CANDY CANE COCOA BOARD

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

For winter fun, nothing beats a Candy Cane Cocoa Board, filled with everything you need to celebrate after a chilly afternoon of snowman making, sledding or ice skating!  This sweet little peppermint hot chocolate board is perfect for magical winter memories!

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

IT'S A MARSHMALLOW WORLD IN THE WINTER...

Cocoa parties will always be one of our family favorites, and mugs of hot cocoa and swirled melted marshmallows get ramped up for extra holiday fun when we switch this up to a Candy Cane Cocoa Party!  

When sledding or sleighride season finally arrives, this easy and fun Candy Cane Cocoa Board is one tradition that transcends Christmas and can be carried over to the long, cold and snowy months of winter!  

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

HOW TO SET UP A HOT COCOA STATION

If you're making this for just your family, you can simply place this Candy Cane Cocoa Board on the counter, coffee table, or middle of your dining table.  It's perfect to serve when warming up from outside activities in front of a roaring fireplace, or for a family game night.  

For a larger crowd, I recommend setting up a hot cocoa station that has a selection of fun mugs, a carafe of warm milk, or a slow cooker filled with ready-made hot chocolate for self-serving.  Everyone loves picking from all of the candy cane marshmallows, candies and cookies.  I also keep a carafe of hot coffee nearby for those that prefer their peppermint in coffee, together with an assortment of coffee creamers - peppermint mocha coffee creamer is especially good for this candy cane theme!

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

FOR MY CANDY CANE COCOA BOARD I USED:

• Starbucks Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix
• Torani Dark Chocolate Sauce
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Coated with Peppermint Marshmallows
• Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Snowmen
• Pepperidge Farm Milano Slices Peppermint Cookies
• Marshmallow Twists
• Wondershop Peppermint Crunch Pretzels dipped in White Fudge
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Dipped Hot Cocoa Spoons with Peppermint & Marshmallow Topping
• Candy Cane Smash Mallows
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Cookie Stirrers
• Old-Fashioned Peppermint Stir Sticks
• Kraft Jet-Puffed Peppermint Mallows
• Pepperidge Farm Chocolate & Hazelnut Pirouettes
• Wondershop Snowflake Marshmallow Mug Toppers
• Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Chocolate Squares
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Cocoa Toppers with Peppermint
• Wondershop Marshmallow Snowflake Cocoa Toppers with Peppermint
• Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark
• Wilton Candy Cane Candy Melts
• Wondershop Peppermint Holiday Mallows
• Candy Canes

Like most holidays, special holiday cookies, candies and special treats need to be picked up early in the season.  I'm always amazed when Christmas items start showing up on store shelves in October, so I try to plan ahead and pick up our favorites (and usually a few extras) when I first see them, and I tuck them a way in a safe place until the holidays arrive.  There's nothing worse then having your heart set on something special and then you can't find it!

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

RECIPE FOR AUTHENTIC CANDY CANE COCOA:

• 4 cups milk
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 peppermint candy canes, crushed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 4 small peppermint candy canes
• Whipped Cream, for topping.

To make a batch of authentic rich and creamy Candy Candy Cocoa, in a large heavy saucepan heat milk until hot, but not boiling.  Whisk in the chocolate, crushed peppermint candies and whipping cream until melted and smooth.  Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with more whipped cream.  Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick. So fun!

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

CANDY CANE COCOA BOARD

For winter fun, nothing beats a Candy Cane Cocoa Board, filled with everything you need to celebrate after a chilly afternoon of snowman making, sledding or ice skating!  This sweet little peppermint hot chocolate board is perfect for magical winter memories!

Candy Cane Cocoa Board

FOR MY CANDY CANE COCOA BOARD I USED:

• Starbucks Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix
• Torani Dark Chocolate Sauce
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Coated with Peppermint Marshmallows
• Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Snowmen
• Pepperidge Farm Milano Slices Peppermint Cookies
• Marshmallow Twists
• Wondershop Peppermint Crunch Pretzels dipped in White Fudge
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Dipped Hot Cocoa Spoons with Peppermint & Marshmallow Topping
• Candy Cane Smash Mallows
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Cookie Stirrers
• Old-Fashioned Peppermint Stir Sticks
• Kraft Jet-Puffed Peppermint Mallows
• Pepperidge Farm Chocolate & Hazelnut Pirouettes
• Wondershop Snowflake Marshmallow Mug Toppers
• Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Chocolate Squares
• Wondershop Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Cocoa Toppers with Peppermint
• Wondershop Marshmallow Snowflake Cocoa Toppers with Peppermint
• Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark
• Wilton Candy Cane Candy Melts
• Wondershop Peppermint Holiday Mallows
• Candy Canes

 
HOW I MAKE A CANDY CANE COCOA BOARD:

1. First, start by picking your favorite peppermint hot chocolate recipe – don’t limit yourself to peppermint if you or your little ones prefer chocolate cocoa or a mild milk chocolate cocoa!   There are no rules or limits – something for everyone makes everyone happy!
2. Choose a nice solid cutting board or wooden serving tray to create your platter.  You’ll be serving directly from the board, so be sure to use something sturdy. 
3. For one or two servings, fill your favorite mugs with Peppermint Hot Cocoa, heated just the way you want it!  For a smaller crowd, I heat a batch of hot cocoa and serve it on the side in my favorite cocoa server.  For a large group, I heat milk and Peppermint Hot Cocoa mix in a slow cooker and have it on the side on a warm setting for folks to serve themselves.
4. Next, arrange cookies, cookie stirrers and hot chocolate peppermint cocoa spoons in uniform patterns around the board. 
5. Next, we’ll add marshmallows – because let’s face it, you can’t have hot chocolate without lots of marshmallows!  Snowflake shaped marshmallows are lots of fun, but make sure to add simple jet-puffed marshmallows and lots of peppermint marshmallows because everyone loves these!
6. I add chocolates next – wherever they fit and look good.
7. Fill in any empty nooks and crannies with more marshmallows and candy canes – you can never have too many marshmallows on a hot cocoa board! 
8. Finally, place smaller candies or marshmallows in the bowls or ramekins.
9. You can easily scale this board up or down. Start with small amounts of each item – you can always refresh your platter as time goes by! 

 
YIELD:  This was the perfect board for 6 – but easy to size up for more!

​RECIPE FOR AUTHENTIC CANDY CANE COCOA:

• 4 cups milk
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 peppermint candy canes, crushed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 4 small peppermint candy canes
• Whipped Cream, for topping.

To make a batch of authentic Candy Candy Cocoa, in a large heavy saucepan heat 4 cups of milk until hot, but not boiling.  Whisk in the chocolate, crushed peppermint candies and whipping cream until melted and smooth.  Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with more whipped cream.  Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.

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