This recipe is particularly handy in its easy-to-remember ratio of ingredients – one cup of milk plus one tablespoon of each of the rest of the ingredients (aside from the salt, which is added with a pinch). Of course you can scale any of the ingredients to your liking, and you can easily switch out the rum and orange liqueur for other items in your home bar. Or nothing from your home bar – this makes a lovely, fast hot cocoa without the booze.
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Rum-Orange Hot Chocolate
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
On a cold evening, this beverage satisfies in sweetness, warmth, and booze. Try with any liqueurs you have on hand or with no alcohol at all.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk (the closer to whole milk, the better)
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder (preferably Dutched)
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) dark (not spiced) rum
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) orange liqueur (e.g. Citronge, Cointreau)
- Marshmallows or whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat. It may take a bit of whisking to incorporate the cocoa, which wants to float on top of the milk.
- Heat, whisking occasionally and making sure to scrape along the bottom of the pot, until the mixture is steaming.
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the rum and orange liqueur.
- Pour into mugs and add marshmallows or whipped cream, as desired.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
Find it online: https://honestcooking.com/rum-orange-hot-chocolate/
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe specify dark rum rather than spiced rum?
The ingredient list specifically calls for dark (not spiced) rum. Spiced rum contains cinnamon, vanilla, and other flavors that would clash with the orange liqueur; dark rum contributes a clean molasses-caramel depth that lets the cocoa and orange flavors lead.
Can I make this without alcohol?
Yes—the article explicitly says this makes a lovely, fast hot cocoa without the booze. Just omit the 1 tbsp dark rum and 1 tbsp orange liqueur; the 1 cup milk plus 1 tbsp cocoa plus 1 tbsp sugar plus a pinch of salt ratio produces a well-balanced hot chocolate on its own. 
What orange liqueur works best here?
The recipe suggests Citronge or Cointreau as examples. Both are triple-sec style orange liqueurs with a clean, sweet citrus flavor. Grand Marnier also works well in the 1 tbsp measure.
