Ingredients
- 6 ozhot chocolate
- 1 ozpeppermint schnapps
- ½ ozwhite creme de cacao
- 2 tbspwhipped cream
🔧 Tools
Instructions
- Prepare a mug of hot chocolate using your preferred method — stovetop, mix, or pod machine.
- Add the peppermint schnapps and white creme de cacao. Stir gently to combine.
- Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
- Garnish with a pinch of crushed candy cane and a chocolate shaving.
- Serve immediately while warm.
📜 History
Spiked hot chocolate is a cold-weather warming tradition with roots stretching back to 18th-century European taverns, where brandy or rum was commonly added to chocolate-based drinks. The specific pairing of peppermint schnapps and hot chocolate became a holiday staple in American home entertaining culture from the 1990s onward, combining two beloved winter flavors in a format that requires no cocktail shaking or straining. Adding white creme de cacao alongside the peppermint schnapps deepens the chocolate flavor and provides a smoother, creamier body than schnapps alone. The combination is well documented across multiple cocktail and food publications including The Speckled Palate (December 2025), A Couple Cooks, and Insanely Good Recipes, all of which feature it among their essential winter cocktails.