One taste and you’ll fall in love with this Love Potion mocktail – a sparkling pink non-alcoholic drink recipe that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby or bridal showers, or any special occasion!

🧾 What You’ll Need

Mocktail Ingredients

This party punch is a 5-ingredient wonder, and 2 of those ingredients are optional! Here’s what you’ll need to pick up to make your love potion: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Raspberries: Ripe, juicy fresh raspberries will give you the best flavor, but sometimes it’s hard to find good berries in the off-season. You can substitute defrosted frozen berries if that’s what you have.
• Sugar: Sugar and lemon juice are both optional, but they help bring out the sweet-tart flavor of the raspberries. I add them when my berries are a little lackluster, or if I’m using frozen berries.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice can really perk up boring berries. If you’re skipping the sugar, you’ll probably also want to skip the juice, unless your berries are really sweet.
• Raspberry sherbet: Don’t skip the sherbet! It accentuates the raspberry flavor and makes the punch wonderfully creamy.
• Sparkling pink lemonade: Top up your drinks with a little pink bubbly! My absolute favorite is Fentiman’s rose lemonade – the combination of raspberry and rose flavors in the punch are incredible. But you can use sparkling berry lemonade or regular sparkling lemonade if you prefer. Want to make this more of a cocktail and less of a mocktail? Check out the FAQ section below for some suggestions.

Drink Supplies

No special equipment here — just a fork, a scoop, and some cups. Because I regularly get questions about the glasses and drink picks in the photos, I’m sharing some recommendations if you want to complete the look:

• Gold-rimmed glasses: These are French champagne glasses from Crate & Barrel. (They no longer carry the gold-rimmed version, but you can still get the plain glass version here.) Get a similar effect with these beautiful gold-rimmed stemless champagne flutes.
• Gold cocktail picks: This is probably the most-asked question! Unfortunately the double-heart picks were purchased years ago and I can’t find them online. But here are a few alternate Valentine’s cocktail picks that would work well: gold heart-shaped cocktail picks, gold arrow cocktail picks, and “love” cocktail picks.
• Edible gold sprinkles: Edible gold sprinkles are completely optional, but if you love being extra (like me!), pick up some edible gold hearts here.

• Combine fresh (or frozen defrosted) raspberries in a bowl with a bit of lemon juice and sugar.
• Mash them with a fork until the berries have broken down and you have a sweet-tart raspberry puree.
• Optional: If you don’t like the thought of raspberry seeds in your drink, you can strain the puree through a wire mesh strainer.

• Fill the bottom of your glasses with a generous spoonful of fresh raspberry puree.
• Next add a scoop of raspberry sherbet. I love the way sherbet melts into this drink and makes it so fun and frothy.

• Top up the glasses with sparkling berry lemonade or sparkling rose lemonade.
• Add a garnish of fresh raspberries, and enjoy!
• Optional: add a sprinkling of edible gold hearts on top right before serving if you want to really take things over the top!

Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies

Looking for a great Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie recipe? These classic sugar cookies are decorated with royal icing in a number of beautiful Valentine’s Day designs.

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Sprinkle Heart Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

Sprinkle Heart Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any special occasion. Use this easy cupcake decorating hack to make cute, customized, sprinkle-covered cupcakes in no time!

View Recipe

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5 from 11 votes

Love Potion Valentine’s Day Drink

One taste and you’ll fall in love with this “Love Potion” mocktail – a sparkling pink non-alcoholic drink recipe that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby or bridal showers, or any special occasion!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert drinks, punch, raspberry, Valentine’s Day

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh raspberries see Note below
• 1 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 TBSP lemon juice freshly squeezed preferable
• 1 pint raspberry sherbet
• 3 cups sparkling berry lemonade see Note below

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

• Combine the fresh raspberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash them together with a fork until you have a berry puree.
• Place a generous spoonful of puree at the bottom of 6 glasses. (I used 7 oz French champagne glasses). Top with a small scoop of raspberry sherbet, and fill the cups to the brim with sparkling berry lemonade. Garnish with a few more fresh berries, if desired, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Yield: The glasses I used were 7 oz, so yield and calories were calculated based on that. Your yield may vary depending on the size of your glasses.

