Last Updated on September 17, 2023 by Leah Hall
This Kahlua Hot Chocolate is a must for winter warming. Easy to make, this decadent hot cocoa is spiked with Kahlua liqueur and topped with whipped cream and marshmallows!
We think that nothing tastes better on a cold winter day or after playing in the snow than a mug of hot cocoa. And, if that mug is a mug of Kahlua Hot Chocolate, meaning hot chocolate with a boozy addition, even better.
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Hot chocolate is a great way to warm up when you are cold. It’s a decadent, rich and delicious treat. Plus, this drink is easy to make in about 5 minutes!
This indulgent drink is comfort in a cup and will warm you from the inside out. Like in our Verte Chaud, our hot chocolate is made with whole milk, rich bitter chocolate, sugar, a dash of salt, and of course: Kahlua!
Who doesn’t love a little rum in their hot chocolate, and the coffee flavors add depth to this warm drink!
What is Kahlua?
Kahlua is a coffee liqueur with the ingredients of rum, sugar and arabica coffee. Interestingly just recently, as of 2021, they have lowered the alcohol content to just 16%, as opposed to 20% before. This makes it a great low ABV liqueur. It is made in Mexico, and is dark brown in color and tastes somewhat like sweetened coffee.
It does contain caffeine, and is an integral ingredient to many well known cocktails. These include an espresso martini, White Russian, Black Russian or a Mudslide, plus many more.
How to make Kahlua Hot Chocolate
This recipe is simple. First, make homemade hot chocolate, then add Kahlua!
What we love about this homemade Hot Chocolate is that it warms you up, and then the Kahlua keeps you warm. It is a great flavor addition as well. This hot chocolate is creamy and so decadent!
- For a Crowd – The recipe below makes 4 (1) cup servings, so multiply if you are making it for more people.
- Kahlua – the Kahlua is sweet, which is why we reduced the sugar in the hot chocolate recipe to compensate for it. Otherwise this homemade hot cocoa recipe would be way too sweet.
Ingredients in Kahlua Hot Chocolate
Kahlua Hot Chocolate is simply that – Kahlua coffee liqueur and hot chocolate. Homemade hot chocolate takes just 5 minutes to whisk up on the stove, and tastes incredible. This drink is sweet, so if you prefer things a little more balanced use the same base hot cocoa recipe. Then, check out our Spiked Hot Chocolate for other liquor ideas!
- Whole milk – The creamier the better, so 2% is the way to go. If you want it richer, you can use half and half. But heavy cream would be way too heavy for this recipe.
- Sugar – either regular granulated sugar or Demerara sugar is great for this.
- Chocolate Bar – we used a 70% cocoa bar, this is a not sweet chocolate. But, we wanted the chocolate flavor, not sweet, so 70%-75% is great.
- Salt – to take the sweet down slightly, plus makes a great sweet drink more flavorful.
- Kahlua – obviously an ingredient, this coffee liqueur will add sweetness as well as a bit of dark coffee flavor to this hot cocoa.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover hot chocolate in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Tips & Tricks
- Alcohol Options – while this recipe obviously calls for Kahlua, we love hot cocoa with other liquors, too! Try our Spiked Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate, or our Verte Chaud. But, some other choices or add ons could be: Bailey’s, Amaretto, Dark Rum, Vanilla Vodka, Bourbon, Rum Chata, Fireball Whiskey or Cinnamon Schnapps!
- Toppings – We did simple whipped cream and marshmallows with this Kahlua Hot Chocolate, but some other options are great. Sauces like chocolate or caramel, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, crushed Oreo cookies, sprinkles, cinnamon sticks, coarse sea salt, pirouette cookies, peppermint chips or crushed candy canes.
- Dairy Free – If you need or want to, change out the whole milk for any plant based milk like soy, almond, oat, or cashew.
- Hot Chocolate Mix – If you want to not make the hot chocolate from scratch, then you can use hot chocolate mix – it would be about 2 cups and then the milk. It will be sweeter than this recipe, so keep that in mind.
Cheers!
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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Other Hot Cocktails
- Cognac Hot Toddy
- Hot Buttered Bourbon Spiced Cider
- Easy Hot Toddy – Cocktail Contessa
- Hot Gin Toddy
- Tequila Chai Hot Toddy
Kahlua Hot Chocolate
This Kahlua Hot Chocolate is full of flavor! Great for warming up with, and a dash of boozy coffee liqueur makes for an even better way to warm up in this decadent homemade hot cocoa.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 8 ounce chocolate bar, we used a 70% cocoa bar
- 3 Tablespoons sugar, or Demerara sugar
- pinch of salt
- 8 ounces Kahlua
Instructions
1. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm until just steaming. Whisk in the chocolate until melted.
2. Bring to a simmer, don't let it boil over. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
3. Remove from heat, add sugar and salt. Stir until mixed and sugar melted.
4. Divide Kahlua between 4 mugs (2 ounces each) and then top with warm chocolate mix. Top with your choice of garnish, whipped cream or marshmallows are divine.
5. Cheers!
Notes
1. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm until just steaming. Whisk in the chocolate until melted.
2. Bring to a simmer, don't let it boil over. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
3. Remove from heat, add sugar and salt. Stir until mixed and sugar melted.
4. Divide Kahlua between 4 mugs (2 ounces each) and then top with warm chocolate mix. Top with your choice of garnish, whipped cream or marshmallows are divine.
5. Cheers!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
8 ouncesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 613Total Fat: 22.9gSaturated Fat: 15.3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 16.3mgCarbohydrates: 66.8gFiber: 1.9gSugar: 63.6gProtein: 10.3g
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