Depending on where you live, February tends to be the cruelest month in terms of weather. We can think of no better reason to indulge in an afternoon mug of hot chocolate, but ditch the store powder packets for one of our favorite homemade recipes.
From peanut butter to booze, these recipes give your average ho-hum hot chocolate a serious kick. We think they're just what you need to get through the work week and onto the weekend.
From The Kitchn Archives:
• Mexican Hot Chocolate
• Best Hot Cocoa Brands and Recipes
• Hot Chocolate on a Stick
From Around the Web:
• Thick Hot Chocolate - Food 52
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate - Martha Stewart
• Brandy Alexander White Hot Chocolate - Epicurious
• Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate - Savory Sweet Life
• Belgian Hot Chocolate - David Lebovitz
• Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa - Wasabimon
• Tea-Infused Hot Cocoa - Cooking With Amy
Image: Megan Gordon

Comments (7)
Ooh, yum, will have to try some of these this weekend. (P.S. It's been March for 3 days now! But Feb. often feels like it lingers longer than its 28 days...;)
yum, we love hot chocolate and always make sure to have some homemade mix on hand!
i love mexican hot chocolate, esp w/ whip cream & caramel! TAZA chocolates is my favorite brand to eat & make a small bowl of thick hot chocolate with!
I love the hot chocolate you get in Europe -- basically, very fine melted chocolate with just a little cream. Mmm.
Also spiced hot chocolate, which is tricky, because you don't want it to be gritty.
I have a recipe for hot chocolate which is mixed very thick with whipping cream in a jug; you add some to a cup, and top with hot milk. An unusual version.
@mschatelaine: no, you don't love the hot chocolate that you get in Europe because it doesn't exist. You will get very different types of hot chocolate depending on where in Europe you are.
Oh...that all looks so good. I'm totally a sucker for St. Brendan's (yes, the knock-off version of Bailey's) + whiskey in my hot chocolate! YUM.
- stiff spoonfull of Dutch Cocoa
- similar spoonfull of (brown / cane) sugar (or honey)
- add hot milk slowly while stirring (pour too fast or forget to stir will turn into dusty clumps)
vary cocoa and sugar too taste... add (whipped) cream
no tablets involved, just the pure stuff......