Last Updated on December 5, 2024 by Leah Hall
This creamy hot chocolate sipper is perfect for cold winter days, especially sitting by the fireplace! This makes a perfect Apres ski cocktail! Topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes, a peppermint schnapps hot chocolate is a must make!
Do you want an amazing hot drink for winter sipping? Try our Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate! It’s rich and chocolaty with a cool peppermint finish. Make this great, decadent sip perfect for all winter long! Hot cocktails are a favorite around here on cold days, like our Cognac Hot Toddy, Hot Buttered Spiced Cider, and a Hot Gin! Any of these will be great as a Christmas cocktail, including this hot chocolate cocktail recipe.
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Peppermint Schnapps
Peppermint schnapps is a clear mint flavored liqueur. It tastes like a boozy candy cane. Peppermint schnapps is consumed in the winter or during the holiday season, and is popular in Apres Ski Cocktails, too! Also great in chocolate based cocktails, like in this Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate.
Peppermint schnapps is a distilled spirit made by adding peppermint flavoring to a clear grain spirit. It is classified as a liqueur. Most history of Peppermint Schnapps believe the original version originated in Germany (in German the word Schnaps means a strong alcoholic beverage). Also makes great cocktails like Peppermint White Russian or Peppermint Patty Drink.
Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate
Basically Adult Hot Chocolate, this recipe is one of the easiest and most common ways to spike your hot chocolate. We have other boozy hot chocolate recipes, Verte Chaud, Kahlua Hot Cocoa, and Spiked Hot Chocolate, all different ways to enjoy some great recipes!
To make this Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate, simply add the Peppermint Schnapps to this rich and decadent warm cocoa! Top it with some whipped cream and crushed candy canes for a great extra treat! Or, a boozy marshmallow is a great addition as it slowly melts!
The peppermint schnapps gives it a great mint flavor, and the alcohol makes it a bit sweeter, but since we use bittersweet chocolate in this recipe, it’s not cloyingly sweet. Just imagine yourself with a mug of this next to the fire, or cuddled up in a blanket on a cold winter evening. (or during the day, no judging here!)
If you have never made hot chocolate from scratch, you need to! Homemade hot chocolate is really very simple to make. You may never buy the powdered stuff again, we only do for the boys, LOL! This chocolate so creamy, and when you add the peppermint schnapps this drink instantly becomes a boozy warmer!
What Ingredients are Needed for the Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate?
- Milk – we used whole milk for this recipe. This makes the hot chocolate a little thicker and richer.
- Chocolate – we used a 70% cacao bar for a darker flavor.
- Sugar – you can use regular granulated sugar, or demerara sugar for a darker flavor.
- Salt – the addition of salt helps cut some of the richness and sweetness.
- Peppermint Schnapps – this minty liqueur adds a great fresh mint flavor to the chocolate.
How to Make the Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate
We make this hot cocoa mix from scratch, we think it tastes richer and better than the pre-made powdered mix. Full recipe below in the recipe card:
- Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just steaming. Whisk in the chocolate until melted. Then, whisk until the chocolate melts.
- Remove from heat, add sugar and salt. Stir until mixed and sugar melted.
- Divide peppermint schnapps between 4 mugs (1.50 ounces each) and then top with warm chocolate mix. Top with your choice of garnish, whipped cream or marshmallows are divine.
Telluride Distilling Chairlift Warmer
We used a specialty Peppermint Schnapps for our hot chocolate in this recipe, but that’s because we did a tasting at Telluride Distilling in Telluride, Colorado last summer! And this Chairlift Warmer won our hearts over. We were too stunned to speak, LOL!
But seriously, if you can get your hands on some, do so! It’s a European Alps styled liqueur, with enough sugar, but not enough to make it a syrup. All with an authentic peppermint flavor. It won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2018. It’s delightful and a new favorite around here!
