This salted caramel whiskey hot chocolate recipe features homemade hot cocoa and Crown Royal salted caramel whiskey. It’s the perfect warming cocktail for winter!
1 ½Ouncessalted caramel whiskey(such as Crown Royal)
Garnishes as desired
Instructions
Add chocolate chips, half and half, milk, and vanilla to a microwave safe bowl or cup
1 Cup milk chocolate chips, 1 Cup half and half, 1 Cup milk, ½ Tsp vanilla extract
Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until mixture is hot and smooth, and chocolate is fully melted (usually about 3 minutes total for me in a 1000W microwave)
Stir in the salted caramel whiskey and mix well
1 ½ Ounces salted caramel whiskey
Pour hot chocolate into mugs, leaving a little room at the top for garnishes
Garnish if desired, and enjoy!
Garnishes as desired
Notes
You can also use semisweet or dark chocolate chips in place of the milk chocolate if preferred. Feel free to substitute ¼ cup cocoa powder and ¼ cup granulated sugar instead
For a non-dairy alternative, use the cocoa powder option mentioned above. Swap the regular milk for almond milk, and substitute non-dairy coffee creamer (plain or vanilla) for the half and half. These are usually oat or coconut based
Feel free to adjust the whiskey to taste - add as little as 1 ounce or up to 2 ounces based on preferences
If you can’t find Crown Royal salted caramel whiskey (it’s seasonal for the winter months) then use any caramel flavored liquor you like. Bailey’s salted caramel, caramel vodka, or regular whiskey mixed with salted caramel sauce are good alternatives
Garnish options include marshmallows, whipped cream, salted caramel sauce, chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles, or anything else you’d like!
If you don’t have a microwave, you can also prepare your hot chocolate on the stovetop. Cook in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and mixture is warm and smooth
This recipe is designed for two 6-ounce mugs. If you leave toppings space, you’ll have a little left over, so it can probably work for 6- to 8-ounce mugs generally. Feel free to scale up or down as needed!
Store any leftover salted caramel whiskey hot chocolate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. For best results, store without toppings (as they can be tricky in reheating)
To reheat, simply microwave a mug of hot chocolate, stirring every 30 seconds, until warmed to your liking (usually 1 - 1 ½ minutes). Alternatively, you may also reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until warmed
Exact nutritional values will vary widely based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any toppings or garnishes added, and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Keyword alcoholic hot drink recipes, caramel hot drinks, hot beverages with whiskey, rich and creamy drinks, salted caramel hot drink, salted caramel whiskey hot chocolate, salted caramel whiskey recipes, whiskey cocoa drinks, winter cocktails