Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

This pumpkin spice hot chocolate is perfect for the fall season. it’s great for all ages as there is no coffee in it whatsoever so no one has to feel left out when a batch is made. I prefer to drink it hot but my husband has certified it as a great drink to have cold as well. So I’ll take his word for it and share that with my readers.

 

How Pumpkin Spice hot chocolate became an idea

My sister has an Etsy shop; one item she sells is journals. She asked me if I could put together some type of pumpkin drink that did not have coffee in it to add to her journals. I of course was all for the challenge so I whipped out my pumpkin purée and other baking goods and went to work.

Let me just say, my first attempt was atrocious. And honestly, I was pretty bummed out about it. But the second time I had my husband and my other sister there for immediate feedback and things went a lot smoother. My third time was mostly a success, but that’s where I learned that blending the milk and the pumpkin is very helpful. If you don’t have the option to blend the milk and pumpkin then it would help to put the milk in at two separate times. So take note of that when you recreate this recipe. It makes a big difference.

Currently, my sister’s fall line on her shop is not quite ready just yet, but As soon as she has made it public I will update this post with the proper URL. For now, if you would like to check out her other items you can go here https://ofseasonsandcomfort.etsy.com/. if you want to add more pumpkin to go with this drink, you can try my Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies (Gluten-Free) Or if you’re having weird cravings and want to match it with the snack I had, you can make a batch of my Spicy Popcorn. I absolutely love spicy with a combo of sweet as a snack most days.  I’m not saying it’s healthy but it definitely was a much-needed comforting snack.

 

Pumpkin spice hot chocolate instructions

Making the base of the drink

Begin by pulling out the necessary items and setting up the blender. Blend one cup of the milk with the pumpkin puree for about fifteen to twenty seconds or longer if you feel that it is not smooth enough.

 

 

Pour the mixture into the pot and turn the stove burner onto low heat. On my stove, I put it to a four but that may change slightly depending on the stove and how quickly it heats up.

 

Add the chocolate so that it starts to melt slowly and then add the honey and vanilla extract. I would give it a light stir here just to help the chocolate out a bit but it’s not necessary. Add the spices as listed but make sure to do a very small pinch of the cayenne and nutmeg to start with.  This is very important as too much of either spice will change the taste drastically.  You can always add more slowly later if you want the extra kick.

 

 

Finishing up

Once the spices are added, turn the heat up to medium or just below medium heat and stir with a whisk constantly.  Make sure the chocolate is melted and mixed in. It should take about three to five minutes for everything to heat up; just make sure that it doesn’t start to boil.  As the drink is heating up, you can do a small taste test and see if anything needs to be added.  If it feels too thick still, add up to half a cup more milk.  If you still want the pumpkin flavor to be strong but not as thick, then add half a cup of milk mixed with two tbsp of pumpkin puree blended. You can also add another small pinch of cayenne, nutmeg, and salt if needed.

 

Once that is done, pour the drink into your favorite mug and add a dollop or two of whipped cream.  Sprinkle some cinnamon on top for the perfect pop of flavor and the aesthetics and enjoy!

 

Notes

• If desired, this drink works cold as well. Just add all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. I have not tried it cold with the whipped cream on top but I bet it would taste just as good.
• While it is completely fine to drink this without the whipped cream, I have found that the whipped cream gives it an extra depth that just works very well.