Today, I had my first hot chocolate of the season. I usually wait until it gets really cold outside to have my first hot chocolate. I’m not sure why, but I think having it be really cold outside makes me appreciate warm, liquid chocolate even more.

Plus, by this point I have a bunch of mini marshmallows left over from the sweet potato casserole I made for Thanksgiving. They’re just waiting to be used up in a big cup of hot chocolate.

My recipe is pretty straightforward and can be doubled or even quadrupled, depending on the audience. It’s also easy to swap in different kinds of milk and chocolate, so if you’re a vegan or you have other dietary restrictions, roll with what makes sense for you.

The one obligatory step of making this hot chocolate is putting mini marshmallows on top. Some people are more a fan of whipped cream, but people…have you ever had mini marshmallows? The whipped cream melts in two seconds, but the marshmallows hold their shape for a while. I like to eat them off the top in all stages: (mostly) intact, starting to melt, and almost liquefied. Drinking hot chocolate has never been so fun.

Here’s a song to get you started on your hot chocolate journey.

My Go-To Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder (I used Askinosie)
1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp chocolate pieces or chips
a drop or two of vanilla extract
mini marshmallows for topping

Directions

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar, whisking until the mixture becomes warm but is not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate pieces and continue to whisk until they’re completely melted. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in a drop or two of vanilla extract. Pour into a cup or mug and top with mini marshmallows. Enjoy!