To make in a punch bowl:  First combine the raspberry puree and sparkling lemonade in a punch bowl and whisk them together. Next add scoops of sherbet, and stir briefly so the sherbet melts a little and the drink gets creamy. Ladle into cups and enjoy!

 

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcal

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☕️ The Best Hot Chocolate Recipe for a Crowd

Here are SugarHero, we are obsessed with hot chocolate recipes. There’s something so cozy and comforting about curling up with a mug of chocolate (topped with lots of whipped cream, of course!) and savoring this little dessert dressed up as a drink. Plain, flavored, made with chocolate or cocoa powder…it’s always hot chocolate season ’round here.

The only thing better than a mug of rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate is a giant POT of rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate, and that’s exactly what we’re going to make with this super-easy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate recipe.

By using a slow cooker, you can easily make a BIG batch of decadent hot chocolate without breaking a sweat.

It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, and you can get it going in the background while you do other things. Oh, and the best part? It tastes like a melted chocolate bar, it’s THAT creamy and rich.

My family asks me to make this recipe at least twice a month all winter long, and we love it–not just because it tastes great, but because it’s so convenient! The genius of using a slow cooker is that everything can be prepared in advance, and then the hot chocolate cooks while you do other things.

Most often, I will get everything started before we go out sledding, or snowball fighting, (or shoveling snow, siiiiiigh), and it’s always so nice to walk back into the house to find our piping hot chocolate ready and waiting for us.

If you love the sound of this hot chocolate, don’t miss other reader favorites like Nutella Hot Chocolate, Orange Hot Chocolate, and Peppermint Hot Chocolate!

🧾 What You’ll Need

🍫 Ingredients

One of the BEST things about this slow cooker hot chocolate is that the ingredient list is short and sweet! Here are a few tips and substitution suggestions: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Chocolate: Since most of the flavor comes from the chocolate, using a delicious, high-quality chocolate will give you the best results. Any semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate with 55-70% cacao is perfect. You can chop up your favorite chocolate bars, or pick up some dark chocolate chips — I love using Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips in this recipe. Just avoid low-quality, waxy chocolate chips without much flavor–if they’re not delicious to eat, they won’t be delicious in a drink. In my opinion, milk chocolate is too sweet for this recipe, but if you are a real milk chocolate lover, you might try doing half milk and half dark chocolate.
• Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed (alkalized) cocoa powder is my recommendation, but you can use natural cocoa powder if that’s what you have. Just as with chocolate, using the best quality ingredients will give you the best outcome.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Make sure you’re using condensed milk, not evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk gives this recipe an irresistible caramel undertone. If you don’t have it, you can add 1/3 cup granulated sugar to the ingredients in the beginning instead. At the end of cooking, taste the hot chocolate and add more sugar if desired.
• Milk: I’ve made this with 1% and 2% milk, and couldn’t tell the difference–both worked beautifully. I would say skim is probably a little skimpy (hah) for a truly rich cup of chocolate. Whole milk would be delicious and make the drink extra-rich.
• Cream: Heavy cream or whipping cream are both fine. You could substitute half-and-half, but because milk fat is the thing that makes this drink so dang creamy, using half-and-half will yield a thinner drink.

🥄 Equipment

It’s probably not a surprise that you will need a slow cooker to make slow cooker hot chocolate! For a regular batch, a 4-6 quart slow cooker is the perfect size.

This recipe also doubles well, and if you double it, you’ll want to use a 7-8 quart slow cooker so your hot chocolate has plenty of room. Here’s a great 8 quart slow cooker to try.

Other than a slow cooker, the only other thing you’ll need is a whisk. Well that, and a serious craving for hot chocolate!

📋 How to Make Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Can you dump a bunch of ingredients into a bowl? Then you can make this hot chocolate! Grab the full printable recipe down in the recipe card, and check out how easily this comes together:

• Add your chopped chocolate or chocolate chips to your slow cooker.
• Pour in the milk and cream.

