Hot Chocolate Toppings

Our guide to the best ever DIY hot chocolate bar with so many great toppings is going to be the biggest party hit you’ve ever seen.

The Best Hot Chocolate Toppings

Whether you’re setting up a whole make-your-own-mug hot chocolate bar for a party, or just want to have some of these on hand for when you make a single mug of hot chocolate, I have topping ideas for you!

For a DIY hot chocolate bar, the rule is: the more toppings the better! Bringing out a wide variety of toppings allows everyone to get creative. Plus walking in and seeing such an impressive spread is sure to illicit some ooooo’s and ahhhh’s from kids and adults alike.

Start with the Classic Toppings:

• Whipped Cream
• Marshmallows – Regular, Mini, and Fruit-Flavored
• Grated Cinnamon
• Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Syrup

Stir In Extras:

• White, Dark, and Milk Chocolate Chips
• Peanut Butter
• A Variety of Chocolate Bars – Orange, Chili, Salted Caramel, etc.
• Flavored Coffee Creamer – Vanilla, Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, etc.

Fun Extra Toppings:

• Cocoa Puff cereal
• Sprinkles
• Hot Tamales or other candies
• Chopped Peanuts
• Sweetened Coconut Shavings
• Candied Ginger
• Crushed Peppermint Sticks
• Crushed Gingerbread Cookies

Of course, if you really want to go all out, you can also have a variety of cookies and treats along with your hot chocolate toppings. Think of ones that will be delicious to dip into these fancy mugs of cocoa!

Making The Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate – Make or Mix?

Our slow cooker hot chocolate recipe is the way to go for a hot chocolate bar. You make it in there, add a ladle, and everyone can serve from there. Perfect for parties because the slow cooker keeps the hot cocoa warm.

If you want a hot cocoa mix where people are mixing their own drinks from powder, we prefer our own hot chocolate mix, but, if you want a variety of hot chocolates, head to the store and grab a few different kinds of mixes. They come in fun flavors such as dark, milk, and white chocolate. All you need to do is have warm milk and/or water nearby for guests to make their own personal mug of hot chocolate.

Optional Spirits

If this is an adults-only DIY hot chocolate bar, break out the spirits! Have a little vodka, bourbon, and whiskey handy to make your cups of joy even warmer. If straight-up spirits are not enough for you and your boozy friends, head to the flavored vodkas section in your local liquor store. There’s every flavor imaginable out there now, so have some fun with cherry, whipped cream, and caramel flavored vodkas. And then there are all the liquors like Bailey’s Irish cream, Amarula, and Frangelico too!

For even more boozy Hot Chocolates, take a look at our Boozy Hot Chocolate Guide. We’ve earned our right to boozy hot chocolate as adults, haven’t we?

Other Supplies For A Hot Chocolate Bar

Mugs

The options are endless when it comes to hot chocolate mugs. You can keep things simple with all matching mugs or try mixing it up with different styles of mugs for a more eclectic look. You can even go the whimsical route and break out the holiday-themed mugs to hammer home the holiday cheer that much more.

Stirrers

Ditch the plain ol’ spoons and opt for something a little more fun. It is a party after all! Use silly straws, cinnamon sticks, candy canes, and long cookies (think Pirouettes) as the stirrers for all of your hot chocolate concoctions. Why miss out on an opportunity to add even more flavor to your cup?

Festive Extras

It’s the little extras that pull a DIY hot chocolate bar together for your winter gathering. Whether you’re using stickers, mini chalkboards, or dry erase markers on empty dollar store frames (a quick and easy DIY!), give your hot chocolate bar a little extra something by labeling all the goodies you have out there. Don’t forget to include labels for people’s mugs so there are no mix-ups!

Now that you’ve got the keys to the DIY hot chocolate kingdom, all that’s left to do is plan your party!

Podcast Episode: Making A Hot Chocolate Bar

Listen to learn how to make this recipe, along with some great tips from Christine:

Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.

This post originally appeared in December 2015 and was revised and republished in November 2023.