

This is an exotic recipe for those who always thought cocoa needed a kick. Mix about a teaspoon of cinnamon, a shake of ginger, and a pinch of chili powder in with the hot chocolate mix. Add this to the heated milk, and enjoy.

Cocoa Sundae:

Hot and cold might not seem like a good combination when Katy Perry is singing about it, but a scoop of one’s favorite ice cream can make hot chocolate creamy and flavorful. Chocolate or vanilla ice cream both work well, or you can choose a more unusual flavor. Complete the sundae look with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Orange Zest:

An increasing trend is the combination of orange and chocolate. In this recipe, one places three two-inch carvings of orange rind in his or her hot chocolate. Test the taste every minute or so until you are content with the amount of citrus tang. If you want to give the drink a creamsicle flavor, add a few drops of vanilla extract. Orange you glad you tried it?

Caramel Hot Chocolate:

This a quick way to instantly add extra flavor to a normal mug of hot cocoa. After all, chocolate and caramel have been together almost as long as peanut butter and jelly. Just add about a tablespoon of caramel sauce to the drink and mix very thoroughly. Caramel is also a tasty addition to the next recipe.

Cocoa Mocha

When there is no time to stop at Starbucks, make your own mocha by replacing the milk in hot chocolate with coffee. This is a year-round recipe, an iced or chilled mocha can easily be made.

Maple Syrup:

Maple syrup might not immediately come to mind when making hot chocolate, but this is an unusually fun recipe. Add a swirl of maple syrup, and stir in completely. If this is too sweet for your taste, sprinkling ginger or nutmeg on top can easily balance sweet with spicy.

Chocolate-Covered Cherries

Have a jar of maraschino cherries, but have no clue what to do with the juice? Mix one or two teaspoons of it with hot chocolate. The result is sweet and very flavorful. Be cautious and taste test; the juice adds a bold taste quickly.

Now you have plenty of fun and original ways to switch up hot chocolate recipes before the seasons change. Enjoy!

Sources:

http://startcooking.com/12-twists-on-instant-hot-chocolate

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/drinks/hot-chocolate/top.aspx