• Add the remaining ingredients (sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla, and salt), and whisk briefly.
• Cover the Crock-Pot, and turn the temperature to low.
• Go about your day! Read, clean, try a new dance move…live your best life.

• If you’re around, you can whisk the hot chocolate about every 45 minutes, to help it melt and heat evenly, but it’s not absolutely necessary. If you cook it on low, you can safely ignore it throughout the process.
• After about 2 hours, the chocolate will be completely melted and it will be hot and ready to drink. Bottoms up!

• This cocoa is great on its own, but it is DIVINE when topped with softly whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The way the cream melts into the chocolate… drool
• Alternately, forgo the whipped cream and opt for a pile of marshmallows and a drizzle of chocolate syrup instead.
• Peppermint version: Add 1 tsp peppermint extract to the ingredients. Once cooked, taste and add more if desired. (Peppermint extracts vary a lot in strength, so you’ll need to rely on your taste buds to guide you.) Top with whipped cream and crushed peppermint candies.
• Salted Caramel version: Add 1/2 cup of salted caramels to the ingredients and cook as normal. At the end, top with a thick drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
• Orange version: Start with an organic orange, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the thin outer layer of orange rind. (Avoid the inner white layer, called the “pith” — this is very bitter.) Add the rind to the slow cooker at the beginning of the cooking process, and let it cook with the hot chocolate to infuse it with a vibrant orange flavor. Strain out the pieces of rind before serving.

Storage Instructions

I know from personal experience that this recipe keeps VERY well! I made quite a lot of it when I was testing recipes, and quickly found myself with way too much hot chocolate for my family to drink at once.

You can store leftover hot chocolate in a container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You will want to whisk well before dishing it out and heating it up, because the chocolate has a tendency to settle on the bottom.

If you want to keep it longer than that, I’ve also had success freezing it! Transfer it to freezer containers or freezer gallon-size zip-top bags. If you’re using the bags, make sure to freeze them on a baking sheet so they freeze flat.

Let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then whisk well and dish up as usual.

❤️ More Hot Chocolate Recipe You’ll Love

After you make slow cooker hot chocolate, try one of these other delicious drink recipes!

• Orange Hot Chocolate
• Nutella Hot Chocolate
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate
• Lavender Hot Chocolate
• Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
• Hazelnut White Hot Chocolate
• Hot Chocolate Floats

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Make your own salted caramel hot chocolate at home! Salted caramel is the base for this thick homemade hot chocolate. It’s incredibly rich and indulgent!

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Lavender Latte

Bring the coffeehouse to your house with this homemade lavender latte recipe! You’ll be surprised and delighted at how easy it is to make your own delicious lavender coffee at home.

View Recipe

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate – check out the web story here!

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5 from 7 votes

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

This easy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is the perfect hot chocolate recipe for a crowd! It’s super rich and creamy, comes together quickly in the Crock-Pot, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crock-pot, hot chocolate, slow cooker

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 8 8-oz servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 standard can)
• 12 oz dark chocolate chips (2 cups)
• 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• whipped cream to serve
• mini marshmallows to serve

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

• For this recipe, you’ll need a standard size slow cooker (4-6 qts). If you want to double it, use a 7-8 qt slow cooker.
• Combine the milk, cream, condensed milk, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in the slow cooker. Whisk everything together.
• Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. You can whisk the hot chocolate about every 30-45 minutes to help it melt and heat evenly, but it's not absolutely necessary.
• Check the hot chocolate after 2 hours and whisk until smooth. As long as everything is melted and the drink is hot, it's ready to be enjoyed. If you don't want to serve it right away, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting and keep it warm for an additional 2-3 hours.
• Whisk well before serving, then ladle into eight mugs. Top with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or whatever else you’d like!
• Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Toppings & Variations

