Nothing warms you up better on a cold frosty day then a good cup of hot chocolate. There are any number of great hot chocolate recipes around. Hot chocolate recipes that not only warm you up, but also taste sinfully good. Hot chocolate recipes that include cinnamon, whipped cream, mint, fruit and even alcohol.

Hot chocolate has a long history starting with an Aztec drink called xocoatl. The drink was introduced to the Europeans by Hernan Cortez. The Spaniards added a sweetener to the drink, they had difficulty pronouncing xocoatl and changed the name of the drinke to chocolat. The English later change the name to chocolate. It is unknown who started warming the drink and named it hot chocolate, but I for one am glad they did.

The hot chocolate recipes I want to show you are different from any you may of heard of. These are somewhat unusual like hot chocolate with chili pepper. Don’t let the unusual nature of these hot chocolate recipes keep you from trying them.

Aztec Chili Hot Chocolate Recipe

A spicy hot chocolate with chili peppers.

Ingredients You Need:

1 2/3 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split length wise
1 red chili pepper, split with seeds removed
1 cinnamon stick, around 3-4″
1 1/2 oz chocolate (bittersweet)

How To Prepare:

Simmer milk in a saucepan with vanilla bean, cinnamon and chili. Heat through for about a minute. Whisk in grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until melted. Remove from heat and let ’steep’ for another 10 minutes. Strain out the spices and serve.

Serves 2.

Grand Marnier Hot Chocolate Recipe

Something different I think you’ll like.

Ingredients You Need:

1 cup half n’ half
2 cups milk
1/2 cup orange juice
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup Grand Marnier

How To Prepare:

Heat half and half, milk, and orange juice until just boiling. In a mixing bowl, add about 2/3 cup of hot milk to the chocolate and whip smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk again. Simmer for around 2 minutes to reheat through.

Add Grand Marnier and serve.

Moscow Hot Chocolate Recipe

This is hot chocolate recipe will definitely keep you warm on a cold day.

Ingredients You Need:

1 fluid ounce vanilla flavored vodka
3/4 fluid ounce amaretto liqueur
1 tablespoon instant hot chocolate mix
4 fluid ounces hot milk

How To Prepare:

Into a coffee mug, pour in the vanilla vodka, amaretto, and add the hot chocolate mix. Pour in the hot milk and stir to blend well.

These are some interesting hot chocolate recipes and different from the norm. Give your taste buds a change of taste.

Michael Bridges is owner of the Real Easy Chocolate Recipes website. You can find more Hot Chocolate Recipes as well as other chocolate recipes there.