The Conversation
Go ahead and stock up on packets of hot cocoa mix — we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves. No, we’re not suggesting that you warm up with mugful after mugful — where’s the fun in that? Instead, check out these 19 recipes that put the powder to good use in unique ways. Spoiler alert: they may be even sweeter than its intended sip-able form. From baked goods to, ironically enough, frozen treats, we’re loving all the creative ways to get more hot chocolate action in our lives.
1. Hot Chocolate Pound Cake: With over a half pound of butter, a block of cream cheese and a whole lotta chocolate action, you know this pound cake has got to be good. (via My Invisible Crown)
2. Hot Cocoa Pudding: Hot cocoa mix makes this pudding extra creamy, and likely an excellent contender for frozen hot chocolate pudding pops. (via Simply Gloria)
3. Hot Chocolate Krispie Treats: You’ll love the sweet cocoa flavor featured throughout these squares. Once summer rolls around, you can sprinkle some graham cracker on top to make a campfire-esque treat. (via Crazy for Crust)
4. Hot Chocolate Macarons With Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting: Marshmallow cream frosting sandwiched between chocolate shells earns these macarons high marks in the flavor-pairing department. (via Tried and Tasty)
5. Mexican Hot Cocoa Cake: Cayenne and cinnamon add an extra layer of welcome warmth to these baked-in-a-Mason-jar cakes. We recommend cuddling up with your personal-sized treat next to the fire. (via The Vintage Mixer)
6. Best Ever Hot Chocolate French Toast: Well good morning, gorgeous. Talk about a sweet remedy for a snow day. (via Half Baked Harvest)
7. Hot Chocolate Cookies: Enjoy the subtle chocolatey flavor of these marshmallow-studded cookies. While delicious on their own, the addition of a mini chocolate bar and dollop of fluffy ‘mallow buttercream on top adds that finishing touch. (via Cookies and Cups)
8. Hot Cocoa Monkey Bread: At first glance, this may resemble your run-of-the-mill monkey bread. Trust us, it’s anything but. Gooey marshmallows and plenty of chocolatey goodness set it apart with only six ingredients. (via Food Network)
9. Hot Chocolate Popcorn Balls: We love these marshmallowy popcorn balls as an alternative to the usual caramel-enrobed kernels. They’ll also make #easygifts this holiday season. (via Blahnick Baker)
10. Hot Cocoa Pancakes: Wash down a short stack of these chocolate pancakes with a steaming mugful of cocoa or a cuppa joe — it all depends on your sweet tooth level. (via My San Francisco Kitchen)
11. Hot Chocolate Puppy Chow: Nibble on this Chex mix, and you just might find that hot cocoa packets taste even better in snack form than as a sip. Who knew? (via Sweet as a Cookie)
12. Chocolate Snow Ice Cream: Now this is one sweet perk of living (or visiting) an area that gets snowfall. You’ll need a few cupfuls of freshies to enjoy this no-churn chiller. (via Coordinately Yours)
13. Hot Chocolate Icebox Cake: We’re thinking the hot-chocolate-infused whipped cream frosting would taste just as good spooned in a mugful of steaming cocoa as it does slicked between the layers of rich chocolate cake. (via Beyond Frosting)
14. Starbucks Hot Cocoa Chocolate Chip Muffins: Bake up a big batch of these double chocolate muffins to have on hand for grab-and-go breakfasts or an afternoon pick-me-up. (via Amanda’s Cookin’)
15. Hot Chocolate Popcorn: There’s more than meets the eye going on flavor-wise here. White chocolate and mini mallows are cleverly disguised by fluffy corn and a dusting of the powdered stuff. (via Cookies and Cups)
16. Frozen Hot Chocolate: DIY your own glass of pure bliss for just pennies per serving. It may be frozen, but it’s just as sweet even when the mercury plummets. (via Picky Palate)
17. Hot Chocolate Cookies With Marshmallows: These are just the treat you need to make it through a long winter. (via Dine and Dish)
18. Hot Cocoa Waffles: We’re adding these to our ever-growing weekend waffle rotation, STAT. (via Babble)
19. Basic Chocolate Oatmeal: Once you have this basic brekkie recipe down, it’s time to start playing around with variations. From flavors inspired by peanut butter cups to peppermint patties, your tastebuds won’t fall asleep on you any time soon. (via Chocolate Covered Katie)
What’s your favorite way to enjoy hot chocolate other than in its intended sip-able form? Share with us below!
Heather Sage is a gluten-free recipe developer and freelance writer living in Orlando by way of the Silicon Valley. When she isn’t playing around with alternative flours in the kitchen, she can be found tackling DIY projects around the house or exploring her neighborhood. Check out her gluten-free recipe blog, A Sage Amalgam.
More From Dessert Recipes
You can wear many hats running a business and sometimes some look better than others. Thanks to Office Depot, we're talking with Koyun Fan, co-founder of Sticky Rice Sisters, about finding inspiration along the way and staying organized on the road to success.
