When you think of winter, you think of cold weather and hot drinks. Winter and hot cocoa go hand in hand, as I like to say, so why not make some homemade peppermint hot cocoa mason jar gifts for loved ones this Christmas? Or keep them for yourself; we won’t tell.
When the cold weather begins, it usually means lots and lots of hot cocoa in my house. It’s the one thing that is in constant rotation in my household. Madison enjoys drinking it after playing outside in the cold or snow, and it’s also a treat after a long day at school.
But besides being the best drink you can have during the winter season, our peppermint hot cocoa makes a fantastic gift as well, especially when paired with mason jars. Not only will the recipient enjoy their hot peppermint cocoa, but they’ll be able to repurpose the mason jar after they’re done with their drink.
There’s something to be said about mason jars. They are so versatile, and I personally think that everything just looks better in a mason jar! A quick search on the blog will bring up our many uses of mason jars. We’ve used them for crafts and home decor and even gifted them with goodies.
Want something so simple that the kids can do it all on their own with easy-to-follow directions? Not only is our peppermint hot cocoa delicious, but it’s a great family project, something that you can do together while creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Madison enjoyed putting it together but was mostly interested in eating the marshmallows and peppermint candy; however, I know that if she can do it, so can you.
So, how easy is it? Here’s how we made them; they’re a lot easier than you think. Let’s get to it.
Peppermint Hot Cocoa in Mason Jars
Servings: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Extremely easy
Ingredients
Your favorite hot cocoa mix
Marshmallows
Peppermint candy canes
Mason jars
Bakers twine and/or ribbons
Instructions
Fill your mason jar about 2/3 full with your hot cocoa mix
Add a layer of marshmallows, leaving enough room for your candy canes.
Top your marshmallows with crushed peppermint candy canes and cover with the lid. In order to crush your candy canes, simply add them to a zip-loc bag and smash them with the smooth side of a meat tenderizer. I like to call this method “candy crush”. Unlike my peppermint dusted brownie bites I made a few years ago, you’re going to want to crush them into chunks instead of a powder, so be careful when pounding your peppermint candy canes, as they’re easily broken.
Wrap your baker’s twine or ribbon around the neck of your mason jar and tie it into a bow. You can decorate with a premade gift tag or make one of your own. You can also add the directions for making the peppermint hot cocoa drink on the back of the tag.
And that’s it! I told you that it was simple. Simple and absolutely delicious!
