Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Recipe: Two Beloved Fall Flavors In One Drink
You don't have to choose one over the other.
Cozying up to a warm drink by the fireplace is — for me — the perfect end to a chilly fall day. My drink of choice is typically a mug of hot chocolate with a few jumbo marshmallows floating on top. That said, I also love pumpkin spice lattes (PSLs). Sitting by the fireplace the other night with hot cocoa in hand, I wondered aloud: ‘Why have I never combined my favorite fall flavors in a single sip?’‘ The next day, I did just that. It turns out that whipping up a pumpkin spice hot chocolate is pretty easy.
How To Make Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
I’m not knocking powdered hot chocolate mix, but homemade versions definitely reign supreme (you can customize all of the ingredients!). I tried this hot chocolate recipe from AllRecipes.com, which has a PSL-flavored twist from ingredients like pumpkin puree and the namesake spice blend. Before serving, each portion is topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg. Caffeine lovers may be disappointed that this PSL-inspired concoction doesn’t contain coffee, but look on the bright side: you can drink it in the evening without feeling jittery at bedtime.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup whipped cream
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
Directions:
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 5 mins
- Total time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 drinks
- Whisk milk, cream, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder in saucepan over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes. Cook until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Stir pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice into mixture until combined.
- Pour hot chocolate into 2 mugs. Top with whipped cream: sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over cream. Enjoy.
My Taste Test
Making this recipe was a breeze and produced two tasty mugs of pumpkin-flavored hot chocolate. The drink’s rich, chocolatey taste is complemented by warming notes of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, plus the whipped cream adds a hint of sugar without making the drink too sweet. While I could barely taste the pumpkin puree, the drink smelled strikingly similar to a pumpkin pie — and who doesn’t love that around this time of year? Thanks to this easy recipe, I’m saving myself a trip to the cafe next time my hot drink cravings hit.
Looking for more ways to jazz up regular hot chocolate? Take a peek at these mouth-watering recipes for nutella hot cocoa or DIY hot chocolate bombs.
