Posted Dec 01, 2019, Updated Jun 23, 2024 Today we’re going to be making a festive treat that will keep you warm this holiday season – homemade candy cane hot chocolate (also try this homemade hot chocolate and crockpot hot chocolate). Kiss powdered mixes and packets goodbye, with this ultra-rich and creamy candy cane hot chocolate, that’s so easy to make in the Vitamix Blender! This is not your average peppermint hot chocolate, because we use the Vitamix to blend real candy canes into the cocoa base, which is made with two forms of chocolate. You don’t need expensive extracts, just a a few of your favorite candy canes (plus a handful of other ingredients), which we all have an abundance of this time of year. Serve it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and peppermint cookies or peppermint brownies for true hot cocoa bliss!
Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always, let’s start by discussing the ingredients in this peppermint hot chocolate recipe, as well as possible substitutions.
Whole milk. Half and half, heavy cream, and 2% milk (or a combination of these) are good substitutes. Coconut milk is a good dairy-free option. Cocoa Powder. Use pure, unsweetened cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix). Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar and coconut sugar are good substitutes. Chocolate. I recommend using semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate. You can use milk chocolate or white chocolate for a sweeter final outcome. For a dairy-free/vegan version, use dairy-free chocolate. You can also use bakers chocolate (100% cocoa) and increase the amount of sugar to suit your tastes. Vanilla Extract. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Candy Canes. Choose your favorite candy canes to use in this peppermint hot chocolate. I use Wholesome organic candy canes or Yum Earth Organic Candy Canes because both of these varieties have no food dyes or corn syrup. If you’d prefer, you can use ½ tsp peppermint extract instead of the candy canes. Or add it along with the candy canes for a more pronounced peppermint flavor.
How to Make Peppermint Hot Chocolate
This homemade candy cane hot chocolate is so easy to make and so much more delicious than any powdered mix you can buy at the store! Let’s walk through how to make it step-by-step and don’t forget to watch the video.
Use a Vitamix Blender
To achieve the creamiest peppermint hot chocolate ever, as always, I recommend using a Vitamix Blender! In this recipe the Vitamix does all the work for you! It melts the chocolate, pulverizes the candy canes and heats up the gourmet hot chocolate so you can serve it straight from the blending container (no stovetop cooking required). It’s SO easy to make hot chocolate in the Vitamix! If you are looking to buy a Vitamix, check out my in-depth Vitamix buying guide and learn why I chose to blend with Vitamix 10 years ago and never looked back!
Make the Candy Cane Hot Chocolate
Start by adding milk to the container of your Vitamix blender, followed by cocoa powder and sugar. Secure the lid and blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high. Blend on high speed for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is warm. Next, add the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate), pure vanilla extract and candy canes to the warm mixture in the blending container. Secure the lid and blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high. Blend on high speed for 3 minutes or until the mixture is hot and steamy.
Serve
Remove the lid, pour the peppermint hot chocolate into your favorite mugs, top with marshmallows (especially homemade marshmallows) or homemade whipped cream and some crushed candy canes and enjoy! Note: since the Vitamix is so powerful you will have some foam in your final product! Simply stir the foam into the hot chocolate to make it disappear, or enjoy it as part of the candy cane hot chocolate experience!
Store
Store any leftovers in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to stir leftovers into my coffee in the morning for an extra special treat.
Toppings for Peppermint Hot Chocolate
This recipe tastes amazing on its own. But if you’re looking to jazz it up with some fun toppings, here are some suggestions:
Homemade Whipped Cream (obviously) Marshmallows (any variety, peppermint marshmallows would be delicious). Crushed candy canes Chopped peppermint bark Shaved chocolate Holiday sprinkles
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