• This cocoa is great on its own, but it is DIVINE when topped with softly whipped cream and chocolate shavings. 
• Forgo the whipped cream and opt for a pile of marshmallows and a drizzle of chocolate syrup instead!
• Peppermint version: Add 1 tsp peppermint extract to the ingredients. Once cooked, taste and add more if desired. (Peppermint extracts vary a lot in strength, so you’ll need to rely on your taste buds to guide you.) Top with whipped cream and crushed peppermint candies.
• Salted Caramel version: Add 1/2 cup of soft salted caramels to the ingredients and cook as normal. At the end, top with a thick drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
• Orange version: Start with an organic orange, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the thin outer layer of orange rind. (Avoid the inner white layer, called the “pith” — it is very bitter.) Add the rind to the slow cooker at the beginning of the cooking process, and let it cook with the hot chocolate to infuse it with a vibrant orange flavor. Strain out the pieces of rind before serving.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If you have a slow cooker with a timed cooking function, you can assemble all ingredients in the slow cooker in advance, and just set it to start cooking when you’re ready! Because of all the dairy, I would not recommend having the ingredients sit out for more than 1-2 hours at cool room temperature before cooking begins.

Storage Instructions

This recipe keeps very well. You can store leftover hot chocolate in a container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You will want to whisk well before dishing it out and heating it up, because the chocolate has a tendency to settle on the bottom.

If you want to keep it longer than that, it can also be frozen. Transfer it to freezer containers or freezer gallon-size ziptop bags. If you’re using the bags, make sure to freeze them on a baking sheet so they freeze flat.

Let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then whisk well, heat, and dish up as usual.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 484IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 497mg | Iron: 1mg

GET MORE HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES

We’ve rounded up our 25 favorite hot chocolate recipes — click here to get all the recipes!

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Bring the coffeehouse to your house with this homemade Lavender Latte recipe! You’ll be surprised and delighted at how easy it is to make your own delicious lavender coffee at home.

1. Make the Lavender Simple Syrup

Lavender syrup is the key to turning a regular latte into a lavender latte. You’ll want to make the syrup first, since it takes time to infuse the sugar syrup with lavender flavor. It can be made in advance–even on a different day!–and stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks, and one batch will provide enough for two dozen lattes.

2. Make the Espresso (or Coffee)

You have several options for making the espresso in this recipe:

• Use a home espresso maker
• Make espresso with a French press and espresso beans
• Use powdered espresso
• Brew double-strength coffee
• Failing all that, you can buy a few shots of espresso from your favorite local coffee shop!

3. Steam & Froth the Milk

• Heat the milk until hot but not boiling.
• Use a frother (I like this $10 version), insert it in the milk, not too close to the surface, and froth the milk until it doubles in size.
• If you don’t have a frother, you can heat the milk in a saucepan and whisk vigorously while it heats up, and this will produce a similar effect.

4. Put it All Together!

• Make the espresso and pour it into a latte cup.
• Add the lavender syrup and stir.
• Steam the milk and froth the milk.
• Slowly pour the milk in the center of the espresso – the foam will come out last.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of lavender buds, and enjoy!

Lavender Simple Syrup

Lavender simple syrup is the secret to making amazing lavender-scented cocktails, coffee, lemonade, and much more! All you need are three ingredients and a few minutes to make this versatile floral sugar syrup.

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Lavender Sugar

Take your baking up a notch by using Lavender Sugar in place of regular sugar!  This homemade lavender sugar recipe is easy to make, super versatile, and adds a hint of floral flavor to any dessert. It also makes a great edible gift.

View Recipe

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make Lavender Lattes – check out the web story here!

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5 from 5 votes

Lavender Latte

Bring the coffeehouse to your house with this homemade lavender latte recipe! You’ll be surprised and delighted at how easy it is to make your own delicious lavender coffee at home.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coffee, latte, lavender

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 1 cup

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

• 1 double shot espresso (2 ounces)
• 4 fl oz milk (1/2 cup), dairy, oat, or almond milk
• 1 TBSP lavender syrup
• 1 tsp lavender buds to garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Make the espresso and pour it into a latte cup.
• Add the lavender syrup and stir.
• Heat and froth the milk.
• Slowly pour the milk in the center of the espresso – the foam will come out last.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of lavender buds, and enjoy!

