Parent & Kid-Friendly Recipes: Hot Cocoa Bombs

A fun way to make a classic winter treat! Hot Cocoa bombs can be customized to be made anyway you prefer your cocoa. Enjoy watching them melt into warm milk and magically revealing all the goodness inside. 

Base Hot Cocoa Bombs Recipe 

Makes: 3 cocoa bombs | Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30-60 minutes for chilling

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp hot chocolate mix 
• 3 Tbsp mini marshmallows
• Chocolate mold
• 4 1/2 cups milk (for serving) 

Festive Flavor Add-Ins

1. Crushed Up Candy Cane
2. Sprinkles of any kind
3. Eggnog (add 2 Tbsp of eggnog to ¼ cup of melted white chocolate and drizzle this over your assembled hot cocoa bombs) - this one is absoutely delish!
4. Freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second intervals until chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Do not overheat the chocolate.
2. Add a spoonful of chocolate into 6 chocolate mold cavities. Smooth chocolate up the sides of each mold with a spoon. Add more chocolate as necessary to coat the inside of each mold.
3. Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes. Check to see if there are any areas that need to be covered again, then smooth out the sides with a spoon. This will help ensure that the sides and center of the mold are evenly coated with chocolate.
4. Refrigerate chocolate for at least 30 minutes or until completely set.
5. Gently remove from the mold.
6. Fill 3 halve-spheres with 1 tablespoon of cocoa mix and 1 tablespoon of mini marshmallows. Plus, add any other festive flavor add-ins that your heart desires.
7. You will need a hot bowl or plate. Press one of the empty chocolate cups against the hot plate to slightly melt the rim.
8. Place the empty chocolate cup over one of the filled ones. Work quickly and try not to handle the chocolate too much. The warmth of your hands will leave fingerprints and can soften the chocolate. If you notice this happening just pop the chocolates back into the refrigerator for a few minutes.
9. Run a hot spoon along the seam where the two chocolate cups meet to slightly melt the chocolate and seal the seam. If you have any gaps you can also pipe some melted chocolate over the seam and it will also seal it nice and tight!
10. Decorate them any way you please.
11. Finally, to make a cup of hot chocolate, place one hot chocolate bomb in a mug. Pour 1 ½ cups of hot milk over the chocolate bomb. Stir and enjoy your delicious cup of hot cocoa! 

Helpful Tips:

• Our best tip: Melt a little extra chocolate and make a few extra chocolate cups your first time making these. That way, if you have a couple that don’t turn out, you’ll have extras to replace them with. Consider your first time a practice run—especially if the kiddos are involved.
• The key to success is making sure that the chocolate molds have time to completely set up in the refrigerator. If the chocolate is soft (AT ALL) it will stretch and break. You do not want this.
• Hot chocolate bombs should be stored in an airtight container or in a cellophane gift. You can store them in a pantry or on a counter as long as they are not near a heat source or window.
• Get creative with these! One of the easiest ways to do this is by adding festive candies or ingredients that you think would melt well in with the cocoa mix. Our favorites include crushed up candy canes, cinnamon, and freeze-dried raspberries.