<p><strong>B+C: What set you on this entrepreneurial path of Sticky Rice Sisters?</strong><br></p><p>One day I was looking for stickers and cards to use to write to kids for a program I volunteer for when I came across Etsy shops selling products I was familiar with, growing up in Taiwan. I always had easy access to cute stickers and stationery, so I thought I should just bring them to the U.S. myself and also share Taiwanese culture with others. I also thought that if others can do it, I can do it too. I had been a marketing professional for many years before starting the store. I was still working full-time when I first started, and thought this could be something fun to work on outside of work. Also, I thought that with my marketing experience, running and promoting a store shouldn't be too hard. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! </p><p><div id="teads-ad"></div>
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</p><p><br></p><p><span></span><strong>B</strong><strong> + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from <a href="https://tryselfmade.com/" target="_blank">Selfmade</a>?</strong></p><p> I've thought about taking a business course or pursuing an MBA previously, but the cost and commitment made it difficult to. When I saw the 10-week-course on Brit's Instagram, I knew it was right for me. Since everything would be online and recorded with unlimited future access, I knew I would have enough time to consume all the information and refer back to it whenever I wanted.</p><p>I had a great experience with all the coaches. They were amazing and super helpful. I learned so much about the different aspects of business, from ideation, to creating new products, operations, legal, finance, marketing and more! I love how the course started with helping us establish the right mindset. The coaches taught us to not limit ourselves. My coach, Naomi Powell, was always challenging us on our beliefs about ourselves and she would tell us to set higher and bigger goals. It is definitely something I always think about now and I have her voice in my head.<br></p><p><div class="htlad-contentbanner"></div></p><p>All of my classmates were AMAZING. Everyone was so talented and so willing to share. It was truly a community of women who were cheering each other on and rooting for each other. </p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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</p><p><br></p><p><strong>B + C: What's the biggest challenge you face as a small business owner?</strong></p><p>Not knowing if I am doing things "correctly" has definitely been an obstacle. I have tackled this by sending out surveys to our customers and followers asking for their feedback. This is also something Brit would always talk about--we should just ask others what they think instead of guessing. People are pretty good at giving honest and helpful feedback and it really helps with thinking about future plans.</p><p><div class="htlad-contentbanner"></div></p><p><strong>B + C: Who are your role models in the entrepreneurial space?</strong></p><p>Not to sound super cheesy, but I would say it's Brit. She is such a great example of Selfmade. She started the company by herself and continues to innovate and inspire. She always radiates positive energy and in the Selfmade course she made herself available to everyone. She didn't just share what she knows, but also brought in her network to help us. My favorite thing she said is that we are all creative--creativity exists in many different forms!</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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</p><p><br></p><p><strong>B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?</strong></p><p><strong></strong>You will never be 100 percent ready so just start now and learn and improve as you go. You will make mistakes, things won't go as planned, you might not have customers to start, but you will learn. If you keep waiting for the "right moment," or wait until "you're ready," you have already lost time that you could've used to learn on the job or make mistakes. In the beginning, not a lot of people will know you, so it doesn't matter what you do--you can try anything you want and figure out what works and doesn't. As you start to have more customers and followers, you will start to get better and they will help you, encourage you, and support you. </p><p><div class="htlad-contentbanner"></div></p><p><strong>B + C: What's one female-owned business that you absolutely love and support?</strong></p><p><span></span>There are so many I love and support. To name a few fellow stationery stores: A Jar of Pickles, Occasionallish, AnnSunn, and fellow Selfmade businesses Evening Star Baby, Summer Space Studio, and The Ponnery! They are all amazing women running their own businesses.</p><p><div class="htlad-contentbanner"></div></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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</p><p><br></p><p><span></span><strong>B + C: How do you stay motivated?</strong></p><p>I look at stores I want to become. I try not to think of them as competition but as inspirations, so when I see them working hard on their businesses it motivates me to do so as well. I also listen to motivational audio books or podcasts where they interview other business owners like <a href="https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this" target="_blank">How I Built This</a> and <a href="https://www.theskimm.com/skimmd-from-the-couch" target="_blank">Skimm'd from the Couch</a>.</p><p><strong>B + C: How do you stay organized? What tools or apps help you stay productive?</strong></p><p>I think I'm a very organized person. I use Dropbox for photos and Google Docs for everything else. My tip would be to always name your files and have a system for it so it's easy to search and find easily when you need them.</p><p><div class="htlad-contentbanner"></div></p><p><em>We're inspired! Thanks Koyun for sharing your story and your organizing tips! You can find Sticky Rice Sisters at <a href="http://sticyricesisters.com/" target="_blank">SticyRiceSisters.com</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stickyricesisters/" target="_blank">@StickyRiceSisters</a>, or email at koyun@stickyricesisters.com.</em></p><p><strong><em>Office Depot OfficeMax has the solutions to help you <a href="https://www.officedepot.com/cm/marketing/save-time-and-organize?cm_mmc=bl-_-aq-_-url-_-bc&cm_mmca1=earned&cm_mmca2=uf&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc_sm_url_earned_engt_aq&utm_content=org_na&utm_term=eff" target="_blank">organize & save time</a> & create the <a href="https://www.officedepot.com/cm/multi-category/work-from-home?cm_mmc=bl-_-aq-_-url-_-bc&cm_mmca1=earned&cm_mmca2=uf&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc_sm_url_earned_engt_aq&utm_content=wfa_na&utm_term=pro" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">perfect workspace</a> to help craft your story. From <a href="https://www.officedepot.com/a/browse/tul/N=5+971469?cm_mmc=bl-_-aq-_-url-_-bc&cm_mmca1=earned&cm_mmca2=uf&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc_sm_url_earned_engt_aq&utm_content=org_na&utm_term=eff" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">journals</a> to , Office Depot OfficeMax is your go-to for all business solutions.</em></strong> <em><em><strong></strong></em></em></p><p><em><em><strong><em><em>Head to </em><em><a href="https://www.officedepot.com/cm/marketing/selfmade-promo?cm_mmc=bl-_-aq-_-url-_-bc&cm_mmca1=earned&cm_mmca2=lf&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bc_sm_url_earned_prch_aq&utm_content=tea_na&utm_term=tea" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Office Depot's Selfmade page</a></em><em> to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last.</em></em></strong></em></em></p>
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