No holiday brunch is complete without a festive hot cocoa board! Set out your favorite hot chocolate, then load up your board with all the fixings, from marshmallows to candy canes and Christmas sprinkles. So fun!

Hot cocoa charcuterie board with lots of toppings.

There’s no shortage of brunches and breakfasts during the holiday season, and that’s the perfect opportunity to break out some of our amazing… (imagine an Oprah voice here, and maybe some jazz hands) brunch board and bar recipes!

As you might have guessed from the Oprah voice and jazz hands, we get pretty excited about our Christmas brunch board, Bloody Mary bar on a board, and mimosa bar & brunch board, and this hot chocolate bar is totally worth getting excited about too. Think of it as a hot chocolate charcuterie board, with everything you and your guests need for a perfect warm mug of hot cocoa.

About this hot cocoa board

The beauty of this hot cocoa board is that while it’s the type of thing to elicit oohs and ahhs from your guests, it’s super easy to put together. In fact, it’s really just a matter of assembly—take your time to arrange everything just so and you can’t go wrong.

Not sure how to make just so happen? Relax! We have all the tips you need to make your hot cocoa board perfect. Just keep reading!

Hot cocoa in a mug surrounded by treats.

What you need

  • For the hot chocolate – Our very best hot chocolate mix (the best because it’s homemade!) or your favorite store-bought hot chocolate
  • For the toppings and dippers – Mini marshmallows, regular marshmallows, Oreo cookies, salted pretzels, chocolate pretzels, mini chocolate chip cookies, chocolate wafers, assorted wrapped chocolates, candy canes, Christmas sprinkles. For something fun, try marshmallow snowmen!
Close up of items on the board.

How to make it

Arrange the ingredients on a board or platter. Start with the largest items, then fill in with smaller ones.

Tip: The main thing to remember when creating a charcuterie board is to add plenty of variety for visual appeal. Look for items of different textures and color and place them in groups on the board. Leave as little empty space as possible—you want a look of abundance here!

Hot cocoa charcuterie board being assembled.

Make the hot chocolate. You can either ladle it into individual mugs if everyone will be enjoying their hot chocolate at the same time, or serve it from an insulated carafe or slow cooker and set out mugs so guests can help themselves and the hot chocolate will stay warm.

Hot cocoa toppings.

FAQs

Is hot chocolate made with milk or water?

For rich, creamy chocolate milk, there’s just no comparison—milk is best. And whole milk is far better than skim. If you’re using a plant-based milk, choose an option that’s thick and creamy like oat or cashew.

How do you keep a large amount of hot chocolate warm?

If you don’t have a thermal coffee pot or insulated carafe, your slow cooker is your best bet. Make the hot chocolate, then pour it into your slow cooker and leave it on the warm (or “keep warm”) setting. Make sure you set out a ladle for serving!

How to make this hot cocoa board your own

Here are even more topping ideas and some fun ways to switch things up with your hot cocoa board!

Make Ahead Ideas

You can assemble your board and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it like that for up to a day before the cookies and wafers will start going stale.

More brunch board and bar recipes

Hot chocolate board with many toppings.

Get the Recipe: Hot Cocoa Charcuterie Board

No holiday brunch is complete without a festive hot cocoa board! Set out your favorite hot chocolate, then load up your board with all the fixings, from marshmallows to candy canes and Christmas sprinkles.
5 from 1 rating

Ingredients

  • Instant hot chocolate (or homemade)
  • 1 bag mini marshmallows
  • 1 bag regular marshmallows
  • 1/2 pack Oreo cookies
  • 1/2 bag salted pretzels
  • 1/2 bag chocolate pretzels
  • 1 pack mini chocolate chip cookies
  • 1 pack chocolate wafers
  • assorted wrapped chocolates
  • 8 candy canes
  • 2 tablespoons Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

  • Arrange the ingredients in groups on a board or platter, starting with the largest items and filling in with smaller ones.
  • Make the hot chocolate. If you need to keep it warm for a longer period of time, consider an insulated carafe or a slow cooker with a ladle.
  • Make sure to provide plenty of large mugs and welcome people to help themselves to toppings from the charcuterie board.

Notes

  • Nutrition information is a very rough estimate. It will vary greatly based on what brands are used, what items are used, and how much is used for each cup of cocoa.
  • The main thing when creating a charcuterie board is to have plenty of variety. Look for items of different textures and color and place them in groups on the board. That way there will be something for everyone!
  • The list of ingredients is just a starting point to give you some ideas of what to include. You can include anything that can go into a hot chocolate.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 737kcal, Carbohydrates: 134g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 518mg, Potassium: 221mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 81g, Vitamin A: 4IU, Vitamin C: 0.003mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 5mg