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Spiked Hot Chocolate

Paired with bourbon, Frangelico, and Irish cream, this spiked hot chocolate is just the thing for a cozy night in.

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black mug of spiked hot chocolate topped with toasted marshmallows

Spiked Hot Chocolate + Christmas PJs + Holiday Movies = Best. Night. Ever.

There’s something so cozy about this time of year. Whether it’s the glow of the lights on the Christmas tree, a belly full of comfort food (you’ve made our Healthy Shepherd’s Pie, right?!), or simply reliving the magic of the season through the eyes of little ones, the holiday season makes us feel oh-so fuzzy and warm. Or, perhaps it’s just this boozy hot chocolate we’ve been sipping?

two black mugs of alcoholic hot chocolate top with toasted marshmallows

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Seriously, Make This Spiked Hot Chocolate Already

Spiked with bourbon, Frangelico, and a super-easy homemade Irish cream, this alcoholic hot chocolate makes a cozy night-in even cozier. We particularly like to drink it curled up in our peppermint-striped PJs with a holiday movie streaming, though it’s also great company while wrapping gifts (or browsing the internet for last-minute presents). Whip it up, then let it help you wind down—it’s just the thing we all need this time of year.

ingredients for spiked hot chocolate in small bowls
heavy cream with vanilla and spices in a white saucepan
hot milk with chunks of dark chocolate in a white saucepan
homemade hot chocolate in a white sauce pan

How to Make Our Easy Spiked Hot Chocolate

A little bit of prep and you’ll be ready to make our alcoholic hot chocolate recipe all winter long. Here’s how to make boozy hot chocolate:

  • Make a big batch of our Homemade Irish Cream and keep on-hand for this spiked hot chocolate recipe. Bottle extras for cute DIY gifts for friends. OR just buy some Irish cream—that’s OK too.

  • Heat things up. Warm together a mix of milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir in chopped chocolate until smooth.

  • Make it boozy! Stir in bourbon, Frangelico, and premade Irish cream.

  • Top with marshmallows or a swirl of whipped cream.

white enamel pot of hot chocolate topped with toasted marshmallows

Cocoa Powder vs. Chocolate

Don’t get us wrong—we’ll take chocolate any which way we can get it! But typically, when a recipe calls for cocoa powder instead of chocolate, or vice versa, there’s a pretty good reason why.

  • Cocoa powder. Mostly made up of cocoa solids, cocoa powder has less cocoa butter in it, making a more pronounced overall chocolate flavor, overall. You’ll often see “Dutch-process” on your cocoa label, which means it’s been treated with alkali to mellow sharpness and increase pH (important in some recipes). You can totally use it to make spiked hot cocoa, just adjust the milk and sugar accordingly, and blend super-well to keep it from tasting too grainy.

  • Chocolate. With its higher ratio of cocoa butter to cocoa solids, using solid chocolate often results in a smoother, creamier texture—which is why we love it for making hot chocolate (and specifically this hot chocolate with alcohol). We opt for a moderately dark 60%, which gives our alcoholic hot chocolate just enough of a grownup taste without any bitterness.

two cups of homemade alcoholic hot chocolate topped with marshmallows

The Best DIY Christmas Gifts

Who doesn’t love a homemade gift? Here are some of our favorite recipes we love to gift to family and friends:

  • Because boozy gifts usually make the best gifts, whip up a batch of our Homemade Irish Cream, bottle, and affix with a recipe card for making this Adult Hot Chocolate.

  • Our Cranberry Chutney makes the perfect hostess gift—pair with a fave cheese or two and secure your annual invite to the party.

  • Whip up a batch of our homemade Rhubarb-Mint Syrup and gift with a bottle of your favorite tequila—margaritas are served!

black mug of spiked hot chocolate topped with toasted marshmallows

Tools to Make Alcoholic Hot Chocolate

The best spiked hot chocolate recipe calls for the best tools. Lucky for you, you don’t need many.

  • Small saucepan. Just room enough to hold 4 cups of milk and 6 ounces of chopped chocolate.
  • Whisk. Santa brought us this one last year and all other whisks have since been banished to the kids’ play kitchen.
  • Holiday mugs for serving. Because ‘tis the season.

Need Cocktails for a Crowd?

Get the holiday party started with these festive holiday drink recipes your friends will love.

Yay for Adulting!

Our spiked hot chocolate recipe have you doing three cheers for grownup drinks? Show us your holiday spirit and tag us @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Now excuse us while we go mix up a second round.

Spiked Hot Chocolate

  • Serves: 6
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Cook Time:  10 min
  • Calories: 364

Ingredients

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate (60%), roughly chopped
  • 4 ounces bourbon
  • 2 ounces Frangelico
  • 2 ounces Irish Cream, store-bought or homemade
  • Marshmallows, for serving (optional)

Method

  1. In a small pot, combine the milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Heat over medium-low and cook, without boiling, until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

  2. Stir in bourbon, Frangelico, and Irish cream. Serve immediately, topped with marshmallows.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories364
  • Protein7 g
  • Carbohydrates31 g
  • Total Fat15 g
  • Dietary Fiber1 g
  • Cholesterol16 mg
  • sodium464 mg
  • Total Sugars30 g

Spiked Hot Chocolate

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Kara

    Can you use 2% milk?

    Sure can!

  • leah

    Hi! I see the recipe says serve immediately but do you know how this would hold up if I batched it and heated to order?

    You could try it! Reheating can be tricky with drinks like this, but you could try making a batch and keeping it warm in an insulated pump pot.

  • Jenn

    This was so tasty!

    Thanks Jenn! We are so glad you liked it!