Spiderweb Hot Chocolate
Spiderweb Hot Chocolate
Ultra-creamy cocoa with a spooky spiderweb on top. The web is simple party magic—pipe thin rings of chocolate syrup over whipped cream and drag a toothpick to create the web. Kid-friendly, cozy, and perfect for pumpkin-carving night.
Ingredients
- 3 cups milk (or half milk/half cream for extra rich)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla & pinch of salt
- Whipped cream for topping
- Chocolate syrup or 2 Tbsp melted chocolate for web
Dairy-free? Use oat milk or almond milk and coconut whipped cream. For a not-too-sweet cocoa, start with ⅓ cup sugar and adjust.
Directions
- Bloom the cocoa: Whisk cocoa powder, sugar, and salt with ½ cup milk in a saucepan to make a smooth paste.
- Heat: Whisk in remaining milk. Warm over medium heat until steaming (do not boil). Stir in vanilla.
- Top: Divide into 4 mugs and add a generous swirl of whipped cream.
- Draw the web: Pipe 4–5 thin concentric circles of chocolate syrup over the cream. Using a toothpick, drag a line from the center outward—wipe the tip—and repeat around the cup to make a spiderweb. For a sharper web, use melted chocolate in a zip-top bag with a tiny snip.
- Serve hot with marshmallows on the side.
Party tip: Set out a “web station” with squeeze bottles of syrup so kids can decorate their own mugs. Keep cocoa warm in a slow cooker on “warm.”
Variations
- Peppermint Web: Add ¼ tsp peppermint extract; draw the web with hot fudge.
- Pumpkin Patch: Whisk in 2 Tbsp pumpkin purée + ½ tsp pumpkin spice.
- Mexican Cocoa: Add ¼ tsp cinnamon and a small pinch cayenne.
- Mocha: Replace ½ cup milk with hot coffee.
Make-Ahead Mix
- Stir together 1 cup sugar, 1 cup cocoa, and 2 tsp salt. Store airtight.
- To serve: whisk 3 Tbsp mix per 1 cup milk. Add vanilla off heat.
Serving Info
| Yield | 4 mugs |
| Active Time | 15 minutes |
| Category | Drink · Halloween · Non-Alcoholic |
| Cuisine | American |