Amaretto Hot Chocolate {The perfect Boozy Hot Chocolate recipe!} (2024)

FAQs

What is the alcohol in amaretto? ›

It generally contains 21 to 28 percent alcohol by volume.

This amaretto hot chocolate is a delicious twist on classic hot cocoa with a sweet almond-flavored shot of amaretto. Enjoy this easy and decadent hot chocolate on a cold night! I'm a big fan of amaretto, an almond-flavored liqueur, so I developed this sweet, nutty, boozy drink recipe.

Place dark chocolate and 2 ounces of vodka into small heatproof bowl (glass bowls work best), stir until chocolate is evenly coated and set aside. Fill a small pot ¼ full with water and heat on medium. Once water starts to steam, place bowl of chocolate and vodka on top and allow chocolate to melt.

It is hard to believe but, once cooked, about 70-75% of its alcohol content remains on the plate. It is a different matter when alcohol is mixed with an ingredient and then heated to boiling point. After 15 minutes, 40% of the alcohol remains, after 30 minutes 35%, and only after two and a half hours 5%.

The bittersweet almond and vanilla flavour of amaretto mixes brilliantly with dark spirits – particularly whiskey but this versatile liqueur also mixes well with a wide range of white spirits – vodka obviously but also the likes of tequila and gin, the Marsala Martini being a brilliant example.

You can drink amaretto straight by itself, or mix it with scotch, bourbon, rum, and other alcoholic drinks. Amaretto also mixes well with non-alcoholic drinks, like coffee, hot chocolate, and ginger beer. To drink amaretto straight, pour it over ice. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime for extra flavor.

Amaretto is typically served as a dessert drink. It can be enjoyed as a cordial over ice, or mixed with carbonated drinks for a longer beverage. The almond liqueur pairs well with coffee and is often used in creamy co*cktails or as a way to sweeten up a martini.

It is made primarily using dark chocolate but also has some milk chocolate mixed in. Belgian hot chocolate has a super smooth and creamy texture with a rich chocolate flavor, making it one of the best hot chocolates out there.

*Choose the best quality chocolate you can, as the flavor really carries the drink. I love Guittard for a splurge, Ghirardelli, or Godiva, but the Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% bar is quite good too. I do not recommend chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers and do not melt as well.

Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

How to doctor up hot chocolate mix? ›

Marshmallows: The Unsung Hero

Believe it or not, the secret ingredient in gourmet hot chocolate is none other than marshmallows. These fluffy, sweet confections are the unsung heroes of the hot chocolate world, adding a delightful creaminess and hint of sweetness that takes the drink to a whole new level.

Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.

Pairing Chocolate with Liquor

Though a few spirits fall out of these categories, it's generally accepted that the six types of distilled spirits are: brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. Each pairs particularly well with chocolate, but the pairings depend on the blend in question.

For gin and tonics, punches, and most anything else

Second perhaps only to white rum, gin is the most quintessential warm weather spirit out there.

Chocolate liqueur: Beverage made from a base liquor like whiskey or vodka (containing alcohol) to which chocolate is added. Contains alcohol. Liquor: Distilled alcoholic drink, made with grains, fruits, or vegetables.

Flavorful add-ins can transform simple hot cocoa into something special. Sweet add-ins include marshmallows, whipped cream, caramel, flavored spreads, and maple syrup. To transform cocoa into a co*cktail, add flavored liqueurs or traditional spirits.