Elevate Your Next Mug Of Hot Chocolate With One Extra Sweet Addition

There's nothing like a steaming mug of hot chocolate to warm you up on those cold and cozy nights. And while your classic cup will always hit the spot, there is also plenty you can do to upgrade it even further. For example, there's one flavor that we've been absolutely loving lately for our hot chocolate: maple.

If you didn't already know, maple and chocolate are a classic pairing thanks to maple's deep richness and natural sweetness that works beautifully to make chocolate shine. While all chocolate varieties will work with maple, dark chocolate pairs particularly well thanks to its innate bitterness that can help balance out the sweetness of maple. When using maple for your hot chocolate, you can choose one of two routes: maple extract or maple syrup.

When using extract, about 1 teaspoon for approximately 4 cups of milk should do the trick, but feel free to add more or less depending on your personal preferences. If you're making hot chocolate from scratch, just add the extract right into your saucepan as everything is heating up. On the flip side, if using a hot chocolate mix, just add a splash of maple extract into the cup, taste, and add more as necessary. If you're using maple syrup, keep in mind that it's not as concentrated of a flavor as extract. Because of this, you should aim to use about twice as much syrup as you would use extract.

Whether you're looking to enhance your maple hot chocolate even further or you're in the mood for other flavor combos to take your cup to the next level, you can do tons to elevate it. For example, maple has various pairings that can work perfectly here, like nuts. You can consider adding a splash of almond, hazelnut, or pecan extract for a nutty and sweet combo, or include warm spices that work well with both chocolate and maple, like cinnamon, ginger, or even chai spice mix. You can also add a pinch of salt to your hot cocoa to help add a pop of contrast to the sweetness of both the maple and chocolate. Another flavor that works well with both is chipotle, so adding in some spicy chilis can give your mug a maple Mexican hot chocolate spin.

If you're looking for even more hot cocoa enhancers, there's one pantry staple that will ensure you never drink bland hot chocolate again: extracts. Coming in various flavors, you can choose anything from peppermint extract for a standard cup to citrus extracts to enhance white hot chocolate — the ideas are limitless. If you want to go a step further, you can go beyond the traditional whipped cream and add a dollop of Nutella for a rich spin on your classic mug.