It’s late February. The snowbanks are piling up & I’m excited about snowboarding. Well, that & curling up in front of my fireplace. Brrrrr! It’s chilly as fuck around here! And what better way to warm up than with a nice, toasty hot chocolate? Spiked, of course 
This winter I got to play around with hot cider (see previous post) and it got me thinking about other yummy winter cocktails… namely hot chocolate. I went all Dexter’s lab on the bar with hotpot in hand, a canister of powdered hot cocoa & a canister of whipped cream. After several whip-its, billows of powdered hot cocoa everywhere, a melted hot pot (I burnt through it and melted a bar mat!!) and many satisfied customers, here are my results!
Here are the liquors I experimented with:
Dr. McGillicuddy’s
Butterscotch Schnapps
Malibu
Kahlua
Vanilla Vodka
Granny (Grand Marnier)
Franny (Frangelico)
Creme de Cocoa
Razzmatazz
Bailey’s
Amaretto
The Verdict:
#1 – The Mogul: Dr. McGillicuddy’s + Hot Cocoa
This cocktail is far and away the winner. Garnish with whipped cream & a candy cane. Perfect for winter! If you want even more of a kick to it, I recommend making it with Rumple Minze instead!
#2 -The Hot Blonde: Butterscotch schnapps, Bailey’s, a dash of vanilla vodka + Hot Cocoa
Yummmmmm! Perfect for after the slopes! Garnish with whipped cream. Extra cool if you have white hot chocolate.
#3 – The Hot Almond Joy: Malibu, Franny + Hot Cocoa
Sometimes you feel like a nut… It tastes just like the candy! However, it is rather sweet – I’d only be able to drink one of these, myself. Garnish with whipped cream & coconut shavings if you’ve got em.
#4 – The Mounds Bar: Malibu, Vanilla vodka + Hot Cocoa
…sometimes ya don’t. Again, yummy, but for those of you with a sweet tooth! Garnish with whipped cream & drizzle chocolate or dark creme de cocoa over the whipped cream.
#5 – The Chocolate Covered Raspberry: Razzmatazz, Creme de Cocoa + Hot Cocoa
Surprisingly good! It tastes like those chocolate covered jelly rings you get at candy stores:
Notes: Kahlua didn’t stand out as a strong contender; it just highlighted the chocolate a little. While Franny was a great addition, Granny didn’t quite make the cut. It just didn’t do it for me. Amaretto faired well, but Franny wasn’t as sweet & the cocoa’s sweet to begin with. Ah…. back to the drawing board next year. For now, stick with my top 5 
xoxo
<3 LC
