This post is sponsored by McCormick® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Cinnamon Hot Chocolate with Gingerbread Chocolate Bark is a fantastic holiday treat combination that is so quick and simple, yet packed with festive tastes thanks to the huge variety of McCormick® extracts, herbs and spices.
The holidays are here! Time to begin planning all those gatherings with friends, family dinners, days full of shopping for gifts and spending quality time with loved ones while creating new everlasting memories. A large part of my families holiday festivities revolve around food. Sharing a decadent dessert, carving into that perfectly cooked turkey, mixing up some cocktails, eating way too many of grandmas cookies and the yearly argument over who gets the last dinner roll on Thanksgiving are just a few ways food makes its way into my holiday season. No matter how food is involved in your own families festivities, McCormick® products are helping bring you closer to your loved ones making every meal and those little moments better.
Meijer is my go-to stop during the holiday season. You can find everything here from last minute gifts and holiday décor to a wide variety of foods including McCormick® products. From McCormick® Extracts, Herbs & Spices to Gravy products, Meijer has you covered this season! Find McCormick® products in the baking aisle.
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Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
Cinnamon Hot Chocolate is made with heavy cream, whole milk, milk chocolate chips, McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract and a pinch of McCormick® Sea Salt for a decadent warm beverage. Make this on a cold wintery day to warm up or for guests during the holidays.
PROCESS
Delicious homemade hot chocolate can be made within minutes on the stovetop! Place milk chocolate chips or chunks in a pot with whole milk and heavy cream. Then, add more flavor with McCormick® Ground Cinnamon and McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract. Sprinkle a bit of McCormick® Sea Salt in to balance out the sweetness of all the chocolate and bring the ingredients to a low simmer while whisking often to ensure the chocolate doesn’t stick to the pot and everything mixes evenly. Pour into mugs and serve with mini marshmallows, more McCormick® Ground Cinnamon and a McCormick® Cinnamon Stick. Time to enjoy the cinnamon chocolate smells pouring from the mug while sipping this comfort drink over good conversation with friends and family.
TIPS & TRICKS
Slow Cooker
Try this recipe in the slow cooker for a self serve station during holiday gatherings. Place ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for about 2 hours or until the chocolate is melted. Whisk well and then serve with toppings.
Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
- pinch McCormick® Sea Salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
Toppings
- sprinkle McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
- McCormick® Cinnamon Stick
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Place chocolate chips, heavy cream and whole milk into a pot on the stove top. Turn burner to a medium heat.
- Add McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract and a pinch of McCormick® Sea Salt. Whisk well.
- Bring hot chocolate to a low simmer whisking often.
- Serve with mini marshmallows, a sprinkle of McCormick® Ground Cinnamon and a McCormick® Cinnamon Stick.
Gingerbread Chocolate Bark
Gingerbread Chocolate Bark is made in under 10 minutes with white chocolate and gingerbread seasonings. McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Ground Ginger and McCormick® Ground Cloves come together in this chocolate dessert for the perfect gingerbread flavor to celebrate the season. Bonus that this recipe is also fantastic for little kitchen helpers to whisk the melted chocolate and to add all the fun and pizazz with sprinkles and cookies.
PROCESS
Chocolate bark is a great little treat to serve for guests! It is simple, tasty, easy to serve and there are so many possible variations. This chocolate bark variation pulls the festive flavors of gingerbread making it perfect for the holiday season. Place some melting chocolate into a glass bowl along with McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Ground Ginger and McCormick® Ground Cloves. Melt in 30 second increments whisking between each until the chocolate is completely melted and then pour it over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Add some broke up gingersnap cookies and sprinkles of choosing on top. Place in refrigerator until set up, break into pieces and serve. Dessert doesn’t get much easier than this!
TIPS & TRICKS
Chocolate
You are not stuck just using melting chocolate for this recipe. You can use any chocolate you like. Chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, chopped chocolate from a bar… whatever you please. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate can even be substituted for the white chocolate. Just make sure to melt the chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl and whisk between cooking increments until fully melted.
Gingerbread Chocolate Bark
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cloves
- 16 ounces white melting chocolate
- 10 gingersnap cookies
- festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Place chocolate into a glass bowl. Add McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Ground Ginger and McCormick® Ground Cloves.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave using 30 second increments. Whisk between each increment. This should only take a minute- minute, 30 seconds.
- Place parchment paper over a baking sheet.
- Pour the melted chocolate over parchment paper. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate into 1/4 inch thickness.
- Immediately place broken gingersnap cookies and festive sprinkles over top.
- Chill in fridge for 5 minutes. Remove from fridge and break into 12 pieces.
- Serve.
Shop your local Meijer store to grab McCormick® Extracts, Herbs, Spices, and Gravy products to make this holiday season extra tasty! Share in the comments below some your favorite holiday recipes using McCormick®.
What a wonderful post. These look like a great addition to my baked goods this Christmas!
Absolutely!
I love this! I adore hot chocolate but have never honestly thought to add cinnamon! Great idea
It adds a nice something-something!
I need to try this, it’s perfect for cosy nights in
Yes, it would.
My Husband loves Cinnamon and Chocolate! I wonder what he will think of this? I will have to make him some for Christmas.
Would be a great treat.
These look so good! I love to make snickerdoodle cookies and eggnog french toast with McCormick® extracts and spices, they add so much flavor!
That sounds delish too!