With the inexorable approach of winter and the last of the autumn foliage falling from the trees, temperatures are dropping, days are shorter, and the nights are long, long, long. But that also means many evenings spent following hot chocolate recipes and cosying up on the sofa with a Herdy mug full of warming hot chocolate.

So let’s get hygga! We’ve got seven recipes of hot chocolate for you to try out and stoke that warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy.

Note that it’s easy to adapt these ideas into vegan hot chocolate recipes; replace the milk with a dairy-free alternative of your choice (we like oat milk), and replace cream with the skimmed off coconut cream found when you allow coconut milk to settle. There are also plenty of vegan-friendly cocoa powders and chocolate on the market too.

French hot chocolate

Camper Herdy mug

Ingredients for making French hot chocolate

• 340 ml milk (your preference)
• 170 ml yellow Chartreuse
• 110 ml Calvados
• 55 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped
• 3-inch cinnamon stick
• Freshly grated cinnamon or ground cinnamon to garnish

How to make French hot chocolate

• In a saucepan combine milk, Chartreuse, Calvados, dark chocolate, vanilla bean and the seeds, and a cinnamon stick.
• Stir constantly on a moderate heat until the chocolate has completely melted
• Remove from heat, discard vanilla bean, whisk until frothy
• Ladle into warmed Herdy mugs, garnish with cinnamon

Rum hot chocolate

Herdy Christmas Mug 2019 (Sold Out)

Ingredients for making rum hot chocolate

• 1.3 litres of full-fat milk
• 120 ml of double cream
• 2 tbsp of dark rum
• 250 grams of coarsely chopped dark chocolate

How to make rum hot chocolate

• In a saucepan combine milk, cream, and rum, and bring to a gentle simmer over a moderate heat
• Remove pan from heat and add the dark chocolate. Let it stand until the chocolate has melted
• Whisk until smooth, pour into heated Herdy mugs.

Mexican hot chocolate

Peep mug

Ingredients for making Mexican hot chocolate

• 32 g dark cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 350 ml milk
• Whipped cream, for garnish

How to make Mexican hot chocolate

• Whisk together dry ingredients: cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg
• Heat milk in a saucepan until hot, but not boiling, over a moderate heat
• Place 3 tbsp of dry mixture in each mug
• Pour ¾ of each mug with the hot milk and stir until dry mixture is dissolved
• Serve with topped whipped cream

Peppermint hot chocolate

Cycler Herdy mug

Ingredients for making peppermint hot chocolate

• 2 cans (400ml each) of coconut milk
• 475 ml milk
• 170 g unsweetened cocoa
• 115 g sugar
• 1 tsp espresso coffee grounds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• 120 ml peppermint schnapps
• Peppermint sticks and marshmallow minis

How to make peppermint hot chocolate

• In a saucepan mix together coconut milk, milk, cocoa, sugar, espresso coffee grounds, vanilla extract, and salt.
• Heat over a medium heat and until hot but not boiling
• Remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint schnapps
• Pour into warmed Herdy mugs and garnish with peppermint sticks and marshmallow minis

Ginger hot chocolate

Marra mug

Ingredients for making ginger hot chocolate

• 40 g of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 litre milk
• 125 ml chocolate syrup

How to make ginger hot chocolate

• In a saucepan combine ginger, sugar, and water over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and is golden.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly
• Stir in the milk and syrup, and cook over a medium-low heat, constantly stirring
• Heat until tiny bubbles form on the edge of the pan. Do not boil.
• Strain mixture through a sieve and discard solids
• Pour into warmed Herdy mugs

Indian chai hot chocolate

Tourer Herdy mug

Ingredients for making Indian chai hot chocolate

• 125 ml milk
• 40 g white chocolate
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of ground cardamom
• pinch of salt
• pinch of white pepper

How to make Indian Chai hot chocolate

• Warm the milk in a saucepan over a moderate heat
• Add in the chocolate and spices, stirring until the chocolate has fully melted. Do not boil.
• Pour into warmed Herdy mugs

Arabic hot chocolate

Hiker Herdy mug

Ingredients for making Arabic hot chocolate

• 250 ml milk
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground clove
• 3 cardamom seeds
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp date syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 100 g chopped dark chocolate

How to make Arabic hot chocolate

• In a saucepan, with no heat, mix the milk with the cocoa powder until the cocoa is fully dissolved
• Put the saucepan on a moderate heat and warm the milk through. Do not boil.
• Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom. Whisk until all are dissolved (except the cardamom seeds)
• Add the vanilla extract and whisk in
• Add the date syrup and whisk in
• Once the syrup is dissolved, add the coconut oil and mix until the mixture thickens
• Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate fully melts in.
• Pour into warmed mugs

Hands up, chocoholics!

What's your favourite hot chocolate recipe? Come and have a chat in the comments below or join the flock on our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or email us.