guest post by ashley schuering - https://confessionsofagroceryaddict.com
With back-to-school season here, the team at Chuao decided to celebrate with a grown-up beverage for the young at heart—our Adult Chocolate Milk Cocktail! If you’ve been feeling nostalgic for simpler days, this sweet sipper is just the thing your next happy hour needs.
Alcoholic chocolate milk for adults? Trust us, it’s a thing. Our recipe combines creamy, dreamy milk with plenty of Chuao chocolate (both drinking chocolate mix and your favorite bar), plus a generous glug of spirit—the boozy kind, not the 👻 kind, that is—for a sumptuous libation that’ll wash off even the most terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
Ingredients
Chocolate milk base:
-
5 tablespoons of deluxious dark drinking chocolate or spicy maya drinking chocolate
-
3.5 cups of chilled milk of choice, divided
-
1 full-sized Chuao chocolate bar or drinking chocolate of choice, broken into pieces
To assemble:
-
scant 1 cup chocolate milk base per beverage
-
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) spirit of choice per beverage
-
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) liqueur of choice per beverage
Instructions
This easy chocolate milk for adults comes together with just a few minutes of prep work. Here’s how.
Step 1: Heat. Add drinking chocolate mix and ½ cup of milk to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until the milk comes to a simmer, whisking constantly to dissolve the drinking chocolate. When the milk comes to a simmer, remove from heat.
Step 2: Melt & Whisk. Add the extra chocolate to the mix and let sit for 5 minutes to melt. Whisk to combine, making sure the mixture is totally smooth (If needed, use an immersion blender).
Step 3: Chill. Add the remaining cold milk to chill the mixture down. You can refrigerate the chocolate milk mixture until you’re ready to serve. It should keep well in the fridge for up to a week.
Step 4: Assemble. Add a shot of your spirit of choice, then top with a scant cup of the chocolate milk mixture and gently stir to combine. Cheers!
Optional Variations
With Chuao’s spectacular selection of fun chocolate flavors and a bit of imagination, you can create a veritable library of lovely libations. Here are just a few ideas of how to match Chuao chocolate with top-notch tipples.
-
Spicy Maya + tequila + orange liqueur
-
Sweet & Salty + vanilla vodka + chocolate liqueur
-
Pumpkin Spice Smores + vanilla vodka + pumpkin spice liqueur or cinnamon whiskey
-
Oh My Smores + marshmallow vodka + irish cream
Feeling a little extra? You can also gussy up your presentation by lightly wetting the edge of your glass with chocolate sauce, then dipping it into a shallow plate of chocolate sprinkles to get them to adhere. Or, try serving the boozy chocolate milk shot out of miniature cookie shot glasses for extra sweetness!
Expert Tips & Storage Instructions
-
Batching for Parties - If you’re hosting friends, save yourself the step-by-step assembly and scale the recipe up. Make a large batch of the chocolate milk base ahead of time, then store it in a covered pitcher or glass bottles in the fridge. When party time rolls around, just set out the base with a few bottles of your chosen spirits and liqueurs—guests can mix and match their own drinks to taste. Pro Tip: label the bottles with little tags so everyone knows what pairs well with which Chuao flavor.
-
Set Up a Boozy Chocolate Milk Bar - For a serious crowd-pleaser, create a build-your-own chocolate milk cocktail bar. Start with a few varieties of Chuao chocolate bases (think Spicy Maya for heat or Pumpkin Spice for fall). Set out an array of spirits and liqueurs, plus toppings like whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or even mini marshmallows. This interactive setup not only looks impressive but also lets each guest customize their perfect nostalgic-but-grown-up treat.
-
Make-Ahead Chocolate Milk - Spiked chocolate milk is best served fresh, but the chocolate milk base can be prepared up to a week in advance. Simply store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good shake or whisk before serving, as natural separation may occur. If you’d like to get ahead on presentation, rim your glasses with chocolate sauce and sprinkles earlier in the day, then let them set until ready to serve. Note that freezing the chocolate milk is not recommended, as the texture will become gritty when defrosted.
Other Chocolatey Cocktails to Try
At the end of the day, adult chocolate milk is proof that some childhood joys are even better when you grow up. Whether you’re sipping solo after a long week or setting up a full-on boozy chocolate milk bar for friends, this nostalgic cocktail has a way of turning any moment into something a little more magical.
Ready to shake up your next happy hour? The secret, of course, is starting with really good chocolate—and nobody does that better than Chuao. Stock up on our drinking chocolate and chocolate bars so you’ll always have the sweetest ingredient on hand! After all, life’s too short not to sip a little joy. Cheers! 🥂
