Hot chocolate is a delicious and comforting drink that many people enjoy, especially during the colder winter months. But hot chocolate can be made even better when paired with the right foods that complement and enhance the chocolatey flavor. In this article, we’ll explore what foods go particularly well with hot chocolate and why.
Sweets
Some of the best pairings for hot chocolate are other sweet foods and desserts. The rich chocolate taste of hot cocoa can stand up to other robust flavors and provide balance. Here are some of the top sweet foods to enjoy with hot chocolate:
- Marshmallows – Marshmallows are a classic hot chocolate topping. Their fluffy vanilla sweetness contrasts nicely with the cocoa.
- Whipped cream – Adding a dollop of airy whipped cream can lighten a rich hot chocolate. Whipped cream often comes flavored with vanilla, complementing chocolate’s taste.
- Cookies – Cookies like chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or peanut butter make excellent hot chocolate dunkers. They can also be crumbled on top for texture.
- Chocolate or vanilla cake/cupcakes – The chocolate-on-chocolate combination of cake and hot cocoa is hard to beat. Vanilla cake also pairs well to balance the chocolate.
- Brownies – Fudgy, chocolatey brownies hold up well when dipped into a mug of hot chocolate.
- Churros – Straight from Spain, cinnamon-sugar coated churros are perfect for dipping into thick hot chocolate.
- Funnel cake – This crispy fried dough topped with powdered sugar adds a nice crunch and sweetness.
- S’mores – For an interactive treat, serve little s’mores kits with graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate for dipping into the hot chocolate.
All of these sweet treats complement and enrich hot chocolate’s natural flavor. The interplay of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar create a delightful tasting experience.
Savory Foods
While sweets may seem like the obvious choice, savory foods can also pair well with hot chocolate. The drink’s richness can offset saltiness and other flavors. Here are some savory accompaniments for hot chocolate:
- Chips – Potato chips, tortilla chips, or pita chips offer salty crunch and starchy carbs to balance the chocolate.
- Popcorn – Popcorn delivers a nice lighter, crispy texture to contrast the thick hot chocolate.
- Nuts – Nuts like almonds, pecans, and walnuts give protein and healthy fats to make the cocoa more of a snack.
- Pretzels – Salty, chewy pretzels are made for dipping into mugs of hot cocoa.
- Trail mix – Trail mixes with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate create tasty flavor and texture combinations with hot chocolate.
- Graham crackers – These mildly sweet crackers gain even more flavor when dunked into hot chocolate.
- Peanut butter – Spreading creamy peanut butter on crackers and dipping them into hot cocoa is delicious.
- Popped sorghum – The light crispness of popped sorghum contrasts the silkiness of hot chocolate.
While unexpected, these savory foods actually make great sense with hot chocolate. The drink is rich and filling enough to feel like a mini-meal, so pairing it with snacks works well.
Fruits
Fruit may not seem an obvious match for cocoa at first, but certain fruits complement chocolate quite well. Their sweetness levels out the chocolate’s bitterness, while providing refreshing contrast. Fruits to consider with hot chocolate include:
- Bananas – Sliced bananas can be dipped into hot chocolate like fondue. Banana’s starchiness balances cocoa’s richness.
- Strawberries – Juicy, sweet strawberries are fantastic dipped right into a mug of hot chocolate.
- Orange slices – Citrusy orange segments cut through hot chocolate’s decadence.
- Pineapple – Warm pineapple chunks partner surprisingly well with thick hot chocolate.
- Cherries – The sweet-tart pop of cherries adds brightness to hot cocoa.
- Mango – Exotic mango cubes lend tropical flair and flavor to a chocolatey drink.
- Dried fruit – Dried apricots, cranberries, mango, pineapple, etc. offer chewy texture and concentrated sweetness.
- Apples – Sliced apples paired with hot chocolate make for a healthier, satisfying snack.
The fruit helps freshen up hot chocolate with acidity and juiciness to balance the thick, rich drink. It adds vitamins and natural sweetness as well.
Breads
Bread may not seem like an obvious pairing for hot chocolate at first. But starchy, bready items can complement cocoa’s richness surprisingly well. Some breads to enjoy with hot chocolate include:
- Croissants – Flaky, buttery croissants are perfect for tearing off pieces to dunk in hot chocolate.
- Dinner rolls – Warm, soft yeast rolls are ideal vehicles for soaking up every last drop of hot cocoa.
- Cinnamon rolls – The interplay of cinnamon and chocolate is hard to resist with ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls.
- Banana bread – Loaded with sweet banana flavor, this quick bread begs to be dipped into piping hot chocolate.
- Pound cake – The dense, rich crumb of pound cake stands up well to a chocolatey bath.
