Want to host a party for which every RSVP is “YES”? For the young, the old, the posh and the down-to-earth alike, nothing tends to reliably delight like a hot chocolate party.
You can’t just bust out packets of the pre-made stuff and add hot water to knock a party out of the park, though, and there’s a reason people look to us for the chocolate-lovers in their lives. Every year we amp up our collection. This year, we’ve got XL cocoa, Parisian-style double-dark hot chocolate, salted caramel and mocha, and samplers. Then there are the accoutrements: Marshmallows, of course, but maybe you want your topper in the shape of a snowman head? Or you want hot chocolate “bombs,” or an old-timey serving pot?
We’ve got it all, so here are the tips and products to make your hot chocolate party sparkle like the holidays themselves.
The Hot Chocolate
Sure, there’s a time and a place for high-quality powdered cocoa. But for a hot chocolate party, you’ll want to think more along the lines of high-quality, European-style chocolate shavings, whisked into milk and served hot.
If you’re feeling ambitious, offer different flavors of hot chocolate, like salted caramel or vanilla. Ideally, you’re also in possession of a good-looking vessel with which to serve it. A good Dutch oven with a ladle works, or a one-handled copper sugar pot would be a nice touch.
Or, skip traditional hot chocolate and offer mugs of warm milk with a selection of hot chocolate bombs. Bonus points for keeping decanters or bottles of whiskey, Irish cream, and dark rum kicking around for adults who want them. Got perfectionist guests obsessed with frothy hot chocolate? No problem: Set out an electric milk frother so they can make theirs as foamy as they like.
Toppers, Sticks & Bombs
Nothing inspires greater hot chocolate topping enthusiasm from guests than a range of festive toppers set alongside the hot chocolate station. Offer holiday-inspired marshmallows in the shape of snowmen or mini snowflakes, or sweet gingerbread house mug toppers to perch on the edge of each deep, double-dark chocolate “lake.” Peppermint sticks coated in chocolate make festive stir sticks for stirring the final cup.
Of course, you can’t leave out the hot chocolate experience of the moment: hot chocolate bombs. Slip a stocking stuffer-sized, cocoa-filled snowman face into a mug of warm milk and watch it melt, releasing a handful of mini marshmallows into your cup. Or, use silicone bomb molds (below) to customize each chocolate bomb with your own selection of fillings.
The Snacks
Hot chocolate is great, but it’s cold out there, and folks will need sustenance, too. In a pinch, a bowl of pretzels will do just fine, but you could set out a killer cheese board to give folks a protein and produce fix. We’d also suggest some sort of sweet-and-salty foil to the cocoa, such as these peanut butter and sea salt cookies, or this striking raspberry salted shortbread.
The Extras
For an especially elegant occasion, there’s no better vehicle for hot chocolate than our beautiful Twas hot chocolate serving pot. (Practical as much as it is beautiful, as the pot features a push button whisk for perfect blending and an insulated stainless steel interior to keep chocolate warm.) Pair it with the collectible glass, double-walled Twas mugs inspired by a 19th-century American Christmas poem. Or, for an extra memorable touch, delight guests with a mug sporting his or her monogram. After the sweet sips are over, the gold-toned monograms are also a thoughtful party favor to take home.