Black Forest Hot Chocolate Recipe

Made with a combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, this easy 10-minute Black Forest hot chocolate recipe is rich and creamy with the perfect amount of fruity cherry flavor. Luscious whipped cream, a cherry, and chocolate curls on top make it extra special.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Black Forest Hot Chocolate, Black Forest Hot Cocoa, Cherry Hot Chocolate, Cherry Hot Cocoa

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate:

1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar or your favorite keto granulated sweetener
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon Amarena cherry juice the syrupy juice from the jar of cherries
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/16 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 ounces 72% dark chocolate finely chopped (see Notes)

Toppings:

4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream whipped to soft peaks
2 Amarena cherries
2 teaspoons dark chocolate curls

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the base. Add the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cherry juice, vanilla, and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat, and whisk to combine.
Add the chocolate. Once simmering, whisk in the chopped chocolate.
Simmer. While whisking constantly, bring to a simmer and cook until the chocolate is melted and fully incorporated, and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Enjoy. Pour into 2 mugs and top each with half of the whipped cream, 1 cherry, and 1 teaspoon chocolate curls. Serve immediately.

Notes

Dark Chocolate: I like to use around 70 to 75% dark chocolate here for really intense chocolate flavor that's not too sweet. Feel free to use whatever kind of dark chocolate you like, or swap it out for milk chocolate if you prefer.
Amarena Cherries Substitute: If you can’t find Amarena cherries, there are a couple different substitutes that work well. You can use Luxardo cherries or regular maraschino cherries.
Sea Salt: Don’t skip the salt. The end result won’t be salty, we just need a little bit of salt to balance the sweetness and pull out the other flavors. I like to use sea salt.
Whipped Cream: In a pinch you can use whipped cream from a can. But if possible, I recommend taking a couple minutes to whip heavy cream to soft peaks. It’s easy to do, and there’s no comparison in terms of flavor.

Nutrition