They also make whiskey, gin, an aged gin, vodka, and an agave spirit. It was a fun tasting, where we even got to talk to the distiller about some of his products and try some interesting things. We brought home their Chairlift Warmer, the Barrel Aged Gin, and Vodka. So, you know the vodka was good if we bought a bottle and brought it home over the mountains to Omaha.
So, if you make your way to the lovely town of Telluride, Colorado, make sure that you stop at the Distillery and play a game of pool and do a tasting of their fabulous spirits! Make another great peppermint cocktail with this Candy Cane Martini from our friends at Another Cocktail Blog!
Tips & Tricks
- Hot Chocolate – if you want to use pre-made powdered mix for this hot chocolate recipe, you can. We advise against it, but understand ease of making a cocktail, and if that is what you have on hand. It won’t be as rich as the homemade version. But, if you use milk instead of water to make the mix, it will be a little more rich. You can use heavy cream as well, but this will make for a super thick chocolate mix, and you may have to add some milk or water to thin it. k
- Garnish – marshmallows or whipped cream are a great topping to this cocktail. Top either of those with some crushed peppermint candy for an even more festive twist. Try our boozy Peppermint Mocha marshmallows, too, and make sure to have toasted marshmallows! Some other ideas can be chocolate shavings, melted chocolate or chocolate syrup drizzled on top.
- Mugs – we love this white winter mug, it has glass filled in the holes, so gives it a stained glass look. I think we got it at Target a few years ago. But, any mug will do – glass mug, a fun vintage mug, or just one you have on hand.
- Are there any substitutes for Peppermint Schnapps? White Creme de Menthe can be a substitute: it is a lighter mint flavor. You can also use green Creme de Menthe, but it will change the color of your cocktails or hot chocolate if that’s important to you! Peppermint vodka can also be substituted, but it won’t be as sweet.
- Other Flavor Additions – if you don’t want to use just peppermint schnapps, you can add in some chocolate liqueur, for an even more chocolate flavor. Other distilled spirited added in could be vodka,
- Non-Alcoholic Version – if you want to make a mocktail for everyone on Christmas Eve, feel free to leave out the peppermint schnapps and sub in some peppermint extract for great peppermint flavoring. Or, a mint simple syrup.
- Dessert – if you want a really decadent treat, try this boozy peppermint mixture served over a scoop of ice cream. It’s like a boozy dark chocolate affogato!
- For a Crowd – you can make these adult beverages in a larger format, especially if you have a group! Simply make everything for the warm cocktail in larger form on the stove top or in a slow cooker to keep warm. Don’t add the shot of peppermint schnapps until you serve in a mug. This homemade hot chocolate will stay warm, you just may have to stir before ladling into a serving glass.
- Chocolate – if you cannot find the 70% cacao, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips, or bittersweet chocolate. We discourage milk chocolate though, as it would be way to sweet. You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder and a dash of sugar.
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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Other Mint Cocktails
- Peppermint White Russian – Speckled Palate
- Creme de Menthe Cranberry Cocktail – Simplistically Living
- Frozen Mint Brandy Alexander – State of Dinner
- Stinger – Cocktail Society
Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate
A simple hot chocolate recipe, but rich and decadent for winter! This Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate is full of flavor and perfect to warm up with!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 8 ounce chocolate bar, we used a 70% cocoa bar
- 3 Tablespoons sugar or Demarara sugar
- pinch of salt
- 6 ounces Peppermint Schnapps.
Instructions
- Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm until just steaming. Whisk in the chocolate until melted.
- Bring to a simmer, don't let it boil over. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat, add sugar and salt. Stir until mixed and sugar melted.
- Divide peppermint schnapps between 4 mugs (1.50 ounces each) and then top with warm chocolate mix. Top with your choice of garnish, whipped cream or marshmallows are divine.
- Cheers!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
6 ozAmount Per Serving: Calories: 563Total Fat: 26.8gSaturated Fat: 16.8gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 47.1gFiber: 7.5gSugar: 33.6gProtein: 10.4g
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RACHEL
Wednesday 9th of February 2022
Love the mug! Now you need to create a heart-shaped stir stick for Valentine's Day.