Homemade Gingerbread Hot Chocolate is a delightful combination of creamy hot chocolate and gingerbread syrup. To make this winter drink even more decadent, it’s topped with whipped cream and a gingerbread cookie to garnish.
If the holiday season had an aroma, gingerbread would be it!
Nothing smells better than freshly-baked gingerbread treats full of ginger, molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg.
These warm winter spices and rich sweeteners add a whole new flavor dimension to ordinary hot cocoa. Best of all the recipe can be made by the single cup or enough for a larger group.
Why You’ll Love Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- Gingerbread Hot Chocolate is perfect for serving at holiday parties and winter gatherings. The cocoa is sweetened with brown sugar and molasses and has lots of spiced flavor. Your guests will love it!
- It’s easy to add gingerbread hot chocolate to your hot cocoa bar. A bottle of gingerbread syrup and a dish of gingerbread cookies are all that’s needed.
- Make gingerbread white hot chocolate for a caffeine-free alternative where gingerbread really is the star of the show!
Homemade Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Recipe
Gingerbread hot chocolate has a lot of flavors rolled into one beverage. Flavored simple syrup is how to capture all the wonderful notes of gingerbread.
Here’s what you need to make the drink.
Ingredients
- Gingerbread Syrup (homemade or store-bought).
- Chocolate Sauce
- Milk
- Whipped Cream
- Gingerbread Cookies to Garnish
Gingerbread Syrup: All the gingerbread flavor comes from the syrup.
You can buy a bottle of gingerbread syrup from the store or make this homemade gingerbread syrup.
The syrup is incredibly easy to make and what I love about it is you can easily adjust the spices according to your taste.
You can also use the syrup for other delicious holiday drinks like this copycat Starbucks Iced Gingerbread Chai Latte. (Yup, gingerbread and chai are fabulous together!)
The base of the syrup is real molasses, brown sugar and water so it has a rich, homemade taste.
Chocolate Sauce: You’ve got two options when it comes to chocolate sauce: dark or milk chocolate. I recommend the more bitter dark chocolate since the gingerbread syrup adds a whole lot of sweetness.
Whatever you choose, make sure to get a good brand such as Ghirardelli or Torani. Skip the artificial chocolate ones—ick!
You can also make this recipe with unsweetened cocoa powder and sugar. (See recipe notes below.)
Milk: For the creamiest hot chocolate, use whole milk or 2%. Steer away from non-fat milk. It’s too thin.
Whipped Cream: Whipped cream is my go-to hot chocolate topping instead of marshmallows!
For this holiday treat I take the extra step to make homemade gingerbread whipped cream. This way it tastes of gingerbread from first sip to last.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add gingerbread syrup and chocolate sauce to a 12-14 fluid ounce mug for hot drinks. Stir to combine.
- Steam milk to 140-160 degrees (130 for kids). You can use an espresso machine steam wand, electric milk frother or warm the milk and use a handheld frother.
- Pour the steamed or frothed milk and foam into mug and stir.
- Top the gingerbread hot chocolate with whipped cream and garnish with a gingerbread cookie.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Making the Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
Just layer the ingredients in a mug and give it a good stir to combine all the flavors into one.
Adding Toppings
Top the hot chocolate with whipped cream, crushed gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread cookie to garnish.
I used this gingerbread whipped cream recipe.
Recipe Notes
Substitute chocolate sauce with cocoa powder: In place of chocolate sauce, use a mix of hot water, sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Use this ratio: 1 part water, 1 part sugar, 1/2 part cocoa powder.
For example, for a single serving gingerbread hot cocoa, dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar in 2 tablespoons hot water and whisk in 1 tablespoon cocoa powder until dissolved.
Steaming the milk vs warming it up. I love making hot drinks like lattes and hot chocolate with steamed milk—the same as Starbucks.
Steaming not only warms the milk, but it aerates it, too.
Steaming expands the milk, makes it super creamy and brings out its sweetness.
A steam wand or electric milk frother are the ideal way to get the job done.
To make gingerbread hot chocolate with milk that’s simply warmed up, put the syrup and milk in a saucepan and heat it on the stove. Be careful not to scorch the milk.
Note, the hot chocolate does not come out nearly as creamy this way.
Make gingerbread syrup ahead of time. This way when it’s time to make the hot chocolate all you have to do is assemble the drink.
More Gingerbread & Hot Chocolate Recipes
- Homemade Gingerbread Syrup Recipe for Drinks
- Homemade Gingerbread Whipped Cream
- Starbucks Iced Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai Latte Copycat Recipe
- Starbucks Hot Chocolate Copycat Recipe
- The Creamiest Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
Want to save this recipe to make later?
Pin it to your Pinterest board!
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
See how easy it is to make Gingerbread Hot Chocolate, a holiday twist on a classic winter drink. With gingerbread syrup, dark chocolate sauce, milk and whipped cream, this spiced hot chocolate is ready in 3 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate sauce
- 2 tablespoons gingerbread syrup
- 1 cup 2% milk (or whole)
- whipped cream, for topping
- gingerbread cookie, to garnish
Instructions
- Add gingerbread syrup and chocolate sauce to a 12-14 fluid ounce cup for hot drinks. Stir to combine.
- Steam milk to 140-160 degrees (130 for kids). You can use an espresso machine steam wand, electric milk frother or warm the milk and use a handheld frother.
- Pour the steamed or frothed milk and foam into the gingerbread chocolate mixture and stir.
- Top the gingerbread hot chocolate with whipped cream and garnish with a gingerbread cookie.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
