This creamy bourbon hot chocolate with maple syrup is the perfect treat for adult hot chocolate fans. It’s easy to prepare and, with just a gentle buzz of alcohol, it tastes incredibly mellow and decadent.
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Hot chocolate will never go out of fashion. It is one of the most comforting drinks to serve and there are so many variations of the classic around that it’s virtually impossible to get bored with this drink.
I’m adding to the list of variations with this boozy bourbon hot chocolate sweetened with maple syrup.
Why Make this Drink
I created this drink shortly after the excesses of the Christmas period. Needless to say, I’ve gone light on the alcohol and pure chocolate in this drink.
Instead, I used cocoa powder, cinnamon and vanilla alongside a small amount of dark chocolate to guarantee a robust flavour. Together these ingredients make a rather magical hot chocolate base.
When the maple syrup and bourbon are tumbled in the result is a mellow and creamy hot chocolate that is sure to delight adult hot chocolate enthusiasts.
And believe it or not, each serving of this bourbon hot chocolate comes in at less than 200 calories. That’s not bad for a soothing chocolate-based drink.
Slightly thicker than typical hot chocolate, with a viscosity akin to coconut milk, this drink feels and tastes far more sinful than it actually is.
Ingredients Needed
Despite my paring down of chocolate, make no mistake – this drink does not taste skinny.
I insist on using whole milk when it comes to hot chocolate. Whole milk provides a fuller, creamier flavour without adding too much in the way of additional fat.
I’ve also added body to the liquid by blending some cornflour into the mix to elevate the texture of this beverage.
Step by Step Instructions
This slightly boozy hot chocolate takes 5-10 minutes to make.
Step 1: Measure the cocoa powder, ground cinnamon and cornflour into a small pan then add 4 tablespoon of the milk and whisk the ingredients together until completely smooth
Step 2: Pour in the rest of the milk and heat on a moderate heat, stirring continuously, until steaming
Step 3: Add the chocolate chips & salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook & stir for 2-3 minutes until the liquid is piping hot and has thickened very slightly (like the thickness of coconut milk)
Step 4: Optional (but recommended) step: pass through a nut bag to remove any undissolved cinnamon. Discard the solids left behind and return the filtered hot chocolate to the pan
Step 5: Pour in the maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla extract, give one last stir and pour into 4 small cups or heatproof glasses, each able to hold approx 100ml of liquid
Step 6: Serve this boozy hot chocolate just as it is or top with cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, a dusting of cinnamon and/ or sprinkles as desired
Expert Tips and FAQs
Tips
This boozy bourbon hot chocolate is quick and easy to make but I’d like to draw your attention to a few noteworthy points:
- since this drink contains cornflour it is vital to stir the liquid continuously as it cooks, to avoid lumps forming
- for this reason, this recipe cannot be made in a microwave
- similarly, I do not recommend reheating leftovers in a microwave. Instead, pour the liquid back into a milk pan and reheat gently, stirring continuously
- finally, to ensure that a smooth and creamy texture is achieved, I suggest pouring the liquid through a nut bag or filter paper. This quick step helps hold back any annoying grains of ground cinnamon from the final drink
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll notice that there is only 40ml of bourbon in the entire recipe – that’s just 2 teaspoon per serving. It doesn’t seem a lot but it’s enough to balance the richness of the chocolate and the sweetness of the maple syrup.
In terms of how alcoholic this boozy hot chocolate tastes, I would liken it to a well-made sherry trifle. There should be a definite kick of warmth from the alcohol and enough flavour to know it’s present but not enough to overpower the entire recipe.
If you do find yourself wanting a more zealous punch of alcoholic flavour, by all means you can play around with the volume of bourbon. Find a level that suits your tastes and go with it. Try adding an extra teaspoon per serving and re-assess.
Yes you can. This drink pairs best with hearty, warming spirits. A nip of brandy, rum or whisky would all work out well in place of the bourbon.
You can also leave out all the alcohol if you would like to serve a maple hot chocolate instead.
This bourbon hot chocolate can very easily be made vegan. Just swap the whole milk for your favourite non-dairy milk.
If using a milk with a little viscosity itself, such as coconut milk, you can leave out the cornflour if desired. Keeping it in won’t harm at all though – the drink will just be a little thicker.
What to Serve with this Drink
This slightly boozy hot chocolate is great on its own but a little side treat never hurts in my world. Here are my top suggestions:
- Cinnamon apple cake with maple buttercream
- Pumpkin spice marshmallows
- Millionaires caramel krispie squares
- Malted milk cookies
Maple Bourbon Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 400 ml/ 1 ⅗ cups Whole (full fat) milk
- 2 teaspoon Cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon Cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 30 g/ 1 oz Dark chocolate chips
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 8 teaspoon Maple syrup
- 8 teaspoon Bourbon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin by measuring the cocoa powder, ground cinnamon and cornflour into a small pan
- Add 4 tablespoon of the milk and whisk the ingredients together until smooth
- Pour in the rest of the milk and heat on a moderate heat, stirring continously, until steaming
- Lower the heat, add the chocolate chips & salt and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes until the liquid is piping hot and has thickened very slightly (like the thickness of coconut milk)
- Optional step- pass through a nut sieve or filter paper to remove any undissolved cinnamon. Pour the filtered hot chocolate back into the pan and discard the solids left behind. I highly recommend this step to ensure the drink is as smooth and creamy as can be
- Pour in the maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla extract, give one last stir and pour into 4 small cups or heatproof glasses, each able to hold approx 100ml of liquid
- Serve as it is or top with cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, a dusting of cinnamon and/ or sprinkles as desired
Notes
Tips
This boozy maple and bourbon hot chocolate is quick and easy to make but I’d like to draw your attention to a few noteworthy points:- since this drink contains cornflour it is vital to stir the liquid continuously as it cooks, to avoid lumps forming
- for this reason, this recipe cannot be made in a microwave
- similarly, I do not recommend reheating leftovers in a microwave. Instead, pour the liquid back into a milk pan and reheat gently, stirring continuously
- finally, to ensure that a smooth and creamy texture is achieved, I suggest pouring the liquid through a nut bag or filter paper. This quick step helps hold back any annoying grains of ground cinnamon from the final drink
Linda
It’s hard to say no to a good hot chocolate, especially when dark chocolate is combined with bourbon!
Jane Saunders
Agree – I can drink hot chocolate even when it’s hot outside – I just love it!
Alexandra
We are putting our Christmas tree up tomorrow night and will be enjoying this while we do so! Delicious 🙂
Jane Saunders
Great plan – enjoy
Amy
First you had me at Bourbon, then hot chocolate and then maple syrup!! How much deliciousness can you put in one recipe?? My friends are going to love this!
Jane Saunders
Haha, yes – three great flavours makes for a great drink – hope you all enjoy it.
Liz
This is such a fun idea to take hot chocolate to the next level! Love this for a party!
Jane Saunders
Thanks Liz.
Claudia Lamascolo
What a great idea and combination of flavors, I will make this for our next adult party!!
Jane Saunders
Hope you all enjoy it when you do!