Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

Is posting a pumpkin recipe after Thanksgiving some sort of faux pas? Kind of like wearing white after Labor Day?

I’m not really sure, but I personally like to continue my pumpkin obsession through the holiday season. After posting these polar bear marshmallows earlier this week, a hot chocolate recipe to follow seems only natural! Plus, I figure maybe you guys have some extra pumpkin puree leftover and this Pumpkin Hot Chocolate is the perfect way to use up that last bit of it! I think I always have extra puree in the fridge during this season every year and I love using it for recipes like this hot cocoa or pancakes!

This hot chocolate is a mug of comfort. And unlike a lot of pumpkin spice drinks, this hot cocoa does actually contain pumpkin! Instead of having a bunch of cinnamon that often gets clumpy and stuck in your teeth, I toss in cinnamon sticks to infuse that flavor into the hot cocoa.

You can use regular cocoa powder in this recipe OR dark cocoa powder (as pictured). I always prefer dark chocolate, but either one works here. I don’t like my hot cocoa to be overly sweet, so I recommend starting off with the amount in the recipe and you can always stir in more if you want it sweeter.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
Yield: 2 servings

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

The richest and creamiest hot cocoa with a pumpkin twist!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups milk (any kind you prefer)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup dutch process unsweetened cocoa (or dark) powder
  • 1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • desired toppings: marshmallows, whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Add the milk to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, vanilla, and salt. Simmer the the mixture for about 3 minutes. Stir in the cocoa powder and sugar until combined and heated. Taste carefully with a spoon and add more sugar or salt if desired.
  2. Remove the cinnamon sticks and pour into mugs. Garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 364
Pumpkin Hot Chocolate