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 195mg | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 232IU | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 0.01mg

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🥛 Cookies & Cream Milkshake

After making one too many batches of Oreo Fudge recently, I was left with a half-full package of Oreos (and the strong desire to wait at least 3 weeks before tasting another fudge recipe.)

Naturally I ate plenty of cookies on their own, but you know the saying, “When life gives you Oreos, make Oreo-ade”? Of course you do. In this case, life had given me Oreos, so I made Oreo-ade in the form of a super easy, super indulgent Oreo Milkshake.

Look, milkshakes aren’t rocket science. You probably don’t even need a full recipe, although if you’re like me, you appreciate a gentle nudge when figuring out ice cream-to-milk proportions. But sometimes, when it’s the third month of a record-breaking heat wave and your motivation is sapped and you can barely peel yourself off the couch to shuffle to the kitchen–just speaking hypothetically, of course–a thick, lush milkshake is just what the doctor ordered.

So sure, if you have Oreos and enthusiasm out the wazoo, make this gorgeous Cookies and Cream Cake or Oreo Ice Cream Bonbons. But if your motivation is low and love of milkshakes is high, have I got a drink recipe for you!

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

These cookies and cream milkshakes couldn’t be simpler–just 4 ingredients to make them, plus whatever fun extras you want to use as decorations. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Oreos: OBVIOUSLY! Regular Oreos will give you that classic cookies & cream flavor, but I’m a big fan of mint Oreos in this shake as well. If you’re looking to switch up Oreo flavors, I do recommend sticking with chocolate cookies — the vanilla cookie varieties don’t make much of an impact when everything is blended together.
• Vanilla ice cream: I use vanilla bean ice cream, and lots of it! To me, the best milkshakes have a lot of ice cream and juuuuust enough milk to get it blend well, and not a drop more. Other mild ice cream flavors also work well.
• Milk: Just a few tablespoons of milk to thin out the ice cream. Whole milk and half-and-half make the shake even creamier, but it’s such a small amount, whatever you have in the fridge will be fine.
• Vanilla extract: To boost the vanilla flavor along with the ice cream.

Equipment

A blender is all you need to whip up this milkshake. I love my VitaMix–it’s been going strong for over 10 years now!–but any sturdy blender will do. If you want to go for the full soda shop experience, pick up some cute milkshake glasses to serve it in!

📋 Instructions

Here’s a quick overview of how to make Oreo Milkshakes. You can find printable instructions and a tutorial video in the recipe card down below.

Start by putting 6 Oreos in the blender. Run it briefly on low speed to crumble them up into small pieces.

Heeeeeere’s ice cream! Scoop that vanilla ice cream right on top of the Oreos, and don’t be stingy! Add the milk and vanilla extract, then blend everything together until it’s nice and smooth. Add more milk if you want to thin it out, or a little more ice cream if you’re looking for a spoonable texture.

Drizzle chocolate syrup on the inside of a milkshake glass. You can make a spiral design by holding the glass in one hand, and twirling it around while squeezing out the sauce with the other hand. Pour your shake into the glass and top with whipped cream, an Oreo, a cherry, chocolate shavings, or whatever else you’d like!

🖤 More Delish Oreo Desserts

• Oreo Fudge
• Oreo Peppermint Ice Cream Bonbons 
• Mini Oreo Icebox Cakes
• Gourmet Homemade Oreos
• Cookies and Cream Cake

🖤More Fun Drinks

• Unicorn Milkshakes
• Love Potion Valentine’s Day Drink
• Frozen Hot Chocolate
• Witch’s Brew Halloween Punch
• Epic Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshakes

Oreo Brookies

These Oreo Brookies pack a double punch of chocolate by layering chocolate chip cookie dough and fudgy brownie batter around Oreo cookies. It’s the ultimate chocolate dessert mashup!

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Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial showing how to make Oreo Milkshakes – check out the web story here!

