Need an excuse to get a casual gathering going this Christmas? This Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board is it. It's fun, festive, and all things childlike and happy! Fill it with absolutely everything you could possibly want with a cup of cocoa...and then some.
Easy to make and no cooking required, this Hot Cocoa Board makes entertaining extra easy and extra fun. It's loaded with sweet treats like crushed peppermint, marshmallows, and even icy-looking rock candy stirrers. A winter wonderland in and of itself!
Looking for more awesome Christmas Desserts to try? Bookmark these adorable Frosted Sugar Cookies in your internet browser for next time!
HOT COCOA BOARD & PARTY | VIDEO
A CHARCUTERIE BOARD EVOLUTION
It's entirely normal for one to read the words "charcuterie board" and immediately go into meats and cheese mode. But, the truth of the matter is charcuterie boards have evolved far beyond cured meats, and we have the Millennial generation to thank for the Charcuterie Board Social Media Phenomenon.
Thanks to those creative Millenials, charcuterie boards can be whatever you want them to be. The only stipulation? It must come fully loaded with delectable, handheld nibbles, similar to this seriously irresistible Hot Cocoa Charcuterie Board.
HOW TO SERVE THE HOT CHOCOLATE
Before you begin building your board, you first need to consider how you'll be serving your hot chocolate.
Homemade cocoa mix is the centerpiece of our Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board, but if you'd like to make it all about the toppings and add-ins, by all means, do it!
There are multiple ways to go about serving the hot chocolate itself.
You can serve homemade hot chocolate premade from a pot on the stovetop or make a batch of slow cooker hot chocolate. You could also have a kettle ready to go with hot water (or a large thermos full of warmed milk) with hot cocoa mix on the side for a build-your-own kind of setup. Just be prepared to instruct your guests on how many scoops to add to their mugs!
I highly advise making your own hot cocoa mix -- it's crazy easy and so much better than any storebought mix on the market! Here's what you'll need:
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Once you have your ingredients together, all you have to do is whisk them up, and that's your mix! For individual servings add 2 generous tablespoons of the hot chocolate mix to ¾ to 1 cup of hot milk or water and stir!
WHAT TO PUT ON A HOT CHOCOLATE CHARCUTERIE BOARD
The sky is the limit when it comes to the ingredients for your Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board. The very first thing you should do is think about what it is you absolutely love and must have in your very own hot chocolate. Those items should go down on your list first! I highly recommend this sweet and salty Christmas snack mix either gets a spot on or beside your hot cocoa board.
HOT CHOCOLATE CHARCUTERIE BOARD ADD-INS
Marshmallows and whipped cream are probably the most common hot cocoa toppings, but when it comes to a dessert board of this caliber, we're going to have to go a little deeper than that!
For those who love to indulge in a chocolate dessert, Ghirardelli melting wafers, chocolate bars, and/or chocolate chips are an excellent addition to your hot chocolate board. Any of these chocolate items can be stirred into warm hot chocolate to make it over-the-top chocolatey. The chocolate chips can also serve double duty as a garnish on top!
GARNISHES
Miniature M&Ms are a festive favorite when it comes to garnishes for the kiddos, as are miniature marshmallows!
For those who love peppermint, consider adding a small bowl of crushed peppermint that can be used to sprinkle on top of hot chocolate, candy canes to hang over the side of the glass, or peppermint puffs for a soft, Christmasy, and festive touch.
ON THE SIDE
Don't feel like you need to limit your hot chocolate board to items that will be stirred into or served on top of your hot chocolate.
For the ultimate Christmas board, there must be cookies! Choose a variety of your favorite store-bought or homemade Christmas cookies to place on your board. They are excellent space fillers!
Often times when we are thinking about what to put down on a charcuterie board, we're thinking in colors. When it comes to this Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board, on the other hand, think more along the lines of festive, Christmasy touches!
Gingerbread men, specialty chocolate truffles straight out of a gift box, and tall, elegant Pirouette cookies will make your board look extra special!
If you are team whipped cream, you should definitely try out our Chocolate Whipped Cream!
HOW TO ASSEMBLE A HOT CHOCOLATE CHARCUTERIE BOARD
Once you've decided what is going on your Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board, you can begin the assembly process!
If you are going to serve the hot cocoa mix directly from the charcuterie board, give it priority spacing and add it to the board first.
Then, use small bowls or mugs to house tiny items like crushed peppermint and miniature chocolate chips, and place those on the board next. Although it's likely the smallest items that are going into the bowl, the bowl is actually considered a large item!
Large items should go down on the board first, followed by smaller, more lightweight items.
Note, mugs are also handy in adding height to your board as they are perfect for housing tall items like straw cookies and edible stirrers.
I find it easiest to add items along the edges and work my way in toward the center.
And, one last tip! Charcuterie boards that have a lip or defined edges to them are helpful in the arranging process. This is because you can stack items against the edge and fan them inward beautifully!
6 MORE CHRISTMAS PARTY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Christmas Charcuterierie Board
- Reindeer Cookies
- Texas Trash
- Spiked Hot Chocolate
- Red Velvet Brownies
- Candied Pecans with Rosemary
Texas Trash Recipe
Festive Christmas Charcuterie Board
Reindeer Cookies
Spiked Hot Chocolate Recipe
Red Velvet Brownies
Candied Pecans with Rosemary | Recipe
Christmas Charcuterie Board
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 cups Homemade or store-bought hot cocoa mix
- About 12 cups Hot milk or water for mixing (quantity according to hot cocoa package directions)
- 1 ½ - 2 cups marshmallows (miniature and/or jet-puffed)
- 1 ½ cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate melting wafers
- 10-12 Rock candy or other edible stirrers
- 2-3 small packages (about 5 ounces) Store-bought cookies (e.g. gingerbread, pirouette, black and white cookies)
- 1 ½ cup Chocolate or Yogurt Pretzels
- 12-pack Chocolate truffles or squares
- 1 ½ cups Small candies (e.g. Hershey Kisses, miniature M&Ms)
- 1 cup Crushed peppermint and/or miniature candy canes
Instructions
- Choose the items for your board. The items listed above are merely a suggestion. Feel free to get as creative as you like when it comes to adding sweet treats to your board.
- Have ready a large serving board. Place the larger items on the board first and fill in the spaces with the smaller items to follow after that. Anything housed in a bowl should be considered a "large item." Serve and enjoy!
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