Boozy hot chocolate warms the Christmas spirit

What I want in hot chocolate doesn’t change much when I make it boozy: I want rich, chocolate flavor and just enough sweetness to enhance it. I don’t mind if other flavors come into play, but I don’t want them overwhelming the chocolate itself.

Using different spirits and liqueurs to complement the flavor of the cocoa, you can take this hot chocolate in multiple directions, giving you a fairly comprehensive template that can be used throughout a chilly winter. This recipe is for two servings, but you can scale it up or down.

Keep in mind that if you’re mixing up a batch for two but just one of you is drinking (or if one of you is 12), it’s easy to ladle off a non-boozy portion of the mixture midway through. Ladle half of the hot chocolate mixture before adding alcohol, reducing the amount of alcohol by half.

Back to the alcohol.

The spirits I found worked best were those that had spent some time in the barrel; the vanilla and caramel notes they pick up from the wood complement the chocolate nicely. They have a richness and complexity that you’re not going to get from vodka. But if you just want that internal warming factor, vodka will work as the base for any of these — you do you.

When prepping the base, keep the heat low and whisk gently as the drink warms — without scorching your dairy. Once the milk and chocolate have fully combined and are ready for alcohol, you can raise the heat a bit, but continue to gently whisk as you go and don’t let the mixture come to a boil.

I’ll admit to occasionally garnishing a drink with something just because it’s pretty or funny. But really, garnishes should primarily be about enhancing the flavors and aromas of the drink. With an adult hot chocolate, it’s hard to go wrong with whipped cream, especially if you pep it up a little with some spice or a hint of the same (or complementary) flavors in the drink. Once you’ve got a nice floof of cream, grate some nutmeg or orange zest over it, or shave some chocolate on top.

Boozy Hot Chocolate

Hot water, for filling mugs

2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk or plant-based milk

3 ounces dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large pinch salt

2 ounces dark rum or another spirit (see note)

2 ounces coffee liqueur, or another liqueur (see note)

Whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate shavings, orange zest, and/or grating of nutmeg/ cinnamon, for optional garnish

Fill two mugs with hot water and set aside while you make the cocoa.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk, chocolate, vanilla and salt, whisking until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and uniform.

Add the rum and coffee liqueur, and stir to combine. Continue to stir until the mixture is fully heated — don’t let it come to a boil.

Discard the hot water in the mugs, ladle the mixture into your mugs and garnish as you like.

Note: Other good combinations using rum: 2 ounces rum, 1 ounce coffee liqueur and 1 ounce orange liqueur; or 2 ounces rum, 1 ounce coffee liqueur and 1 ounce nut liqueur. Variations:

Follow the recipe as written above up until adding alcohol. See below for suggested variations.

Chocolate and spice: Add 2 ounces dark rum or aged tequila and 2 ounces cinnamon whiskey, and stir to combine. (Other good combinations: 2 ounces dark rum or aged tequila with 1 ounce each cinnamon whiskey and ginger liqueur; 2 ounces dark rum or aged tequila and 1 ounce each cinnamon whiskey and chile liqueur.)

Chocolate and orange: Add 2 ounces brandy and 2 ounces orange liqueur, and stir to combine. (Other good combinations: 2 ounces brandy, 1 ounce orange liqueur and 1 ounce coffee liqueur; 2 ounces brandy, 1 ounce orange liqueur and 1 ounce chile liqueur.)

Chocolate and other fruits: Add 2 ounces brandy or rum, and 2 ounces another fruit liqueur, and stir to combine. (Brandy goes well with raspberry or cherry liqueur. You can even try an eau de vie, an unaged brandy made with the same fruit as the liqueur. Rum goes beautifully with banana or coconut liqueur.)