Amaretto Hot Chocolate
Amaretto hot chocolate is perfect for sipping all winter long! Rich, creamy hot chocolate is spiked with Amaretto and topped with whipped cream, sliced almonds, and chocolate shavings!
This spiked hot chocolate with amaretto is a chocolate lover’s dream. It is smooth, rich, and decadent. The hot chocolate itself makes a great base for adding all kinds of different flavors, but we highly recommend amaretto. However, it is a customizable drink that can be made non-alcoholic for your kids to enjoy also!
Make enough to serve a crowd during the holidays, or just enough to warm you and your loved one up on a cold night. This festive drink will bring smiles to faces and soon become an adults-only favorite. It is just that delicious.
Go on, give it a shot!
About this Amaretto hot chocolate
Skip the store-bought mix this time around, because making homemade hot chocolate from scratch is super simple and tastes so much better. It also uses only a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably already have!
Grown-up hot chocolate is a perfect addition to the festive holiday season (you might also like this spiked hot chocolate), as a way to celebrate and add a little extra shimmer to your shine. Don’t forget to top your cocoa with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings!
What is Amaretto?
The word amaretto in Italian means “a little bitter” which feels a bit ironic because amaretto liqueur is quite sweet. It was traditionally derived from bitter almonds, but it is now often made from peach or apricot stones (pits). There is a flavor component that they all have in common which results in that familiar almond flavor.
What you need
- Whole Milk – Whole milk creates a rich and creamy base. It is fine to use other types of milk, but the end result won’t be as creamy. You can even use oat milk, like in our oat milk hot chocolate.
- Powdered Sugar – We chose powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar) because it dissolves nicely, creating a smooth finish.
- Bittersweet Chocolate – Melted bittersweet chocolate is what makes this a rich cup of hot chocolate, not hot cocoa. Ghirardelli baking chocolate bars work really well for this recipe, but ¼ cup of chocolate chips can also be used.
- Amaretto Liqueur – You should be able to find amaretto liqueur in most liquor shops. It has a lovely almond aroma and flavor.
- Whipped Cream – Use store-bought or make easy homemade whipped cream as a topping.
- Garnish – We recommend making this visually appealing (and even more delicious) but adding sliced almonds and chocolate shavings. Or, have some fun with these marshmallow snowmen – not just for kids!
How to make this recipe
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and powdered sugar just until the edges begin to bubble.
Remove from heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until fully melted; set aside.
Pour amaretto into two small mugs (1 ounce to each mug). This hot chocolate is very rich, so having it in a smaller amount can be easier to drink. However, if you’d prefer, you can absolutely make one larger drink.
Add the hot chocolate to the mugs.
Top with lots of whipped cream!
Garnish with sliced almonds and chocolate shavings if desired.
How to make this boozy hot chocolate your own
- Make it mint: Use mint flavored liqueur instead of amaretto for a mint hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle candy cane bits for a decorative drink! You might also like our peppermint hot chocolate. Pair with candy cane pancakes, of course!
- Different shots: Play around with the type of liqueur you use. Try rum, vodka, baileys, Kahlua, or whiskey!
- Garnishes: Add mini marshmallows and drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce.
- Make it stronger: Increase the amount of amaretto to 1½ ounces per mug.
- Semi-sweet chocolate can also be used, but you may find tha milk chocolate is too sweet with the Amaretto.
- Half & half can be used in place of milk for an even creamier and richer cocktail.
Make Ahead Ideas
To save time on the day of, you could make the hot chocolate up to 3 days ahead of time, keep it in the fridge and warm it up just before serving it with the added amaretto.
More hot chocolate recipes
- White Hot Chocolate
- Matcha Hot Chocolate
- Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
- Mexican Mocha
Get the Recipe: Amaretto Hot Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 ounces Amaretto liqueur
- Optional toppings: whipped cream, sliced almonds, chocolate shavings
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and powdered sugar just until the edges begin to bubble.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate until fully melted; set aside.
- Pour 1 ounce of Amaretto into two small mugs.
- Add the hot chocolate to the mugs and top with whipped cream.
- Garnish with sliced almonds and chocolate shavings if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition information does not include whipped cream or any toppings.
- This hot chocolate is very rich, so I find that serving it in small mugs/servings is more enjoyable, however, you can make 1 larger drink with this recipe if you choose.
- Amaretto can be increased to 1½ ounces per mug for a stronger drink.
- Semi-sweet chocolate can also be used, but we don’t recommend milk chocolate as it is too sweet with the Amaretto.
- Half & half can be used in place of milk for an even creamier and richer cocktail.
- We like to use Ghirardelli baking chocolate bars for this recipe, but ¼ cup of chocolate chips can also be used.