All aboard the Polar Express! This Polar Express Hot Chocolate is rich, creamy, chocolatey, and festive. Put on a Christmas movie, curl up on the couch and sip on this decadent treat. It takes less than 10 minutes to make!
Table of Contents
About this Cocoa
Mmmmm. It’s like drinking from a holiday chocolate fountain. This Polar Express Hot Chocolate is everything a warm Christmas drink should entail.
If you’ve seen The Polar Express, you know its a story of a little boy learning to believe in the power of Christmas magic. One sip of this Polar Express Hot Chocolate and you too will not be able to deny the magical spirit in the air.
This recipe is made with a mix of milk and cream for a rich, smooth texture with dark cocoa and melted chocolate too for an indulgent treat. Polar Express Hot Chocolate really does blow any store bought hot cocoa mix out of the park.
For more festive flavors, also try this Chocolate Peppermint Bread or these White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Cookies! These Christmas Shortbread Cookies with Icing would be great for dipping, too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Vanilla Almond Milk & Heavy Cream - I’ve found this hot chocolate recipe is best with half almond milk and half heavy cream. It creates the perfect creaminess. You can substitute the heavy cream for coconut milk to keep it dairy free.
- Special Dark Cocoa Powder - Hershey’s specialty dark, or another high quality cocoa is best. This’ll give it a true hot chocolate flavor as compared to just warm chocolate milk.
- Espresso Powder - Optional, but espresso powder exaggerates the chocolate flavor. Also, add it to your brownies! You won’t regret it.
- Dark Chocolate Ghirardelli Melting Wafers - Dark chocolate is my recommendation here to make our hot cocoa nice and rich.
- Mini Marshmallows - Because all good hot chocolate is topped with marshmallows. The dehydrated ones linked are like the baby ones in the Swiss Miss packets.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Heat a sauce pan to medium heat. Pour in almond milk, heavy cream, and maple syrup.
2. Once hot, add in the cocoa powder and espresso powder and whisk until it’s all dissolved. Then, add in a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and chocolate melting wafers. Continue to whisk as the chocolate needs to melt.
3. Keep whisking until the mixture is hot and boiling. It should be a luscious, silky chocolate texture. Then remove from heat.
4. Divide between 2-4 mugs and garnish with mini marshmallows, bits of crushed candy canes, and melted chocolate drizzle. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
If you have extra, store in a mason jar. It can be reheated in the microwave or stove top.
If you have a large group to serve, double or triple the recipe and keep warm in a crockpot for hours.
Yes! Just substitute the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk and ensure your melting chocolate is dairy free.
I used marshmallows, chocolate syrup, and a candy cane. But follow your heart with what sounds best. Other options include:
- Whipped cream
- Festive sprinkles
- Crushed candy canes
- Pirouette cookies
- Dark or white chocolate shavings
- A piece of peppermint bark balanced on top
More Recipes You'll Love
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Recipe
Polar Express Hot Chocolate
Equipment
- sauce pan
- Whisk
- measuring cups / spoons
- serving mug
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups vanilla almond milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder, Hershey's Specialty Dark
- ½ tsp espresso powder, optional
- ¼ cup dark chocolate melting wafers, Ghirardelli
- pinch sea salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp mini marshmallows
- crushed peppermint sticks and melted chocolate, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a sauce pan to medium heat. Pour in almond milk, heavy cream, and maple syrup.
- Once hot, add in the cocoa powder and espresso powder and whisk until it’s all dissolved.
- Then, add in a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and chocolate melting wafers. Continue to whisk as the chocolate needs to melt.
- Keep whisking until the mixture is hot and boiling. It should be a luscious, silky chocolate texture.
- Divide between 2-4 mugs and garnish with mini marshmallows, bits of crushed candy canes, and melted chocolate drizzle. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
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If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find POLAR EXPRESS HOT CHOCOLATE calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
I've never made homemade hot chocolate before, but now that I've made this, I will NEVER go back. DECADENT, DELICIOUS, AND TASTY!
Sydney Van Acker says
this was AMAZING. i added a drop of peppermint extract too for the most delicious holiday treat
Madison says
I hate the watery taste that hot chocolate mix usually has, so this was the perfect substitute! I swapped the whole milk for the 2% that I already had on hand and it worked great. Highly recommend!
Kristina says
Absolutely fantastic!! Finished it and wished we had more - definitely making a double or triple batch next time to have some leftover!