It’s the most wonderful time of the year: hot chocolate season! During the holiday season, hot chocolate is a daily pick me up, perfect for a holiday gathering or a cozy family night in. A do-it-yourself hot chocolate bar is the perfect addition to any celebration, as you are able to choose from a variety of flavors and toppings to craft your personalized mug of hot cocoa. It’s easy to set-up a beverage station using a serving table or tray to arrange a thermos of hot chocolate along with fixings such as marshmallows, whipped cream, peppermint sticks and some festive display items. Follow these simple steps to create the DIY hot chocolate bar you and your guests dream of this joyous holiday season!

Sweet Setup

When setting up your hot chocolate bar, choose a space that is easy for your guests to access without causing a traffic jam amongst other activities and conversation. A home bar, mini bar or bar cart is an ideal spot to craft your spread. A mini bar or bar cart can be easily placed anywhere in your home and many include additional storage space below—perfect for storing restocks of your favorite toppings. An accent tray table is an attractive and functional option if you are short on space but still want a dedicated space for a small hot cocoa bar. If you are looking for a larger spread, consider using a sofa table. This table can be pushed up against a wall or the back of your sofa, so your spread is out of the way, yet still the center of attention.

After you choose the location of your hot chocolate bar, start setting it up with a serving tray or two. For a festive look for your party, consider a holiday tray, which will perfectly accent your decadent hot cocoa toppings! For a more modern look, consider a simple but beautiful wooden tray or board.

Indulgence Ingredients

Your plethora of ingredients is what will be the center of attention at your hot chocolate bar. Everyone will flood to the table to be first in line, so make sure you not only have enough in quantity, but also in variety to comfortably entertain a versatile crowd.

1. Choose the Right Mugs: When choosing the perfect mugs for your cup of cocoa, grab the large ones first. You will want mugs that are big enough to hold all your toppings, in addition to keeping your cocoa hot enough to sip on throughout the evening.
2. Select Hot Chocolate Flavors: Your chocolatey drink will be the center of your dessert bar, so make sure you choose the flavors wisely. Classic hot chocolate is of course a crowd pleaser and a great option if there are children in attendance. If you are entertaining a more adventurous crowd, consider trying flavors such as white chocolate or candy cane. You can also set out a bottle of Irish cream for the adult crowd.
3. Toppings: Are you reaching for the marshmallows, whipped cream or both? This might be the biggest debate of them all, because no cup of hot chocolate is complete without either. Light and fluffy marshmallows are out of this world, but a dollop of whipped cream aids in layering on plenty of other toppings. After you choose your creamy base, get ready for the crunch. Chocolate chips, finely chopped nuts, graham crackers and candy cane pieces make for great options!
4. Sauce It Up: After you add your whip cream and toppings, try adding a little drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce to oomph your drink. Both will taste delightful in your warm beverage.
5. Finishing Touches: Finish off your creation with a sprinkle sparkle! This final touch could range anywhere from chocolate shavings, toasted coconut all the way to colorful sprinkles - YUM.

Divine Decor

Just when you thought your hot chocolate bar couldn’t get any better, the thoughts of tinsel, garland, holiday candles and linens filled your mind! Add a finishing touch to your beverage bar by adding a few pieces of holiday décor. Place some dainty holiday linens below your serving trays, and keep a holiday dish towel close by in case of spills. String tinsel or garland around the border of your tablespace to create a nostalgic feel. A few holiday candles like sugar cookies or spiced chestnuts lit in your space will add to the beautiful smelling aroma, and an item or two of Christmas tabletop décor, like a decked out gnome, will make the whole scene more merry.

By following these simple tips above, you will have your guests begging you to host more hot chocolate bar parties before the holiday season ends!