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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot cocoa spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice – everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

We’re in the throes of holiday season, and that means consuming all things gingerbread for the next few weeks – and enjoying every spicy, sweet second of it! Ginger snaps and molasses cookies are some of my all time favorite cookies. The melding of rich molasses with the flavorful spices of gingerbread is just too good. For this Gingerbread Hot Cocoa, we’re simply adding gingerbread spices to my best rich hot cocoa recipe. You won’t find any molasses in this recipe as I like to keep things as simple as possible for a quick cup of cocoa – and adding more than one ground spice is as much complication as this recipe needs! I promise you won’t miss the molasses!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s thick, creamy, and heavy on the cocoa
  • The gingerbread spices make it extra cozy
  • You can add as much or as little spice and sweetener as you’d like
  • Any milk will work for this recipe

What You’ll Need

  • Plant-based milk (or regular milk) adds a creamy texture to this hot cocoa. You don’t want to skimp by using water – milk really is the best for rich hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder brings all the chocolate flavor. I like a regular (natural) cocoa powder for this recipe, but you can also use a Dutched cocoa powder for an even richer chocolate flavor.
  • Agave syrup is sweeter than cane sugar (and better for you by having a lower GI!) and easy to whisk into the milk and cocoa. If you don’t have agave on hand, feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener OR regular cane sugar (just be sure the sugar dissolves completely before enjoying your cocoa).
  • Ground ginger brings the ginger to gingerbread! You won’t want to leave this out.
  • Ground cinnamon also adds to the classic gingerbread flavor.
  • Ground nutmeg is one of my favorite spices to bake with. It adds a lovely flavor and goes right along with the other gingerbread spices.
  • Ground allspice adds that oomph and extra spiciness. I like to add just a tiny pinch for one cup of cocoa. You can replace the allspice with ground cloves or a little more ground nutmeg, or leave it out altogether for a more subdued flavor.
Yield: 1 Serving

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice - everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plant-based milk (or regular milk)
  • 2 Tbsp natural (regular) cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp agave syrup (or other liquid sweetener to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground allspice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the milk, cocoa powder, agave, and spices.
  3. Whisk continually until all ingredients are combined, scraping the cocoa from the sides and bottom of the pan as needed.
  4. Whisk for a couple of minutes or until hot cocoa reaches the desired temperature.
  5. Carefully pour into your favorite mug and top with marshmallows, whipped cream, and/or a gingerbread cookie!
© Rachael
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

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Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

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These Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes are tender, fluffy, and EASY to bake. Topped with a simple chocolate buttercream, these cupcakes taste just like the ones we all know and love – without the eggs and dairy!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Classic chocolate cupcakes made without eggs, milk, or butter? Yes, please! These sweet cakes taste just like “the real deal”. They are fluffy, tender, and moist. And, of course, they’re topped with a classic American buttercream. Sweet and delicious. 

So what sets these cupcakes apart from other vegan cake? They’re made with standard pantry staples that you most likely have on hand already. Plant-based butter and milk are used in place of dairy. And sparkling water is used in place of eggs – a neat trick I recently learned from The Kitchn. Because this recipe uses sparkling water instead of other egg replacers (like flaxseed or chia) the cake texture is just like that of a regular, egg & dairy filled cake! You’ll add a little corn starch to the dry ingredients to help bind the cake together (that’s typically an egg’s job) and keep it from being too crumbly. And I have no doubt that you will love the tender cake!

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the cupcake’s dry ingredients. You can use a bleached or unbleached variety. I haven’t tested this recipe with other flours.
  • Corn starch acts as a binder to hold the ingredients together since there are no eggs in this recipe. Arrowroot starch will work as well (you’ll use the same amount).
  • Baking powder and baking soda work together to  help the cupcakes rise
  • Salt enhances flavor.
  • Plant-based butter brings moisture and flavor to the cupcakes and makes up the buttercream frosting.
  • Granulated sugar sweetens the cupcakes. You can use your favorite sugar – white sugar, coconut sugar, raw cane sugar, or unrefined cane sugar. Just note that the gram measurements will vary based on the sugar you use.
  • Vanilla extract adds flavor to both the cupcakes and frosting.
  • Sparkling water replaces eggs in this recipe. Feel feee to use whatever bubbly, carbonated water you like (flavored or unflavored).
  • Almond milk adds moisture to the cake and frosting. You can use a sweetened, unsweetened, or vanilla almond milk. Other plant-based milks should work as well.
  • Powdered sugar makes up the bulk of the frosting. I don’t recommend any substitutes.

More Vegan Recipes

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Banana Cake Donuts

Blondies with Salted Caramel

Classic Brownies

Yield: ~14 Cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Fluffy, tender chocolate cupcakes without eggs or dairy. Topped with a classic chocolate buttercream, these cupcakes will melt in your mouth!

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (114g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp (16g) corn starch
  • 3/4 cup (60g) natural (regular) cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup (150g) white granulated sugar (see Note 1)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sparkling water (see Note 2)
  • 3/4 cup (165g) almond milk, warm or room temp

Frosting

  • 3/4 cup (170g) plant-based butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (40g) natural cocoa powder
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your cupcake pan(s) with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, add the flour and corn starch. Sift in the cocoa powder. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the plant-based butter and sugar until fluffy (for around 30 seconds). Beat in the vanilla extract and sparkling water - the batter will look "separated" and watery at this point.
  4. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Beat in 1/2 of the almond milk. Repeat. Finally, beat in the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients until batter is combined and smooth.
  5. Spoon or scoop the batter into the lined cupcake wells, filling them around 2/3 full. I was able to fill 14 standard cupcake liners. Bake cupcakes at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcakes comes out clean.
  6. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes (this allows the tender cake to firm up a bit). Gently remove the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely - they should not feel warm to the touch at all.

Frost the Cupcakes

  1. Once the cupcakes are totally cool, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the plant-based butter. Beat in the vanilla extract and sifted cocoa powder.
  2. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of almond milk. If needed, add more almond milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth and spreadable consistency. If it becomes too thin or melty, add a tad more powdered sugar (or cocoa powder, to avoid adding more sweetness).
  3. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a #6B). Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes, adding sprinkles, if desired, every two or three cupcakes - if you wait until all cupcakes are frosted, the sprinkles won't stick.
  4. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator if your space is especially warm.

Notes

1. Sugar: you can use your favorite granulated sugar in this recipe. Coconut sugar, raw sugar, or unrefined cane sugar will all work. You'll want to measure out 2/3 cup of whatever sugar you choose - the gram measurement will vary depending on the sugar.

  • 2/3 cup raw sugar = 142g
  • 2/3 cup unrefined cane sugar = 160g
  • 2/3 cup white granulated sugar = 150g
  • 2/3 cup coconut sugar = 110g

2. Sparkling Water: you can use your favorite sparkling (or bubbling/carbonated) water. I recommend something plain, but a flavored sparking water will work as well.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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Banana Caramel Frappé

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This Banana Caramel Frappé is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Skip the line at the coffee shop and make your own homemade frappé! With banana and caramel flavors, this blended coffee drink is just the wake-up your morning needs.

Banana Caramel Frappé

Blended coffee drinks are one of life’s simple pleasures. While I make my own iced coffee at home every morning, I love indulging in a sweet, blended coffee here and there. The fun, festive flavors and icy texture are just too, too good. This Banana Caramel Frappé combines the taste of banana with sweet caramel. And, of course, your favorite coffee.

Homemade frappés are so easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients. The best part? All you need to do is throw the ingredients in a blender and blend! Voila! You’ve got a homemade frappé for a fraction of the cost. And you can stay in your pajamas 😉

Where Does the Flavor Come From?

For this drink, you’ll use both fresh banana and Torani’s sweet and creamy Crème de Banana Syrup for the banana flavor. Their syrups mix seamlessly into any kind of drink – hot or cold – for a delightful spin on traditional coffees, milkshakes, and cocktails. For the caramel flavor, I recommend any caramel sauce or syrup! Seriously, whatever you love will work in this recipe. While we all dream of having homemade caramel sauce on hand, any flavorful store-bought caramel will work. Torani actually makes a caramel syrup (my favorite flavor!) that would work wonderfully in this recipe. I’m talking maximum caramel and banana flavor! YUM.

