Hot Chocolate Bombs
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Toss these hot chocolate bombs into a mug of warm milk and you instantly have smooth, creamy, homemade hot chocolate! Add your favorite candies or sprinkles on top to make your hot chocolate even better!
I KNOW I KNOW, it’s just barely November, but it is definitely not too early to start thinking about Christmas goodies and presents. Especially the homemade kind. So… Hear me out!
I actually shared this little recipe specifically for a brand in December 2014, but it has come to my attention that these cuties are blowing up (pardon the pun) right now.
I have loved these little guys so much (and so have the people I have gifted them to over the years) that I needed to re-share them again with you this season.
One of my favorite things about cozy weather is most definitely the excuse it gives me to drink hot chocolate. I’m not one to drink it year round, but when cold weather rears its chilly head, it’s time for a mug of sweet, smooth, milky chocolate.
With mini marshmallows, of course!
WHAT ARE HOT CHOCOLATE BOMBS?
If you’re wondering… What is going on here? How do hot chocolate bombs work?
SImple– each hot chocolate bomb is made up of essentially chocolate ganache that’s been allowed to harden into a ball/pod. When added to hot milk, it dissolves and you’ve instantly got a creamy cup of hot chocolate.
Yes, you can always take the traditional route of powdered hot chocolate mix (don’t miss my homemade hot cocoa mix!), but that takes the fun out of turning chocolate chips, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk into beautiful pods of ganache that melt oh-so-wonderfully in some warm milk.
Plus, these little cuties make wonderful additions to gifts, cookie trays, and party displays. Your friends, family, and party guests will love you for this one, I promise.
Other than a few ingredients, you’ll need 3 essential tools to get this job done:
•a mini-cupcake pan
•some mini-cupcake liners (totally optional, though!) in white or fun colors
•and a medium cookie scoop with a trigger (a medium cookie scoop holds about 1 and ½ Tablespoons)
As you can see, you don’t need a fancy hot chocolate bomb mold. That mini-cupcake pan is perfect!
Lastly, you’ll need some kind of decorative toppings… For this batch, I chose Christmas sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, and crushed candy canes. Try adding any kind of candy or sprinkles that you like.
You may certainly leave your hot chocolate pods plain, but what’s the fun in that? Get creative and colorful!
To make these pods, you’ll heat your sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream in a saucepan just until it starts to boil.
Then, you’ll pour all of that over your chocolate chips, stir vigorously, and scoop into your prepared liners in the mini-cupcake pan with your medium cookie scoop.
They’re essentially chocolate ganache bombs, as this is the way we’ve made chocolate ganache and strawberry ganache in past recipes here at FAF!
Decorate your hot chocolate bombs with your chosen candies or sprinkles, and let them set up in the fridge for an hour.
To use one, bring 6oz of milk just to a boil (on the stove or in the microwave) and stir in a bomb until it is completely dissolved. If you really want to kick up the chocolate, add 2 bombs!
I’m telling you what– these hot chocolate bombs changed my hot cocoa world many years ago, and I can’t wait to whip up a batch of them this year! I might share, but it’s likely I will use a lot of them myself.
Maybe all of them.
Yes, in fact… I see a lot of mugs of steamy, creamy hot chocolate in my future.
Make sure there’s some in yours, too!
Hot Chocolate Bombs
Ingredients
- 3 and ½ cups (595g) chocolate chips semi-sweet, dark, or white
- 1 14-ounce can (420mL) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup (120mL) heavy whipping cream
- assorted toppings: sprinkles, crushed candy canes, marshmallows, etc.
Instructions
- Place chocolate chips in a large heat-safe bowl. Line mini-cupcake pan with liners (you can leave them unlined, too). Set both aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and cream, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat when mixture just starts boiling.
- Immediately pour heated milk mixture over chocolate chips and stir vigorously with a spatula until smooth.
- Using a medium size cookie scoop (approximately 1 and ½ Tablespoons), scoop chocolate ganache into wells. Decorate as desired while chocolate is still soft. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- To use, bring 6oz of milk just to a boil. Stir in chocolate bomb until completely dissolved. Add 2 bombs if you want your hot chocolate extra rich. Bombs cane be kept in the refrigerator or at room temperature (but they last longer in the fridge).
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Oh my these sound amazing. I may have to give them out as a gift to my clients this season! How long do they keep?
Hey, Rachael! Ours lasted a couple months until the chocolate started to turn white. That usually gives a “stale” taste to the chocolate, but they should last quite awhile at room temp, even longer in the fridge!
What?! These are amazing! I’ve never seen such a thing!! A must have for the holly jolly season!
Yes, you must, Jess!!
These are such a cool idea, and the little pods are just so stinkin’ cute! Are the pods themselves any good as candy? (I’m, uh, asking for a friend…)
Hahaha, I’m SURE they are!!
