11 Indulgent Hot Chocolates to Heat Up Your Nights

Extra thick (thanks to cornstarch), there’s a reason why Mexican hot chocolate is so beloved in Latin America. Ali from Gimme Some Oven makes her deliciously spicy rendition extra decadent with plenty of chipotle powder, cayenne, and homemade whipped cream. Oh yeah, there’s also chocolate and more chocolate involved. RECIPE: Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies (GimmeSomeOven.com)

Craving soul-warming mulled wine and hot chocolate? Have both, we say! Karen from Citrus and Candy adds red wine to her hot chocolate, which soaks up cloves, star anise, and rosemary. The result is a velvety concoction with a fragrant, floral finish. Serve warm and sip slowly, savoring every single dizzying drop. RECIPE: Pears In Mulled Wine (CitrusAndCandy.com)

Don't think you could give chocolate a break? Perhaps you haven't discovered this yummy cookie in liquid form, or what Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody calls her snickerdoodle hot cocoa. She successfully serves cinnamon bun-flavored marshmallows, vanilla chips, nutmeg, and cinnamon in one massive mug. There's no actual chocolate found here, but it's "warm and wonderful all the same." You could, of course, add chocolate chips instead, but why ruin a good thing? (CulinaryConcoctionsByPeabody.com)

We get it, staying indoors can get, well, steamy. No need to sweat away the stress.  Simply unwind with a lip-smacking frozen hot chocolate, created by Elyse of Six Sisters’ Stuff. She insists it can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. Plus, it made her the “coolest mom on the block” among her son’s friends. Best of all? You can enjoy throughout the year. READ: How To Make Oreos Even Better (SixSistersStuff.com)

Nutty, chocolatey Nutella. It’s so dangerously delicious a gang of thieves in Germany stole five metric tons of the hazelnut spread from a trailer. We, however, recommend using your stash at home and topping your hot cocoa with it. Let’s face it, you can never have too much Nutella or hot chocolate. Leslie from The Hungry Housewife shares her recipe and she promises that it will make your holidays extra sweeter and your jeans a little tighter. READ: 10 Awesome Recipes With Nutella (TheHungryHousewife.com)

For a healthier take on the traditional treat, consider the sweet meets nutty coconut honey hot chocolate by Christina from The Culinary Quest. To remove the processed sugar, she opts for hot cocoa made with unsweetened coconut milk, along with a few spoonfuls of raw honey and toasted coconut shavings. (TheCulinaryQuest.com)

A creamy, buttery elixir that tastes “like liquid birthday cake?” That’s exactly what Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil has in store for us with her white hot chocolate, which is served with thick whipped cream and plenty of sprinkles. She also recommends stirring in a little amaretto or Bailey's Irish cream for an extra kick, making it the perfect nightcap. (LoveAndOliveOil.com)

For a touch of zest, Joy of Joy the Baker amps up her drink with cinnamon and orange, along with juicy blood orange slices to further intensify the flavors. She recommends pairing it with soft, freshly baked cinnamon cookies, but any other dessert will do to sweeten up a wintry night. (JoyTheBaker.com)

How does Lori of Recipe Girl get her creamy hot chocolate to taste exactly like fresh caramel corn? By infusing hot almond milk with actual caramel corn, of course. For extra sweetness, she chops up some white chocolate and adds it, allowing it to slowly melt. Is your mouth watering or is it just us? (RecipeGirl.com)

Stephen of Feeding My Folks says incorporating white chocolate instead of standard cocoa makes it easier to infuse other flavors, such as refreshing mint. “The milk is blended with the mint until light and frothy,” he explains. “Then it’s heated with the chocolate chips until smooth.” The luscious concoction is subtly tinted in a light shade of green. (FeedingMyFolks.com)

With just enough fresh strawberry syrup, whipped cream, as well as plenty of chocolate, you too can easily make this festive, oh so delicious treat. Emma and Elsie of A Beautiful Mess created their red velvet hot chocolate for Valentine’s Day, but we think it could also easily heat up any other night of the year. (ABeautifulMess.com)