What You’ll Need

  • Torani Crème de Banana Syrup adds a sweet and creamy banana flavor.
  • Coffee makes this blended drink a frappé. I recommend using a very strongly brewed coffee for this recipe.
  • Plant-based milk adds creaminess. You can use your favorite milk or cream.
  • Caramel sauce or syrup adds the caramel flavor. I recommend using a homemade caramel, Torani’s Caramel Syrup, or a tried-and-true store-bought caramel with a strong flavor.
  • Fresh banana fluffs up this frappé and helps thicken the texture.
  • Ice turns this drink into a traditional, icy frappé.

More Coffee & Banana Treats

Chocolate Coffee Baked Donuts

Coffee Banana Layer Cake

Healthier Banana Nut Bread

Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

Yield: 2 Servings

Banana Caramel Frappé

Banana Caramel Frappé

Skip the line at the coffee shop and make your own homemade frappé! With banana and caramel flavors, this blended coffee drink is just the wake-up your morning needs.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup STRONG brewed coffee (see Note 1)
  • 1/4 cup oat milk (or regular milk)
  • 3 Tbsp Torani Crème de Banana Syrup
  • 1-2 Tbsp caramel sauce or syrup (more caramel = more flavor/sweetness)
  • 1/2 of a medium banana
  • 1 1/2-2 cups ice (add 2 cups for an icier frappé)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until combined and smooth. Divide the liquid into two glasses. Top with extra caramel, whipped cream, or fresh sliced bananas and enjoy!

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Category: Drinks

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Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

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This recipe is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Rich and flavorful Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa is so easy to make and takes only 4 ingredients! This decadent, homemade hot cocoa is uniquely sweetened with Torani’s Flavor of the Year: Salted Egg Yolk – a delightful sweet/savory flavor with custard, caramel, and umami notes. This may just be the best hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

If you’re here then there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with the salted egg yolk flavor. And if not, then you’re curious enough to learn more about it! Having originated in China centuries ago, this sweet & savory flavor has been gaining popularity in Southeast Asia in recent years. It has a sweet, custard-like flavor with notes of savory umami. And coincidentally, it pairs perfectly well with chocolate!

You can think of this hot cocoa as an elevated, more complex version of the cozy drink we all know and love. The Salted Egg Yolk adds a hint of egg custard flavor and even more richness to an already decadent hot cocoa. Check out the simple, 4-ingredient recipe below and let me know what you think!

What You’ll Need for this Hot Cocoa

  • Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup is essential to getting the rich, custard-like flavor of this hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder creates the chocolate flavor. You can use natural or Dutched cocoa powder. I chose to use a mix of the two. Dutched cocoa powder is richer in flavor and darker in color.
  • Milk makes up the bulk of the hot cocoa. It adds a creaminess that water could never replace. Feel free to use whatever milk product you like. I prefer oat or almond milk, but, of course, if you aren’t dairy-free then cow’s milk works as well.
  • Mini marshmallows melt together with a bit of the Torani syrup to make a lovely (and sweet!) marshmallow “fluff” topping; this is totally optional, but also super delicious!

More “Hot Cocoa” Treats

Spicy Hot Cocoa Muffins

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies

Yield: 2 Servings

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate sweetened with Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup. Top it with melted marshmallow for an even sweeter treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa

Marshmallow Topping

  • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 Tbsp Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup

Instructions

  1. Make the Hot Cocoa: in a medium saucepan, add the Torani syrup, cocoa powder, and then the milk. Place over medium high heat and whisk until the mixture is hot. Be sure to scrape the bottom of your pan with the whisk as you mix. Set hot cocoa aside.
  2. Make the marshmallow "fluff": add about an inch of water to another clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the water. Add the marshmallows and 1 Tbsp of Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup to the bowl, stirring constantly until melted.
  3. Pour the hot cocoa into two mugs and immediately top with the marshmallow. If the marshmallow begins to cool too much, it will be extremely sticky and difficult to spoon onto the cocoa; it's best to use it right away.
  4. Enjoy!
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Category: Drinks

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

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Your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough made safe to eat! Dunk or drizzle these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares in melted chocolate for the ultimate snack. And go ahead and eat as much as you’d like. These squares are irresistible!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Are you a big fan of eating cookie dough by the spoonful? Yeah, me, too. Give me a classic chocolate chip cookie dough any day and I will be sneaking bites until it’s gone. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares are the ultimate cookie dough snack. I’m talking straight up dough (following my fave one bowl recipe) enveloped, or drizzled, in luscious dark chocolate. They’re made with classic ingredients, so the taste is just like the cookie dough we all grew up with. Sugary, buttery, and filled with chocolate!

