Ginger Hot Chocolate Recipe

I love making this ginger hot chocolate recipe during the holiday season, and throughout the cold winter months. Made with whole milk, dark chocolate, and homemade ginger syrup, this easy, three-ingredient recipe works nicely for a festive Christmas or New Year’s celebration, and is easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.

Key Ingredients

• Whole Milk – I prefer the creaminess of whole milk, but you can use skimmed milk for a lighter beverage, or half-and-half for an even creamier drink. Or, make this recipe vegan or dairy-free by substituting your favorite plant milk. 
• Ginger Simple Syrup – Homemade ginger syrup sweetens the hot chocolate and adds a warm, spicy note. You can make your own ginger syrup by simmering sugar, water, and peeled fresh ginger in a saucepan on the stovetop, then steeping the ginger in the sugary liquid to create the fiery flavor. (See my ginger simple syrup recipe for instructions.) If you don’t have time to make your own ginger syrup, substitute a store-bought cocktail syrup, such as Monin.

• Dark Chocolate – The chocolate you choose will represent the key flavor, so I suggest using a high-quality dark chocolate  from a brand like Valrhona, Callebaut, Guittard, or Cacao Barry, rather than cheap chocolate or chocolate chips. In addition to producing a richer, more flavorful beverage, good-quality couverture chocolate will melt easily into the milk, since it contains more cocoa butter and does not contain the stabilizers added to baking chips. Feel free to experiment with different cacao percentages to adjust the flavor and intensity of the drink—the higher the percentage, the less sweet the finished hot chocolate will taste.

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Ginger Hot Chocolate

Recipe by becky

• Total Time5 minutes
• Yield2 200-ml portions, or 1 larger portion 1x

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An easy, three-ingredient ginger hot chocolate recipe made with dark chocolate, whole milk, and homemade ginger simple syrup.

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

320 milliliters whole milk (1 1/3 cups)
75 grams chopped dark chocolate (1/2 cup)
45 milliliters ginger simple syrup (3 tablespoons), or to taste

Shaved dark chocolate and chopped candied ginger, to garnish

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Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a gentle simmer over low heat.

Add chopped dark chocolate, whisking gently until chocolate melts.

Stir in the ginger simple syrup. Taste and adjust, adding more syrup as needed.

Pour into mugs. Garnish with shaved dark chocolate and chopped candied ginger. Serve immediately.

 

Equipment

whisk

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medium saucepan

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dark chocolate

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• Category: Beverages
• Method: Stovetop

Garnishing and Serving Ginger Hot Chocolate

You can garnish your ginger hot chocolate with classic toppings like whipped cream (or the ginger whipped cream from this Eton Mess recipe) or homemade marshmallows. Other suggestions include curls or pieces of grated dark chocolate, a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder, or bits of homemade candied ginger. Crushed ginger snap cookies would also make a nice finishing touch.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

To make ahead: You can prepare the ginger syrup up to one month in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to use as desired.

While best served immediately, you can prepare your ginger hot chocolate in advance (or make a double recipe) and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a small pan on the stovetop, or in individual servings in microwave-safe mugs.

Other Hot Chocolate Recipes You Might Enjoy

Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Grapefruit White Hot Chocolate
Rose Hot Chocolate

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!