Cooking with Bwog’s Matt Powell is back to warm your hearts with some sinfully delicious recipes for hot chocolate. We promise they’re way better than the usual Swiss Miss.

New York weather continues to confuddle me, but I do know one thing: the perfect cure for the cold weather blues is a nice cup of hot chocolate. Here are three of my favorite flavor combinations. Feel free to experiment on cold days! I also made sure to include alcohol pairings for spiked hot chocolate—sure to warm your holidays!

Chai-Spiced White Hot Chocolate

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 4 C whole milk
  • 3 bags of black tea (I use Lady Gray)
  • 12 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 small slices of fresh ginger root
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 4 tsp whole cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 8 oz. white chocolate

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to just under a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ginger root, peppercorns, cloves, anise, and brown sugar. Give the milk a quick stir, dissolving the sugar. Then, cover the saucepan and allow the milk to steep for 30 minutes.
  2. Strain the milk into a bowl using a fine sieve. Press down on the solids to release any residual flavor. Pour milk back into the saucepan and bring to just under a boil.
  3. Once the milk is hot again, stir in the white chocolate and serve. If you are so inclined, spike it with Crème de Cacao.

Orange-Cinnamon Milk Hot Chocolate

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 4 C whole milk
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • Strips of orange zest from 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 8 oz. milk chocolate

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, bring the milk to just under a boil. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon sticks, zest, and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Then, cover with a lid and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
  2. Strain the milk into a bowl using a fine sieve. Press down on the solids to release any residual flavor. Pour milk back into the saucepan and bring to just under a boil.
  3. Once the milk is hot again, stir in the milk chocolate and serve. To take it up a notch, add Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

Lavender Dark Hot Chocolate

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 4 C whole milk
  • 3 tbsp dried lavender
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, bring the milk to just under a boil. Remove from the heat and add lavender and honey. Stir to dissolve honey. Then, cover with a lid and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
  2. Strain the milk into a bowl using a fine sieve. Press down on the solids to release any residual flavor. Pour milk back into the saucepan and bring to just under a boil.
  3. Once the milk is hot again, stir in the dark chocolate and serve. Spike it with Crème de Cassis or blackberry liqueur.

Photo from Flickr/Dennis Wong