HOW TO SET UP A HOT CHOCOLATE BAR

What is better than a cup of hot cocoa during the fall and winter months? These months are the best time to set up a hot chocolate bar!

Whether you set one up for Christmas, New Year’s or keep it up daily just for the family, here are a few tips to make it a delicious, cozy, and welcoming part of your home.

HOW TO SET UP A HOT CHOCOLATE BAR

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LOCATION

Decide where to put your chocolate bar. If you’re planning it for an event, you might want it in the serving area or dining room.

Perhaps use the buffet, hutch, or even a bar cart.

If it’s a family chocolate bar for the holiday season, maybe a corner in the kitchen is the best place for it.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Here’s where it can get fun.

There are so many yummy ingredients that you can offer when it comes to creating a hot chocolate bar that it’s easy to go all out and have a range of options.

If you’re setting up a hot chocolate bar for a party, you might want to have several batches of hot chocolate already made and staying warm in a crockpot.

Here’s a great slow cooker hot chocolate recipe.

You might just want to go the route of providing individual packets of hot chocolate mix, especially if it’s a bar that will stay up semi-permanently.

Make sure that you have a carafe of hot water available at all times or an electric kettle that’s always full of water so that it’s quick and easy to prepare.

Festive cups and mugs are essential, obviously. You can find disposable paper holiday cups or adorable Santa and friends mugs online.
Make sure you have festive napkins and stirrers, too.

TOPPINGS

Now that the basics for a cup of hot chocolate have been taken care of, you’ll want to provide a range of delicious toppings.

Use pretty bowls or mason jars to hold the toppings.

Make sure to provide a spoon for each topping so that your friends and family can easily scoop out what they want.

Here are some awesome topping ideas:
• marshmallows
• dark chocolate chips
• white chocolate chips
• butterscotch chips
• toffee bits
• cinnamon sticks
• crushed gingerbread cookies
• crushed graham crackers
• crushed peppermints
• candied ginger
• candy canes
• hot chocolate stir sticks
• whipped cream
• chocolate syrup
• caramel sauce
• shaker of ground cinnamon
• festive sprinkles

SET UP AND DECORATIONS

Choose how to display your hot chocolate bar.

You can use layers of trays or tiered serving stands to hold all the toppings or just spread it out on your surface if it’s large enough.

Maybe add some twinkle lights for a little bling. Tuck in some ornaments here and there. Weave a garland through the setup. Have fun with it and add some cute signage to help make it festive.

You might want to add cute labels to all the toppings, too.

No matter how you set up your hot chocolate bar, the minute people see it, this will be the most popular place in the house. It’s hard to resist a steaming cup of cocoa and with the range of irresistible toppings you provide, this hot chocolate bar is sure to be a holiday crowd-pleaser!

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