- Brioche – With its golden, eggy, buttery crumb, slices of brioche beautifully soak up hot cocoa.
- Scones – Craggy, tender scones make an excellent foundations for puddles of thick hot chocolate.
- Biscotti – Twice-baked to be extra crunchy, biscotti are built for dunking into relaxed, languid sips of hot cocoa.
The starch and bulk of the bread helps fill you up along with the hot chocolate. And the textures contrast nicely, from the crumbs of cakes to the chew of rolls. The options are diverse, but all make winning combinations.
Unexpected Savory Pairings
Moving beyond classic sweets and snacks, hot chocolate can pair well with some surprising savory dishes too. The bitter darkness of cocoa balances and enriches umami and salty flavors. Some unexpectedly delicious pairings include:
- French fries – The potato and chocolate combination is unexpectedly addictive. Sweet cocoa complements salty, crispy fries.
- Bacon – Smoky, salty bacon seriously levels up a mug of chocolatey goodness.
- Soft pretzels with cheese – Cheese’s creaminess works with cocoa, especially when dipped with pretzels.
- Nachos – Drizzle hot chocolate over cheesy nachos for sweet and spicy bliss.
- Potato skins – Top loaded potato skins with hot chocolate for a tasty flavor fusion.
- Chicken wings – Cool down fiery wings by dipping them into soothing melted chocolate.
- Quesadillas – Brush a quesadilla with hot cocoa for an unexpectedly delicious snack.
- Loaded tater tots – Smother tater tots with hot chocolate sauce, bacon, and cheese to make poutine’s cousin.
At first glance, these combinations may seem too out-there to work. But don’t knock them ’til you’ve tried them! The mingling of sweet and savory can be surprisingly delightful.
Drink Pairings
Beyond food, hot chocolate can be taken up a notch with the right drink pairings too. Certain beverages complement and intensify the flavor of cocoa. Creative drink pairings to try include:
- Coffee – A mocha blends the bitterness of coffee with the sweetness of chocolate.
- Espresso – A shot of espresso added to hot chocolate packs a powerful caffeine-chocolate punch.
- Chai tea – Chai’s aromatics and spices beautifully flavor cocoa.
- Peppermint tea – The cooling mintiness offsets the cocoa’s richness.
- Spiced rum – Add a splash of rum to cocoa for a cozy hot toddy-style drink.
- Cream liqueur – Irish cream or peppermint schnapps enhance hot chocolate with extra sweetness.
- Orange juice – Citrusy OJ brightens up rich chocolate flavors.
- Coconut milk – Coconut milk adds luxurious creaminess and a tropical vibe to hot cocoa.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and add new flavors to hot chocolate with inventive drink pairings. The possibilities are nearly endless!
Conclusion
Hot chocolate is so much more than just a sweet, comforting drink – it’s an experience with limitless pairing potential. While marshmallows and whipped cream may be hot cocoa’s classic accompaniments, there’s a whole world of flavors that can enhance the chocolatey goodness. Savory chips and nachos, juicy fruit slices, earthy mochas, and even unexpected combinations like fries and wings all work wonderfully. Hot chocolate is incredibly versatile, so don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with your own delicious food and drink pairings.
| Food/Drink Type | Specific Pairings |
|---|---|
| Sweets | Marshmallows, whipped cream, cookies, cakes/cupcakes, brownies, churros, funnel cake, s’mores |
| Savory foods | Chips, popcorn, nuts, pretzels, trail mix, graham crackers, peanut butter, popped sorghum |
| Fruits | Bananas, strawberries, orange slices, pineapple, cherries, mango, dried fruits, apples |
| Breads | Croissants, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, pound cake, brioche, scones, biscotti |
| Unexpected savory pairings | French fries, bacon, soft pretzels with cheese, nachos, potato skins, chicken wings, quesadillas, loaded tater tots |
| Drink pairings | Coffee/espresso, chai tea, peppermint tea, spiced rum, cream liqueur, orange juice, coconut milk |
Key Takeaways
- Classic sweets like marshmallows, cookies and brownies pair wonderfully with hot chocolate.
- Savory foods like popcorn, pretzels and nuts make surprisingly delicious partners for rich hot cocoa.
- Fruits lend refreshing acidity and sweetness to balance hot chocolate’s heaviness.
- Breads and pastries like croissants soak up hot chocolate beautifully.
- Adventurous flavor combinations like fries and nachos with hot chocolate are shockingly good.
- Drinks like coffee, tea and rum add new dimensions to hot chocolate.
With so many options, there are endless ways to take your hot chocolate experience to the next level. So grab a mug, fire up the stove or instant cocoa, and start experimenting with fun new food and drink pairings!