Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate
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There’s nothing better than a cozy mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. With flavors of butterscotch and vanilla, this spiked butterscotch hot chocolate recipe is the perfect adult hot beverage to enjoy while watching your favorite holiday movies!
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Here’s everything you need to make this Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate recipe. If you’re looking for recommendations for ingredients or kitchen equipment, check out the Recipe Resources section at the bottom of this page.
- Small saucepan for heating the milk
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Heatproof mug
Ingredients
Gather these ingredients to make this decadent homemade hot chocolate:
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Sugar
- Flaky sea salt
- Vanilla extract
- Butterscotch schnapps
- Whipped cream (optional)
How to Make a Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate
It only takes a little extra effort to make your own homemade hot chocolate, but it’s totally worth it. The end result is a rich and decadent treat that far exceeds the usual hot cocoa mixes.
Start by heating the milk and cream in a small saucepan until it’s hot but not boiling. You can also microwave the milk and cream in a microwave-safe Pyrex liquid measuring cup until it’s hot.
Add the unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and chocolate chips to your favorite mug. Then carefully add the hot milk and cream mixture, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the chocolate chips melt.
Next, add the butterscotch schnapps and vanilla extract. I like to use Watkins baking vanilla, since it has a wonderful vanilla flavor. Stir with a spoon, and top with whipped cream if you’d like!
Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate Recipe Variations
If you’d like to make a non-alcoholic version, you can leave out the butterscotch schnapps and use a little butterscotch syrup instead.
For extra butterscotch flavor, swap out the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips.
If you’d like to make a non-dairy version, you can use oat milk or your favorite plant-based milk instead of the whole milk and cream in this recipe. For the richest texture, try using full fat oat milk.
Spiked Butterscotch Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbs heavy cream
- 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbs sugar
- 1 pinch of flaky sea salt
- 1 tbs semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 oz butterscotch schnapps
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Heat milk and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until hot, but not boiling. Alternatively, you can microwave the milk and cream in a microwave safe container about 60-90 seconds.
- Meanwhile, measure the cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and chocolate chips into your favorite mug. Stir with a spoon to combine.
- Once the milk is hot, carefully pour into the mug. Stir with a spoon until the cocoa powder is dissolved and the chocolate chips are melted.
- Add the vanilla extract, then add the butterscotch schnapps. Stir.
- Top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Recipe Resources
- Flaky sea salt: Maldon sea salt flakes
- Vanilla extract: Watkins Baking Vanilla
- Chocolate chips: Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Cocoa powder: Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder
- Butterscotch schnapps: Dekuyper Buttershots
- Mug: Insulated snowflake mug
- Saucepan: Cuisinart 1 quart saucepan
- Measuring cups: KitchenAid measuring cups set of 4
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