Maple Bourbon Hot Chocolate

A bourbon hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles

5 from 7 votes

This thick and creamy bourbon hot chocolate 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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine: Worldwide

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

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

Can I Add More Bourbon?

In terms of how alcoholic this boozy hot chocolate tastes, I would liken it to a well-made sherry trifle. There is 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.

Alternatives to Bourbon

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.

Make it vegan?

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.

Nutrition