To make this cookie dough safe to eat, you’ll replace the egg with unsweetened applesauce (an idea I got after eating my way through three tubs of EatPastry dough – it’s fine, I blame Costco) and use heat-treated flour. Yeah, that means this dough is very conveniently vegan! But don’t fret, if you’re not dairy-free or vegan, regular butter will work just as well in this recipe – just be sure to refrigerate your leftover squares!

What is Heat-Treated Flour?

I have to admit, the idea of treating my flour prior to scarfing down spoonfuls of dough is pretty new to me. Since edible cookie dough became all the rage a few years ago, I saw more bloggers talking about heat-treating flour. Because raw flour can contain harmful bacteria, it’s always recommended that the flour is heated to a specific temperature to kill any bacteria that could make us sick before consuming it. Yes, technically, we could get sick from eating classic cookie dough, even when there are no eggs involved! But don’t fret, heat-treating flour is simple, and you can even buy your flour already heat-treated! 

Here’s how to do it (thanks to Kristen Tomlan):

Microwave
Add 2 cups (a bit extra just in case it clumps) of flour to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the flour in 30 second intervals, stirring and checking the temperature in several spots (with an instant-read thermometer) each time. Once the flour reaches 165°F throughout, remove it from the microwave. Allow the flour to cool completely before fluffing it up and measuring 1 3/4 cup for this recipe.

Oven
Preheat your oven to 300°F and spread 2 cups (a bit extra just in case it clumps) of flour onto a baking sheet. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the temperature in several places every two minutes. Once the flour reaches 165°F throughout, remove it from the oven. Allow the flour to cool completely before fluffing up and measuring 1 3/4 cup for this recipe.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

One Bowl No-Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 25 Squares

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Squares

Your favorite classic chocolate chip cookie dough dipped and drizzled in luscious dark chocolate! This safe-to-eat dough is irresistible and tastes just like the dough we all know and love!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened (or regular butter)
  • 1/2 cup (112 grams) brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (55 grams) regular cane sugar (white or unrefined)
  • 1/4 cup (61 grams) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups (240 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, heat-treated (see Step 1)
  • 1 cup (165 grams) chocolate chips (vegan/dairy-free or regular)

Chocolate Coating/Drizzle

  • Up to 3 cups (495 grams) of chocolate chips (see Note 1)

Instructions

Heat Treat the Flour

  1. Heat-treat your flour either by microwaving or oven-baking 2 cups of flour until the temperature of the flour reaches 165°F. Fluff up the flour and allow to cool completely - around 30 minutes. Discard any clumps before measuring out 1 3/4 cup or 240 grams.

Make the Cookie Dough

  1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars. Beat in the applesauce and vanilla extract. Beat in the salt.
  2. Add the flour (be sure to use the scoop & level method - see Note 2 - or a kitchen scale) and gently mix until nearly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  3. Line an 8x8" baking dish/pan with two parchment paper strips that criss-cross in the bottom. Add the cookie dough and evenly press it into the dish using your fingers, spoon, or measuring cup. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and use the parchment paper to pull the whole thing up and out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slowly cut 25 even squares, 5 across and 5 down. Chill the squares in the freezer for another 20 minutes.

Add the Chocolate Coating and/or Drizzle

  1. Once the dough squares have chilled, add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring between each one, until all the chocolate is melted.
  2. Remove cookie dough squares from the freezer. Prepare a space with parchment paper. Dip each square in the melted chocolate, totally covering it. Use a fork to gently scoop it up, shaking off the excess chocolate. Place each square onto the parchment paper. Alternatively, add the melted chocolate to a piping bag or ziploc bag and drizzle it onto the cookie dough squares.
  3. Allow the chocolate to set. You can speed this process up by placing the squares back into the freezer. If you've dipped the squares, feel free to cut off any excess chocolate to clean up the squares.
  4. Store cookie dough squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  1. The amount of chocolate chips you need depends on whether you want to coat the cookie dough squares or drizzle chocolate on them. To coat, use 3 cups of chocolate chips. To drizzle, use 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips. For half and half (like I did) melt 1 1/2 cups of chips.
  2. To properly measure the flour without a kitchen scale, fluff up the flour with a spoon and then spoon it into a measuring cup. Level it off with a straight-edge knife.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Candy

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