Boozy bourbon hot cocoa with the familiar spiciness of gingerbread makes for the coziest adult Christmas treat.
Everybody is talking about hot chocolate bombs and hot chocolate charcuterie boards right now and I'm over here just content with a good spiked hot cocoa recipe. Enter my bourbon gingerbread hot cocoa. It's cozy and comforting, just as hot cocoa should be. And it has the familiar spices of a gingerbread cookie plus a kick of bourbon whiskey because 2020 has been a freaking year. I deserve nostalgic holiday flavors, booze, and hot chocolate all wrapped into one delicious package. And so do you. So let's get into how to make bourbon gingerbread hot cocoa.
More of my Favorite Hot Boozy Beverages
Is it Hot Cocoa or Hot Chocolate?
We've talked about the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa before but just in case you need a refresher, hot chocolate uses milk chocolate while hot cocoa uses cocoa powder. This recipe uses cocoa powder, hence bourbon gingerbread hot cocoa. I'm all about spicing up hot cocoa and hot chocolate recipes and this one is one of my favorites.
- Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa
- Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
- Peppermint Frozen Hot Cocoa Frappes
- Slow Cooker Peppermint Hot Cocoa
Gingerbread hot cocoa is good but adding a shot of bourbon makes it even better, assuming you're after a boozy hot chocolate recipe. If you are just looking for a solid holiday hot cocoa that's suitable for all ages, you can nix the bourbon and still have a Christmas hot cocoa recipe that everyone can enjoy. You might have arrived at this post by searching how to make spiced hot cocoa and this recipe certainly fits the bill, with or without bourbon. Best of all, it takes less than 15 minutes to make. You simply can't beat that for homemade hot cocoa.
Spiked Gingerbread Cocoa Ingredients
The ingredient list for this recipe is super simple. You'll recognize my favorite gingerbread spices and the basics of a hot chocolate recipe plus molasses and brown sugar for that classic gingerbread vibe. And it all plays so well with a good buttery bourbon.
- Bourbon
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Milk or Water
- Nutmeg
- Molasses
- Sea Salt
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Vanilla Extract
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card.
Tips for Making Bourbon Hot Cocoa
- Can I use water to make hot cocoa? This hot cocoa recipe is fairly rich so feel free to substitute some or all of the milk with water, if you prefer. I won't be offended.
- Does the liquor cook out of spiked hot chocolate? 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 in 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.
- 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.
- Can I use instant hot chocolate mix in this recipe? You cannot substitute unsweetened cocoa powder for instant hot cocoa powder equally as the latter includes sweeteners and sometimes dried milk. If you do want to take that shortcut, you'll need to cut the sugar off the ingredient list below and likely reduce the amount of molasses. Taste it as you go to make sure it isn't too sweet.
Bourbon gingerbread hot cocoa should be on your winter happy hour list and I hope you enjoy it soon. Sharing is caring so make sure you pin this recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
P.S. more gingerbread recipes you'll love:
Bourbon Gingerbread Hot Cocoa Recipe
Bourbon Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
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 all ingredients except bourbon 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 as hot cocoa cooks for less of an alcohol taste.
- Divide cocoa between two mugs and garnish as desired. Enjoy carefully and responsibly!
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Nadia says
This sounds like a perfect drink to sip on, during my lazy Sunday. Maybe while watching a cheesy holiday movie.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Lilly says
The touch of bourbon with the spices and cocoa is PERFECT! I’m already on cup number two 🙂
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!
Chenée says
I found my new favorite holiday drink! The gingerbread spices and bourbon complemented the hot cocoa flavor so perfectly.
Tamara Johnson says
This hot chocolate was AMAZING! We drank it up so quickly, we had to make a second cup!
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!