Ohhhh yeah. This is definitely going to happen in our house soon. Anthony turns into a hot chocolate FIEND in the winter, and I think he’ll absolutely LOVE these. Love the addition of the crushed candy cane on top, too!
Sounds like my kinda guy! Next time we get together– wine, cheese, gf crackers, hot chocolate. BOOM.
LYNN! Oh my word! This is SUCH a great idea! I’m making this ASAP????????????????
Thanks, Naomi! They are so fun and people love them as gifts!
How long do you put your milk in the microwave?
Hi Criste– I don’t use the microwave. As the directions state, I heat the sweetened condensed milk and cream on the stove.
Mine wouldn’t come it of the muffin liners even after being in the fridge over night 😭. I’m not getting a rich chocolate flavour either. I’m not sure what I did wrong.
Hmm, I’m not sure either, Hope! And if you’re not getting a rich enough flavor, use more than one pod 🙂
Mine won’t harden either, they taste good but are just goo. Any idea on what could’ve happened?
Without being there, I’m not sure!
Figured it out, I made mine with white chocolate, so I tried just adding more chocolate and they work beautifully! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Awesome! 🙂
You say to make these in a mini muffin tin which by definition holds 24. However all your photos are clearly using a regular tin holding 12. Which is it? Also why are people saying it doesn’t harden??
Hi, Kimberly– that’s a 12-count mini-muffin tin. And I rechecked the recipe this weekend– it is correct and works as written!
These are so easy to Make and taste great! I had fun using all kinds of different toppings from sprinkles, marshmallows, unicorn sprinkles, crashed up Hersey Chocolate Mint Candy Canes, and mint M&M’s. I have only tried the mint M&M’s on top and it was delicious!!! I made a bunch for gifts to give people at work for X-mad. I Added a mug and candy cane spoons or a peppermint candy straw.
Thanks so much for letting me know, Andi!
How many mini bombs will this make?
36, as stated in the recipe!
Thanks; sorry I missed that earlier.
These were so cute and so fun to make! I’ve never made ganache before and it was surprisingly easy! They turned out delicious! I did use too much milk so I had to use 3 bombs in my cup, but that was on me, 6oz was clearly stated in the recipe! Excited to gift these and will definitely make again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
I just made these tonight. I measured out the chocolate chips & heated the 2 milks on the stove until just boiling. It was boiling a little when I poured it into the chocolate chips. They didn’t seem to melt all the way & I had to keep stirring it. I made more somehow then the recipe calls for but that’s okay, my mom will take a lot to therapy when she goes this week & I’m giving some away. I added pieces of marshmallows & Christmas sprinkles & they look so pretty! I hope everyone likes them because if they do, I will make them again. I had fun making them!
Hey, Gail– the chips melted just as they were supposed to. You did great! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Can you make this recipe using white chocolate chips? Would you have to alter it in anyway?
Hey, Shannon– I would not. White chocolate doesn’t turn into ganache quite the same as milk or semi-sweet does. You can try it, but I’m afraid they won’t set up as nicely. If you try, maybe halve the recipe (so you don’t waste as much if it doesn’t work out) and let me know!
Hi, it works for the spheres?
Hi, Paulina– no, these are not the kind that are the spheres. You can see what they look like in the photos.
Very easy and we had a lot of fun making them!
So glad, Carly! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
They turned out great! I used a mini muffin tin with muffin cups and those were awesome.I tried to use a Christmas baking pan with different shapes and had to get them out with a knife so I don’t recommend that!
Good to know, Kim! Thank you!
Kids loved them. I made 12 with the recipe so the mugs were a chocolate lover’s dream. I also put the tin outside to cool since it is so cold out and they firmed up just fine.
So awesome, Jennifer!
This is sooo much easier to do with kiddos than the newest hot chocolate bomb trend! Excited to try them with my kiddos!
SOOOO much easier. Thanks, Madison!
Mine weren’t pretty, but their personalities were great. In the last half of the batch i stirred in vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg but didn’t add toppings. OH. MY.
HAHA! I love this so much, Andrea.
The recipe says they can be left on the counter. This is exactly what I want since I want to mail some in a Christmas gift. I’m concerned because of the heavy cream. Has there been any problem with them spoiling after a few days (that’s how long it would take for the package to be delivered.)
Hey, Jeanette– good question! Ganache (which is what this is) is generally fine at room temperature for about 3 days. Once dairy has been cooked with sugar, it can “preserve” it in a sense, so you’re fine to mail them, especially in chillier weather. I would not mail these in warmer months nor would I keep them out at room temp in the summer months. Short answer– advise your recipient to refrigerate upon arrival.
Thank you so much for the quick response. I’ll give it a try.
I want to double (or maybe even triple) the size of the chocolate bombs in normal muffin tins for 12-16oz cups. Will the ganache still set up okay in bigger portions?
Yes! Enjoy!