By Heide Kennedy Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern
I’ve come to the conclusion that hot chocolate is probably the most popular cold-weather drink ever. The moment the weather turns slightly colder it feels like I am constantly making hot chocolates at the coffee shop I work at! But hey, a warm, creamy cup of chocolatey goodness really is a good way to brighten up a cold day! What’s not to love? 
While a traditional, plain hot chocolate is always a tried and true favorite, it’s always fun to experiment with different flavorings and toppings. Read on for a few suggestions on flavors and toppings to add to your hot chocolate to make it extra fun and special!
Add flavored syrups!
Drink syrups come in all sorts of flavors! Some that pair very well with chocolate are hazelnut, almond, salted caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, peppermint, or spearmint. You can make these syrups at home with sugar, water, and flavoring, or you can buy them from the store!
Add natural extracts!
Adding a drop or two of a natural extract is a great way to add a flavor without the extra sugar that comes with flavored syrups. Vanilla, almond, rum, and peppermint are all delicious in hot chocolate. But these are very very potent, and a little goes a long way!
Add some spices!
Growing up, my grandma always made us Mexican hot chocolate in the wintertime, and let me tell you, it was amazing! The secret ingredient? Ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks! While cinnamon is the most popular spice to use, feel free to experiment with some of the other spices in your cabinet!
Melt chocolate candies into your cup!
This might sound weird at first but think about it. A Reese’s melted into your hot chocolate? Or a Snickers? Or a Heath? It’s kind of a sugar overload, but at least it tastes good! Even a scoop of peanut butter melted into your cup is pretty darn good too!
Get creative with your toppings!
Move over marshmallows and whipped cream! Try topping your hot chocolate with some other fun toppings, such as crushed cookies or graham crackers, candy bits, chocolate shavings, coarse sea salt, caramel, chocolate, peanut butter, or cookie butter drizzle, or fun sprinkles!
Take your hot chocolate to the next level this year and try making all sorts of fun combinations!
For more holiday articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!