Easy Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Son likes anything mint, and his new (seasonal) favorite is the Peppermint Hot Chocolate from McDonald's. Well, I found myself having some leftover candy canes and peppermint candies from one too many Christmas parties, so I thought I'd treat son to a (semi) homemade drink. Boy, did he love it! He was able to control the flavor (more mint!) and had a lot more "extras" in his drink.

Yet again, this is semi-homemade (hence the word "easy" in the title) because I used ready made chocolate drink mix. But son didn't mind. He was just too happy with his drink - it was like drinking milk and eating candy at the same time!


What you need:

1 package(1.25 oz) chocolate powder mix (I used Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensation)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
dollop of whipped cream
1 teaspoon crushed peppermints
handful of chocolate chip morsels


What to do: 

Place milk in a cup and heat in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Add chocolate mix powder and mix well. 

Pour in peppermint extract and stir. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with crushed peppermint, chocolate chips, and candy cane.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. I thought I put too much peppermint extract, but son said it actually needed more. You can tweak the amount according to your preference.
2. Use Reddi Whip instead of whipped cream. It would also make a prettier picture.