Lately, our favourite thing to do at night is go look at Christmas lights. Now that we live in a city again, it’s much easier to find rows and rows of houses all lit up within walking or driving distance. On warmer evenings, we bundle up in our cold-weather gear and head out for a brisk evening walk, trying to find the most decorated houses in the neighbourhood. It always brings me back to my childhood, especially when I see the huge, old-school multi-coloured light bulbs that my dad used to put up every year. It’s amazing how something as simple as Christmas lights can transport me back to when I was four.
On chillier nights, we jump in the car and explore other neighbourhoods we don’t normally venture to. This usually involves a couple sad-but-true experiences: 1) we eventually get lost in a maze of neighbourhood streets, and 2) Eric drives down streets we’ve been down before and acts like we’re seeing the lights for the first time. I don’t have the heart to tell him he might be senile at the ripe age of 30. It happens.
There is one thing that sucks some of the joy out of this experience though, aside from those ear-piercing modern Christmas songs that make their way onto my holiday music radio station. Our aging car takes a painfully long time to start cranking out the heat, so the first part of the drive is always bone-chilling as we sit there shivering like crazy people, wondering why we thought it was a good idea to leave our warm house. Suddenly, Sketchie’s plan to stay bundled up under his favourite blanket seems like a very good idea.
The other night, I was sick of freezing my buns off so I decided to bring along some of this creamy hot cocoa in a couple thermos mugs. It was the perfect warming drink to sip on while I squealed like a 6 year old girl at all the lights and we fought over which colour and type of lights look the best. It never gets old.
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Ultra Creamy Mocha Hot Cocoa
Yield
3 cups
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A can of light coconut milk and freshly brewed coffee/espresso transform normal hot cocoa into a creamy, decadent cup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly brewed coffee (use decaf, if preferred)*
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- dash of fine grain sea salt
Directions
- Whisk together the coffee and coconut milk in a medium-sized pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, whisking quickly to incorporate until no clumps remain. Whisk in maple syrup to taste and a dash of sea salt.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Serve immediately with vegan marshmallows and/or sugar-rimmed glasses or mugs. Store any leftovers in a glass jar in the fridge.
Tip:
This hot cocoa doesn’t have a super strong coffee flavour, so if you are looking for more coffee flavour, feel free to add more as desired. I used espresso beans and made it in my French Press just like traditional pressed coffee.
On a very, very sad note today, my thoughts and condolences go out to those lost and their families in the tragic Connecticut school shooting.
I loved reading this post! You and Eric sound like such an adorable couple…”senile at the ripe old age of 30″…sounds about the way I feel about my boyfriend sometimes! (Except he’s only 23!)
I’d love to do exactly what you guys do and whip up this delicious cocoa and go Christmas light gawking!
It’s finally approached ‘Winter’ weather here in Florida (meaning the low is 45 Fahrenheit!) so I have my excuse to binge on hot cocoa now – can’t wait to try this!
I’d be glad if there would not be winter weather here… ;) I can give you some of our snow!
That cocoa sounds a-maz-ing!!! I guess I’ll have to clean out my coffee pot now…lol.
The school shooting is soooo very sad and Connecticut is already a gun controlled state. Just goes to show that laws mean NOTHING to criminals and crazy people and that gun control is only for the law-abiding citizens.
I’m baking cookies with my best friend on Monday and I will definitely be making this cocoa. Do you think it will work with vanilla almond milk instead of coconut? Thanks!
Oh for sure..I meant to write in the recipe that you could sub almond milk nicely too. Enjoy!
Yum! This looks amazing! We haven’t gotten out to look at the Christmas lights yet, but I’ll be sure to make this for us when we do :)
Reading this post transported me to those countless Christmas Eves that my dad and I would spend driving around, admiring the lights and decorations when all of a sudden we would get the call that Santa was at the house. With me frantically bouncing around in the backseat, my dad would hurry home, only to find that, yes, we missed him again this year. (But look at what he left us?!) It is traditions like that that keep me going through the chilly holidays and it looks like your hot cocoa will be a nice addition :)
Mmm! That looks so yummy, and I can’t wait to whip some up :) You are very brave to wear that beautiful white coat with a cocoa based drink! I am a klutz, and I’m sure before I even made it to the car that I would have managed to get a spot on me.
My family and I drive around to see Christmas lights every year! Only, we are wearing flip-flops, Lol. But today we had a low of 57 today. Oh no! Get out the mittens! :P
If I want to use almond milk in place of the coconut milk, how much do I add?
I think there is 1.5 cups of coconut milk in 1 can, so I would probably add that amount and you should be fine.
Oh I enjoyed a few Christmas seasons on the beach in my swimsuit, so I can relate to the flip flops thing. I lived in FL and GA for 4 years of my childhood.
I live in Oakville as well and every Christmas Eve we make sure to stop in this one neighborhood on the way home from my parents because they go all out. They line the streets with paper lanterns and pretty much every house is done up beautifully. If you and the hubby get the urge, it’s the gigantic houses that back unto the Glen Abbey Golf Club at Upper Middle and Dorval, I think it’s Monastery Drive. Hope you make it out and enjoy!
Thanks for the tip…maybe we will come across it on one of our drives. We saw a super decorated house in Oakville somewhere (or maybe it was Burlington). I don’t recall where it was exactly but I posted a pic of it to my Instagram.
I had all the ingredients on hand, made this immediately. It is so yummy and creamy! And quick! Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
Hi Haley, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Coffee and chocolate are always a deadly delicious mix. This drink sounds amazing!
My husband and I like checking out the Christmas lights as well and we recently bumped into a really beautiful story at one of the houses here in San Diego.
A couple that has an autism child has the most amazing Christmas lights show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxTpsrDf5lI
The little boy is in love with Christmas lights since he was young, therefore, his father put this together for him. So amazing!
*autistic child
Sketchie looks so cute!
Hehe I thought my husband and I were the only dorky ones who liked to wander around checking out the Christmas lights =)
That drink sounds like a great idea actually! I don’t drink coffee so I will work on adapting it.
It is very unfortunately about what has happened in Connecticut… so very sad.
We like to drive around and look at the lights too, my kids look forward to it every year. In our town there is a HUGE display at my place of employment. We went to the lighting ceremony this year. My oldest dd video’d it on her phone, lol.
The hot cocoa would’ve been perfect that night, it was SO cold!
I have been looking for a vegan hot cocoa recipe, so I cannot wait to try this! :) Thanks!
That hot chocolate is a winner. It is nothing like a warm drink on a cold winter day, that is for sure. :)
Mmm this sounds so delicious!! Isn’t it funny how Christmas lights can be equally as interesting, no matter if you’re 3 or 30? I was just in California for work and it was so funny to see all the same Christmas decorations that we have here on houses down there… only next to palm trees!
Mmmmmm this looks delicious! I will definitely be making this ASAP! Thanks Angela!
Hey, Angela! Thanks for the recipe, I think you totally read my mind. I’ve been looking for something like this for a while. :) If we use almond milk instead, how would you suggest thickening it to be more like the coconut milk?
You might be able to add more cocoa powder or even chocolate? Cashew cream? Almond milk is fairly thick on its own so I’m sure it will still be tasty, just maybe a bit thinner.