Make gingerbread hot chocolate with bourbon in under 10 minutes for cozy magic! You deserve nostalgic holiday flavors, booze, and hot chocolate all wrapped into one delicious package. Let's get into it!
If you like this recipe, you'll love my spiced milk punch for the holidays, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - Make this spiced hot chocolate on the stovetop in less than 10 minutes with no fancy tools or techniques.
Smooth and Creamy - This is a thick, rich, and luscious hot chocolate without condensed milk or cream. Both cozy and convenient.
Holiday Flavor - It's warm and comforting like hot cocoa should be plus the familiar spices of a gingerbread cookie with a kick of bourbon whiskey because adults deserve nostalgic holiday flavors, too!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my cookie butter hot chocolate with white chocolate or my red wine hot chocolate. And if candy cane is your Christmas flavor of choice, my crockpot peppermint hot chocolate is amazing, too!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Brown Sugar and Spices will make your pot of hot cocoa smell like a giant gingerbread cookie. Use dark or light brown sugar or, if you don't have it, granulated sugar or coconut sugar can work in a pinch.
Molasses adds sweetness and is key to traditional gingerbread flavor in baked goods so it's a must in gingerbread hot chocolate.
Bourbon's buttery, oaky, and vanilla flavor notes pair perfectly with the gingerbread flavor profile. Use the high quality bourbon of your choice.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Cocoa Powder or Chocolate - Using cocoa powder makes this technically a gingerbread hot cocoa recipe. You can also make it using chocolate chips, chocolate bars, or baker's chocolate.
Alcohol - You can use another kind of whiskey, rum or an amaretto liqueur in this recipe with fantastic results. Can I make it non-alcoholic? Absolutely! Gingerbread hot chocolate is fabulous on its own.
Can I make it vegan? Yes, just use plant based milk and vegan-friendly molasses. And check out my dairy-free hot cocoa by the glass, too!
This year, I'm excited to take part in Eat The Culture's 2023 Holiday Roundup. Holidays often revolve around communal moments - sharing stories, laughter, and, of course, food. This year's roundup is all about those delightful 'lite bites' and drinks that set the tone for festive gatherings.
I had the pleasure of partnering with my friends at Comfort Food & Drinks who created a delicious Cast Iron Peach Cobbler. This dish pairs perfectly with my gingerbread hot chocolate recipe. Learn more about Eat the Culture and check out the complete list of recipes from all participants.
Share these recipes with your friends and loved ones and follow each participant by using the hashtags #HolidayswithETC & #PerfectPartyPairings on Instagram.
How to Make Bourbon Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
Step One: Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat.
Step Two: Stir until uniform and smooth.
Pro Tip: I recommend using a coated or silicone whisk for easier mixing without potentially scratching your pan!
Step Three: Cook and stir until bubbling (but not boiling).
Step Four: Pour into mugs while warmand top with marshmallows or desired toppings.
How to top boozy hot chocolate? I also encourage you to get creative with the garnishes. Topping your mug with more cocoa powder, marshmallows, and whipped cream are easy options. But why not take it to the next level with mini chocolate gingerbread people floating on top? Do it!
How to Video
Frequently Asked Questions
This hot cocoa recipe is fairly rich so feel free to substitute some or all of the milk with water, if you prefer.
When you add the bourbon matters. If you want both the flavor and affect of the liquor in your cocoa, stir it in it just before removing the hot cocoa from heat or even directly into each glass. This will minimize the amount of alcohol that evaporates. But if you just want bourbon flavor in your hot cocoa, add it earlier on in the cooking process so that the alcohol has more of a chance to cook off.
Allow the hot chocolate to cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Keeps for up to five days.
More Favorite Winter Cocktail Recipes
Gingerbread hot chocolate with a shot of bourbon should be on your winter happy hour list and I hope you enjoy it soon. And sharing is caring so make sure you pin this recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate with Bourbon
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 mixing spoon
- 1 shot glass
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 shot bourbon whiskey
- whipped cream, cocoa powder, cinnamon, marshmallows for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and sea salt to saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until dry ingredients are dissolved and mixture is uniform.
- Cook for about six minutes until mixture is steaming. Do not bring to a boil.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in bourbon. Alternatively you can add bourbon earlier as hot cocoa cooks for less of an alcohol taste.
- Divide hot chocolate between two mugs and garnish as desired. Enjoy carefully and responsibly!
Alison says
Hello!
I am a bit confused by the cocoa powder. Should I be using unsweetened cocoa powder, or a hot cocoa powder mix?
Thank you!
Jazz says
Hi Alison! Unsweetened cocoa powder is what you'll need here, especially since we're adding sugar and molasses to the mix. I'll update the recipe card now.
Alison says
Fabulous! Thank you so much. Cannot wait to make this for a family Christmas!
Tamara Johnson says
This hot chocolate was AMAZING! We drank it up so quickly, we had to make a second cup!
Chenée says
I found my new favorite holiday drink! The gingerbread spices and bourbon complemented the hot cocoa flavor so perfectly.
Jessica says
Made big batch of this for a holiday party and everyone LOVED it. Added a little extra bourbon too ; ) Thanks for a great recipe!
Lilly says
The touch of bourbon with the spices and cocoa is PERFECT! I’m already on cup number two 🙂
Robin says
This recipe was amazing! Now that the all the kids are over 21 I'm going to make this just before Christmas while we bake cookies and play games.
Erique says
OMG! This is my new favorite hot chocolate recipe because the flavors and spices work so well together. The gingerbread and whiskey are an amazing combo.
Jen says
This is my new favourite hot drink for the winter! I plan to make some again and snuggle in front of the TV this Sunday.
Kate says
I am on vacation and took the opportunity to try this hot cocoa yesterday. It tasted amazing and I can't wait to make it again!
Stephanie says
Ooh this was so delicious! I used almost milk and the flavors didn't skip a beat. Such a cozy drink to keep warm for this chilly weather.
Marta says
I can't say enough good things about this bourbon gingerbread hot cocoa! I made it with Uncle Nearest and my husband and I both had two mugs. I also made a virgin batch for the kiddos. Everyone thought the molasses addition was genius!
Nadia says
This sounds like a perfect drink to sip on, during my lazy Sunday. Maybe while watching a cheesy holiday movie.