Happy Blogtober! It’s that time of the year again…time for all the extra fall and Halloween goodies. Time for campfires, hot drinks, baking, fall scents, sweaters, hats, spooky music, tacky decorations and excuses to consume more sugar.

I thought I would take a stab at Blogtober and theme my content for the next month around all things OCTOBER-y!

What better way to kick off this chillier-than-usual and rather moody start to October than a cozy movie night with an assortment of DIY hot chocolates? In full disclosure, I consume hot chocolate almost every night…around the calendar, no matter what. For some reason, it just hits the spot and always serves as the perfect palette cleanser with just the right amount of sweet. I tend to make my hot chocolate more on the raw and creamy side with very little added sugar so it’s not doing too much damage. However, for these festive recipes, I decided to go a little more decadent and indulgent.

1.) Maple Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• Maple Oatmilk (Trader Joe’s)

• Raw cocoa or baking cocoa

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips or bar chocolate

• whipped cream of choice

• Maple syrup

This is a really yummy treat for the fall that has all the cozy vibes in a cup. To start, warm a cup of Trader Joe’s Maple Oatmilk on the stove. Measure out 3 tbsp. of raw baking cocoa and a tbsp. of semi-sweet chocolate morsels into the pan. Stir while the milk is warming until the chocolate is all melted down and the moisture is steaming. Next, pour our the allotted amount into your coziest mug of choice and top generously with whipped cream of choice (I prefer coconut milk whipped cream) and lightly drizzle a dollop of maple syrup on top. Enjoy!

2.) Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• Raw cocoa or baking cocoa

• Milk of choice

• Pumpkin puree

• Pumpkin pie spice

• Cinnamon

• Nutmeg

• Vanilla extract

• Semi-sweet chocolate morsels

• Whipped cream of choice

• Candy corn or marshmallows for topping

Warm your milk of choice (I prefer oat) on stovetop pan and add the baking cocoa and chocolate chips to the mix (see above measurements). Spoon out 1 tbsp. pumpkin puree, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. cinnamon to the mixture and stir until warmed. Pour into mug (points if it’s orange) and top with whipped cream of choice. Sprinkle pumpkin-shaped candy corn to top.

3.) S’mores Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• Raw baking cocoa

• Chocolate morsels

• Marshmallows

• Graham cracker crushed

• Extra bar chocolate

Warm your milk of choice (I prefer oat) on stovetop pan and add the baking cocoa and chocolate chips to the mix (see above measurements). Spoon out 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 tsp. cinnamon to the mixture and stir until warmed. Pour into mug. Top with toasted marshmellows, crushed graham crackers and chocolate shavings, sit by a fire and sing some kombaya.

Bonus Snack

If you are feeling extra indulgent, I suggest pairing your beverage with a bowl of festive candied popcorn. It’s simple and DELICIOUS! All you need is a bag of your preferred popcorn, melted down semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips and a handful of candy corn. Simply pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn and sprinkle a handful of candy corn on top!

What About You?

What is your go-to treat for a cozy October movie night? Do you prefer a different hot drink or sweet snack? I’d love to hear!