The Whipped Cream Trick For Hot Chocolate That Would Make Santa Jealous

While you can make your own marshmallows using an assortment of ingredients, colors, and syrups, there's an easier way to spruce up your next mug of hot chocolate. Using either homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip, you can form festive shapes that will elevate both from-scratch recipes and store-bought hot chocolate mixes.

Simply fill whipped cream into an ice cube mold that has a shape that you like and freeze until the pieces can be broken apart and removed. The frozen whipped cream shapes can be added to cups before drinks are poured in or plopped into a filled mug just prior to serving. As the frozen cubes melt, your hot beverages will be infused with a sweet creaminess that transforms the taste and texture of your drink — all while giving it a beautiful look. 

If you don't have shaped molds, you can alternatively spread a thick layer of whipped cream into the base of a cookie pan or baking sheet to freeze. Once this layer has frozen, various shapes can be cut out using cookie cutters, and you can then use these frozen whipped cream treats to garnish your cocoa.

You can give frozen whipped cream even more of a festive spin by adding sprinkles and decorations used for cakes and cupcakes. Simply top the whipped cream with sprinkles and edible pearls before freezing, or add food coloring to dye the frozen treats in different hues. Edible glitter can add a festive touch and give these easy creations a fun, whimsical spin. More ambitious cooks can even create intricate layers of melted chocolate, whipped cream, and sprinkles to freeze and serve to impressed guests. Just keep in mind that using silicone molds can be helpful in removing such detailed frozen whipped cream pieces.

Plain packages of Cool Whip can be flavored with other ingredients, like cocoa powder, instant coffee, maple syrup, or caramel sauce before freezing. Flavored extracts like almond and peppermint can also be dropped into whipped mixtures before trays are filled. If you're expecting guests and are short on time, you can buy flavored whipped cream to portion out and freeze. Making frozen whipped cream cubes is an easy hack that can quickly turn a regular cup of hot chocolate into a fun treat. And why stop at hot chocolate? You can even use them to turn tomorrow's morning latte into a festive occasion.