Warm yourself from the inside out with this spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate! It combines the sweet flavor of butterscotch and decadent hot chocolate with a fun boozy twist.
Creamy and indulgent, this hot cocoa is spiked with coffee liqueur and butterscotch schnapps. It's perfect for holiday parties or whenever you want a hot and delicious drink during the winter season!
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🩵 About This Recipe
You do NOT want to miss this AMAZING hot chocolate recipe! This recipe is a grown-up version of your favorite childhood winter drink.
It is chocolatey, sweet, steamy, and creamy, and it SOOOO hits the spot on a cold winter afternoon.
I plan to bring the ingredients when we go visiting over the holidays and all winter long, so I can make it for my family and friends as well - I know you'll love it too!
And if you love hot chocolate, try these Peppermint Hot Cocoa Bombs or a cute and festive Grinch Hot Cocoa Bomb!
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- milk plus half and half - for richness and creaminess!
- cocoa powder - for chocolatey goodness of course!
- sugar - to sweeten the cocoa.
- salt - just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
- vanilla - cuts and balances the bitterness of the cocoa.
- coffee liqueur and butterscotch schnapps - this is the grownup version after all!
- whipped cream and butterscotch syrup - optional but it adds sooo much!
🔪 Let's Make Butterscotch Hot Chocolate!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Mix Ingredients
Combine the milk, half and half, cocoa, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan.
Cook
Heat until steaming hot.
Add Alcohol
Remove from heat and stir in the liqueurs.
Serve
Pour the butterscotch hot chocolate into mugs and top with marshmallows, a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of butterscotch syrup, or all of the above!
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled!
- Make this for a party and keep a big batch in a slow cooker on the warm setting for a hot cocoa bar. Serve with all kinds of toppings on the side so guests can make their own drinks.
- If you're making this recipe for your kids, you can leave out the liqueurs until after you've poured their portion.
❔ FAQs
Simply with sugar and vanilla - you can substitute granulated sweetener to cut the calories if you prefer.
I'm a firm believer that there's no such thing as boring hot chocolate! So if you don't have schnapps and coffee liqueur on hand, here are a few more ingredients to mix with your beverage.
- If you love a peanut butter cup, consider adding a couple of dollops of peanut butter as you're heating the chocolate. One word... YUM!!!
- Stir your chocolate with a cinnamon stick and top with mini marshmallows - so warm and comforting!
- A pinch of chili powder and cinnamon will transform your beverage into Mexican Hot Chocolate!
If you love a Cafe Mocha, that's really just hot chocolate with a shot of espresso. Top it with whipped cream or frothy milk and it's better than a coffee shop beverage.
I have always used the phrases interchangeably, but as it turns out there really is a difference! Hot cocoa is made using cocoa powder, and hot chocolate is made using melted chocolate. So technically, this recipe is for hot cocoa. If you are curious, you can read more about the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa here!
Another great cocktail for the holidays is this rum espresso martini. It's easy to make and really delicious!
🎁 Kristin's Handpicked Gift Ideas!
Looking for the perfect gift ideas for family or friends? I've got you covered with carefully curated gift guides! From kitchen essentials to unique picks for kids or grandkids, these will help you find just the thing to make them feel special!
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Regular milk can be used instead of half and half, or you can use a non-dairy substitute for a lighter option!
- Artificial sweetener can be substituted for regular sugar.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
To keep your butterscotch hot chocolate warmer for longer, use the warm setting on your crockpot! It's much safer than leaving the stove on for long periods.
🥡 Storage and Reheating
This cocoa is best right after it's been heated up, but if you make a large batch and have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container! Plastic soup containers that you'd get from a takeout place are a good option.
Reheat in the microwave, pour back into a pot over the stove, or heat in a slow cooker.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this butterscotch hot chocolate recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This butterscotch schnapps hot chocolate is a delicious treat on its own, but if you have a real sweet tooth, you can pair your drink with some cookies! Some of my favorites around this time of year are Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies, these amazingly simple Peanut Butter Cookies, or a batch of Mint Chocolate Shortbread.
😋 More Holiday Recipes You'll Love
- Christmas Salad - Healthy and seasonal ingredients create the perfect holiday side dish.
- Refrigerator Cake - This no-bake dessert comes together in minutes.
- Coffee Shortbread Cookies - These rich and energetic cookies are perfect for cookie swaps and holiday gifts!
- Christmas Mimosas - Make these fun and refreshing drinks from Cocktails and Appetizers for your holiday brunch.
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Butterscotch Schnapps Hot Chocolate
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
📋 Recipe Card
Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup fat free half and half
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons coffee liqueur
- 3 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps
- Whipped cream or mini marshmallows (optional)
- Butterscotch syrup (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, half and half, cocoa, sugar, and salt.1 cup milk, 1 cup fat free half and half, 4 tablespoons cocoa, 3 tablespoons sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Heat over medium heat until steaming hot.
- Remove from heat, stir in the coffee liqueur and butterscotch schnapps.3 tablespoons coffee liqueur, 3 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps
- Pour the hot chocolate into 2 heat safe mugs. Top with whipped cream or mini marshmallows, and drizzle with butterscotch syrup, if desired.Whipped cream or mini marshmallows, Butterscotch syrup
Notes
- No half and half? Just use all milk, it will still be delicious!
- Substitute granulated artificial sweetener instead of sugar if you prefer.
- Double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe to serve a crowd.
- Need to keep the hot chocolate heated to serve over time? Pour it in a crock pot and keep it on low.
- Have kids around? Serve their hot chocolate and then add the alcoholic ingredients afterwards. (Just be careful to keep track of the cups so that a child doesn't accidentally pick up one of the spiked ones!)
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December 2013, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in November 2024.
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Happy cooking!
Kerryanne says
I'm about ready for this special kind of hot chocolate!!
Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring your hot chocolate at tonight's party and pinning too.
Merry Christmas,
Kerryanne
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I'm so far behind, but I wanted to make sure I stopped by and thanked you for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. Hope to see you again this week!
Krystal Sadler says
Yum! This would be a great treat even for New Years! Thanks for linking up with us at Share the Wealth Sunday!
Miz Helen says
What a great Mug of Hot Chocolate, I love the Mug as well! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with us at Full Plate Thursday! Hope you are having a wonderful week and hope to see you soon!
Miz Helen
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up!
Angie ~ ambient wares says
You had me at butterscotch 😉 Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday!
Rhonda says
This looks delicious. I had to stop by and find out what you spiked it with. Thanks for sharing on Sunday's Best.