This orange hot chocolate recipe is easy to make – you’ll be sipping flavorful, rich, creamy hot chocolate in less than 15 minutes.
Why you’ll love this orange hot chocolate
- Indulgent Treat: January – it doesn’t have to be all about salads. There is nothing better, NOTHING better than warming up with some hot chocolate after being out in the snow. Hot chocolate is a perfect beverage following snowman building and snow angel making.
- Fun to Share: I have a small mug, a little bigger than an espresso mug, that my daughter drinks cocoa out of. It’s such a special treat and she just glows and smiles ear-to-ear when she gets to enjoy a cup of cocoa with her mom and dad.
- Quality Ingredients: We’re not talking about a packet of powder that you open up and mix with water here. Oh no no. This is the good stuff. Creamy milk, slowly warmed and then poured over high-quality dark chocolate. If you’re going to treat yourself to hot cocoa, make it worth it.
- Unique: This particular hot chocolate is made extra special thanks to a few strips of orange peel. The orange and chocolate combination works so well together. The orange brightens things up just enough to prevent this beverage from feeling too rich.
Make it your own
I add a bit of powdered sugar to my cocoa. Depending on the type of chocolate you use and how sweet you like your cocoa, you may be able to omit the sugar … or you might want to increase it a touch. You can always add more but you can’t remove it, so start with a small amount and work your way up from there according to your tastes.
More Warm Drinks
Looking for more creamy drinks to keep you warm all winter long? Try:
- Easy hot chocolate (with lactose-free ideas)
- Ginger spiced hot chocolate
- Hot white Russian recipe
- Pop Rocks Hot Cocoa Bombs — if you’ve heard all the buzz, you’ll want to try these hot cocoa bombs!
Recipe
Orange Hot Chocolate
Orange hot chocolate gives everyone's favorite comforting beverage a gourmet upgrade! It’s just as rich, creamy, and indulgent as the traditional version, with a citrusy twist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 strips orange peel (see note 1)
- 1 ounce dark chocolate (see note 2)
- optional toppings: whipped cream, shaved chocolate, orange zest
Instructions
- Combine milk, sugar, orange peel in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, until the milk is steaming but not boiling, between 170 to 180°F.
- While the milk is heating, break the chocolate into small pieces. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and remove the orange peel. Gradually whisk in the chocolate pieces until the chocolate is melted. Pour into a heat-proof mug and serve immediately topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and orange zest, if desired.
Notes
- Orange peel: Use a vegetable peeler to carefully remove the orange peel, trying to get as little of the white pith as possible. The strips should be about 1 inch wide and 2 ½ inches long. The orange flavor is quite subtle with 2 strips; if you prefer more orange flavor, increase the amount to 3 strips, or even more.
- Chocolate: We like to use 72% Ghiradelli chocolate bars. Two squares equals about 1 ounce. If you enjoy sweeter hot chocolate, use 60% chocolate bars (1 ounce or 2 squares).
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 349kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 99mg, Potassium: 573mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 415IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 324mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
This sounds fabulous, Rachel! I love the combo of chocolate and orange. Can’t wait to try it!
I love the bit of citrus with the warm, chocolaty goodness!
Yum, what a fan twist on hot chocolate :)
Sounds & looks perfect! I have some remaining oranges in the backyard – need to whip this up!
This is gorgeous! That fresh orange zest is such a great touch!