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5 from 4 votes

Oreo Milkshake

Super fast and easy Oreo milkshakes with just 4 ingredients! Dress them up with whipped cream and a cherry on top, or keep it simple with a drizzle of chocolate sauce in the glass. However you make them, you’re gonna love this cookies and cream shake.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: milkshakes, oreos

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 2 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

• 8 Oreo cookies divided use
• 12 oz vanilla ice cream (approx 7 scoops / 2 cups)
• 3 TBSP milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBSP chocolate syrup
• 1/2 cup whipped cream
• 2 maraschino cherries

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

• Add 6 Oreos to a blender, and pulse it briefly on low speed to crumble the cookies.
• Add the ice cream, milk, and vanilla extract to the blender and blend until smooth.
• Drizzle the chocolate syrup on the inside of 2 glasses, and pour the milkshake into the glasses.
• Top each glass with 1/4 cup whipped cream, 1 Oreo, and 1 cherry. Serve immediately.

Video

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 866IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 5mg

Affogato Dessert with Coffee and Ice Cream

Looking for an easy holiday dessert? It doesn’t get easier than this peppermint affogato! Hot coffee and cold peppermint ice cream combine to form an absolutely delicious dessert. The ice cream starts to melt right away, producing a rich, frothy cream that’s impossible to resist. Keep these ingredients stocked in your kitchen because you’ll want to make this one all season long!

As soon as the calendar flips to December, a switch flips in my brain and I start to crave peppermint flavored everything. Hot chocolate? Of course. Cookies? For sure. And how about peppermint roasted chicken? I’m not saying it’s a good idea, but I’m also not saying it’s a bad idea…

Basically, peppermint is the flavor of the season and I am here for it (Don’t miss this Peppermint Dessert Round-Up with 35 amazing recipes!). Are you with me? If so, you won’t want to miss some of our most popular peppermint recipes: Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake, and Peppermint Patty Flourless Chocolate Cake.

What is An Affogato?

The affogato is a classic Italian dessert, traditionally made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over a scoop of cold coffee. Affogato means “drowned” in Italian, and it’s easy to understand how it got its name when you see the scoop of ice cream “drowned” in espresso, quickly melting into a delicious puddle.

Traditionally, affogato is made with bitter espresso instead of the coffee I use in this recipe, but as a sugar hero, you know that I’ll never say no to a bit of extra sweetness! (Plus, without an espresso maker at home, it was a logical swap to make.)

As a bonus, using coffee instead of espresso makes this dessert a bit more approachable for people who might think espresso is too strong or too jolting for a late-night treat. Affogato traditionalists might scoff, but this peppermint version is bigger on flavor, lower on caffeine, and brimming with holiday cheer.  

🧾 Affogato Ingredients & Variations

If you couldn’t tell from the intro, there are only 2 ingredients: coffee (or espresso) and ice cream (or gelato)! This recipe is for a peppermint version, so I’ve recommended a peppermint ice cream, but of course you should feel free to experiment with different flavors and ingredients. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• You already know that you can use coffee instead of espresso, but if you’re a lover of flavored coffee, give it a try in this recipe! You can also add a bit of flavored creamer to the coffee if you’d like–just use it sparingly so your finished dessert isn’t too sweet.
• Another great addition is a dash of your favorite liquor. Irish whiskey, Bailey’s Kahlua, and Frangelico are all DELICIOUS choices. Add a splash over the ice cream before you pour on the coffee to really take this to the next level.
• Add a bit of crunch by serving this with a cookie topper. Biscotti and ladyfingers would both be delicious, but any crunchy cookie/biscuit works well.
• Top with shaved chocolate, chopped toasted nuts, candy pieces (like in this recipe) or sprinkles, if you’re feeling playful.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

❤️ More Christmas Desserts You’ll Love

• Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oreo Cookie Christmas Ornaments
• Christmas Present Cookie Boxes
• Pull-Apart Cupcake Wreath
• Red Velvet Trifle
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Peppermint Hot Chocolate

This Peppermint Hot Chocolate recipe is made the old-fashioned way, with real melted chocolate for a rich texture and deep chocolate flavor. The bright minty flavor makes this the perfect holiday drink.

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Peppermint Lava Cakes

Chocolate lovers will go crazy for these Peppermint Lava Cakes – mini chocolate cakes with a hint of peppermint and a molten chocolate center. They make a great holiday dessert—they’re indulgent, they can be made in advance, and any extras keep very well. Enjoy them plain, or top them with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, and a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce.

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5 from 11 votes

Peppermint Affogato

Looking for an easy holiday dessert? It doesn’t get easier than this peppermint affogato! Hot peppermint coffee and cold peppermint ice cream combine to form the most irresistible dessert. Keep these ingredients stocked in your kitchen because you’ll want to make this one all season long!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Christmas dessert, coffee, ice cream, peppermint

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

• 1 quart peppermint ice cream
• 1 cup hot coffee
• Candy cane pieces

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

• Place two scoops of ice cream into 4 small bowls or glasses.
• Pour ¼ cup hot coffee over the ice cream in each bowl.
• Top with a sprinkle of candy cane pieces, and serve immediately.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 2.2mg

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🌿 Better-than-Starbucks Mint Hot Chocolate

When the weather outside is frightful…a big mug of minty hot chocolate is just what the doctor ordered! This Peppermint Hot Chocolate is PERFECT for the holiday season! It’s made with melted chocolate, milk, and a bit of cream, so it’s rich and comforting and smooooooth as silk going down. It has just the right amount of peppermint, so it’s refreshing but doesn’t taste like mouthwash. And it’s topped with a big dollop of cocoa whipped cream, because why stop at just one kind of chocolate in your mug?

Chocolate and peppermint just might be the best flavor combination ever, and here at SugarHero we’ve made it our mission to make as many mint-chocolate desserts as possible. (Hey, it’s important to dream big!) Some of our best-loved peppermint recipes are Candy Cane Cheesecake, Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake, Peppermint Patty Flourless Chocolate Cake, and Peppermint Lava Cakes.

And if you’re looking for more mint-chocolate drink options, this Italian Peppermint Affogato is AMAZING. Ice cream, mint, and coffee–what’s not to love?!

 ☕️ Hot Chocolate vs Hot Cocoa

What’s in a name? When it comes to these drinks, quite a lot! “Hot chocolate” and “hot cocoa” are sometimes used interchangeably, especially in casual conversation, but they are in fact different. As the names imply, hot chocolate is made with…get this…chocolate, while hot cocoa is made with…bet you can’t guess…cocoa!

• Hot chocolate typically has a much richer, thicker texture, and depending on what kind of chocolate you use, it can taste semi-sweet or even bittersweet.
• Hot cocoa, on the other hand, usually has a thinner texture (especially if made with water instead of milk) and is often sweeter to make up for the unsweetened cocoa powder used.

Both types of drinks are delicious, but depending on your personal tastes, you might prefer one over the other.

This Peppermint Hot Chocolate is decidedly a hot CHOCOLATE. It’s thick, rich, extra-creamy, and loaded with semi-sweet melted chocolate. I put the serving size as 1 cup (8 fl oz) because it’s super indulgent, and I don’t know many people who could handle more than a cup or so at a sitting. Sharing with kids? I’d recommend reducing the serving size further, or adding additional milk to dilute it a bit.

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

With such a short ingredient list, it’s important to use good-quality ingredients for best results. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Semi-sweet chocolate: Chopping up a chocolate bar will give you the best results–I’m a big proponent of Trader Joe’s pound plus bars, if those are available to you. Otherwise, go for high-quality chocolate chips like Ghirardelli or  Guittard–they’ll give you the best flavor. 
• Milk: Use whatever milk you have on hand–we recommend 2% for the creamiest results.
• Cream: The cream in the hot chocolate recipe can be swapped with half-and-half, or additional milk, if you want a less rich drink. There’s no substitute for the cream in the cocoa whipped cream, however!
• Peppermint extract: Different brands of peppermint extract can have very different strengths. We recommend starting with the smaller amount, 1/2 tsp, and tasting the hot chocolate. If you want a stronger flavor, add a bit at a time, tasting regularly, until you have a taste you’re happy with.
• Cocoa powder: The cocoa whipped cream is flavored with cocoa powder, so again, quality is key if you want your recipe to taste great. Cheap cocoa powders can be nearly flavorless, or worse, impart a bitter, dusty, or stale flavor. My personal favorite is Cacao Barry Extra Brute – it hits that sweet spot between very high quality but also pretty affordable since it is sold in bulk.
• Decorations: all the snowflakes on top are entirely edible! The small ones are snowflake sprinkles from Wilton, and the large snowflake in the center is an edible wafer paper snowflake–the exact ones I used are no longer available, but you can find similar products here.

💭 Variations

Peppermint’s not the only game in town! If you’re not mad for mint, consider swapping the mint extract with one of these other flavors:

• Orange
• Lemon
• Almond
• Coconut
• Strawberry
• Cherry
• Hazelnut
• Caramel

Note that different flavors might have different strengths, so always start by adding a small amount of flavoring and then increase if necessary.

You can also use different chocolates – chopped milk chocolate and white chocolate both work. They’re also both sweeter than semi-sweet, so you may want to add additional milk to dilute the sweetness a bit.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

Here are some of the most common questions we get about this recipe:

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Peppermint Hot Chocolate can be made in advance and reheated when you’re ready to serve it. We recommend letting the hot chocolate cool to room temperature, then transferring it to a storage container and refrigerating it. Reheat the full batch in a saucepan on the stove, stirring with a rubber spatula occasionally so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Individual servings can be reheated in a mug in the microwave. The hot chocolate will have the shelf life of the dairy products you used.

You can also keep hot chocolate in the freezer for longer-term storage. Let it cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe gallon zip-top bag. Zip securely, then lay the bag flat on a baking sheet and freeze completely. (The flattened bag is easier to store.) Reheat in a saucepan on the stove, whisking well. For the best taste and texture, enjoy within 6 months of freezing.

❤️ More Drink Recipes You’ll Love

• Orange Hot Chocolate
• Nutella Hot Chocolate
• Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
• Lavender Hot Chocolate
• Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
• Peppermint Affogato
• Hazelnut White Hot Chocolate
• Hot Chocolate Floats
• Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
• Lavender Latte

Keep the excite-MINT for winter baking with 35 of the Best Peppermint Dessert Recipes.

Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies

These Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are the perfect combination of a deep rich chocolate cookie and crunchy sweet candy cane pieces topped with a striped Hershey's Kiss.

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Candy Cane Mousse Cake

This Candy Cane Mousse Cake is a knockout Christmas dessert! It has alternating layers of moist chocolate cake and candy cane mousse, covered with a shiny chocolate glaze and a spectacular candy cane topping.

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4.60 from 10 votes

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

This Peppermint Hot Chocolate recipe is made the old-fashioned way, with real melted chocolate for a rich texture and deep chocolate flavor. The bright minty flavor makes this the perfect holiday drink.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade hot chocolate, hot chocolate, Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Dessert Type: Beverages

Servings: 6 cups

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Peppermint Hot Chocolate:

• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped, or chocolate chips
• ½-1 tsp peppermint extract to taste

For the Cocoa Whipped Cream:

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

• To make the peppermint hot chocolate, combine the cream, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan, and place it over medium heat. Heat up the milk, stirring occasionally, and scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula so the milk doesn’t scorch. Bring it to a simmer so that bubbles appear along the sides of the pan.
• Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk everything together until the chocolate has melted and the drink is creamy and smooth. Add ½ tsp peppermint extract, whisk, and taste it. Add more mint extract, if desired, to get your perfect flavor. (Different brands have different strengths, and it’s always recommended to start with a small amount and work your way up!)
• To make the cocoa whipped cream, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.
• Serve the hot chocolate warm, with a big dollop of cocoa whipped cream on top. The peppermint hot chocolate can be made ahead of time and kept in a container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy it. It can be reheated on either the stove or in the microwave.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 1245IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 3.9mg

GET MORE HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES

We’ve rounded up our 25 favorite hot chocolate recipes — click here to get all the recipes!