A hot chocolate charcuterie board is such a fun and interactive element to bring to any winter gathering. No meat. No cheese. Just plenty of delicious goodies to spice up a steaming mug of hot chocolate, the way you like it!

First, you need the perfect hot chocolate recipe. My Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe uses the best cocoa powder I can find plus a touch of cinnamon, and my cognac-infused madagascar pure vanilla extract. If you like a little spice in your cocoa, add a pinch of ancho chile powder or cayenne for an extra kick.

A few extra-special items that I always include are a few homemade dessert sauces like my Easy Caramel Sauce recipe with Koval Chrysanthemum Honey liqueur and my super-easy Classic Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce, and of course, my friend Terri’s Homemade Marshmallows. They are easy to make ahead and can even be frozen so you can pull them out as you need them.

It’s hard for me to have a cup of hot chocolate or a cappuccino without rummaging through my biscotti jar. I just love dunking hearty, homemade baked goods into a yummy warm winter beverage. If you’re looking for baked goods that will hold up to a nice dunk, check out my biscotti recipes for cherry pistachio, Allspice cookieschocolate espresso hazelnut biscotti, gingerbread, or chocolate espresso hazelnut biscotti, or try my holiday Allspice cookies.

• Use a slow cooker to keep your hot chocolate warm
• Include a few homemade goodies like Christmas cookies, biscotti, dessert sauces, or marshmallows to set it apart
• Include optional boozy ingredients like peppermint schnapps, dark rum, bourbon, or Bailey’s Irish Cream for the adults who would like a little extra kick
• Grab a cookie cutter and make your homemade marshmallows snowflake-shaped to really put your charcuterie board over the top!
• Spice it up by swapping traditional hot cocoa for my spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe