We’re getting another cold front here in Pennsylvania and I’m about to break out the Hot Chocolate Bar for the girls. This is one of their most favorite traditions of the winter.
I out hot water in an insulate coffee pot (similar to this one) that they can pour themselves. Yes, I use hot water instead of milk. I know (or at least think) that milk is more popular, but too much milk doesn’t agree with the girls so we can’t do much at a time. I also use powdered hot chocolate. It’s cheap and easy and I buy it in a big canister and it can last us all winter.
Some of the items we include in ours are:
crushed Oreo cookies (the gluten free version)
m&ms
chocolate sprinkles
rainbow sprinkles
crushed candy canes
white chocolate chips
milk chocolate chips
toffee pieces
mini marshmallows
tiny candy canes
caramels
whipped cream
The favorite part is usually the chocolate coated spoons.
I melt some candy discs in the microwave and dip each spoon into it. I then place them on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and add 2-3 mini marshmallows to the top. We use these spoons to stir the hot chocolate and as the chocolate melts, it makes the hot chocolate all the more delicious.
Plus? Extra marshmallows.
We also love to add these little guys to our mugs.
They’re made by putting a dollop of whipped cream (Cool Whip) onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. We add regular sized chocolate chips for the eyes and mini chocolate chips for the mouth. The nose was made by using some orange decorating gel. Put the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes and they’ll be ready to add to your hot chocolate. They were fun to make and the girls were able to do them all by themselves.
This kid was begging ( B E G G I N G ) to get started!
xoxo
–k
Kristina Grum is a Certified Parent Educator who has over a decade of experience working with children, including being a classroom teacher. She currently teaches parenting classes in her local area and writes about shifting parenthood from barely surviving to thriving.
