There’s a coffee bar in Anaheim, California that is so full of so many of my favourite things that I’m sure it must be run by my long lost cousin twice removed. It’s called Creme & Sugar, and it’s full of magic like cold brew coffee served up in a mason jar, Lavender and Honey cake, and espresso so good you’ll feel it all the way to your toes. They also make signature hot chocolate, and that’s where Unicorn hot chocolate was born.
Unicorn hot chocolate isn’t like any hot chocolate you’ve ever had. It’s a frothy pink mug of steaming hot chocolate that just explodes out of the cup, and one look at it and you know that if a unicorn was going to make hot chocolate, that’s exactly what it would look like.
But you can’t judge it just based on looks, because Unicorn hot chocolate actually tastes better than it looks. The sky’s the limit to how many sprinkles you can add, and overflowing your hot chocolate is actually encouraged.
Not a lot of us can jump the plane and head to Creme & Sugar for a cup of this amazing hot chocolate, but the good news is that you don’t have to. I’m going to show you exactly how to make Unicorn hot chocolate, and the best part? It’s actually really easy.
If you don’t have unicorn dust in your pantry I’ll share my secret: Wilton white sugar sprinkles will always add a bit of magic to your mug, and because we’re Canadian, you absolutely have to add in some snowflakes.
I’m also going to share a little recipe I try to make every Christmas eve: Gingerbread Beignets. I first had these beignets one year when I went to Disneyland at Christmas, and now I have to have them at least once during the holidays. Try them and they might become one of your holiday traditions too.
Christmas Eve is tomorrow and if you need something to wow your people while you wait for Santa to arrive, you can’t go wrong with either of these recipes.
Unicorn Hot Chocolate Recipe
Creme & Sugar hasn’t shared the recipe for Unicorn hot chocolate, so I’ve adapted a recipe for white hot chocolate and worked through the steps for creating the unicorn-version on my own. Take a look at my video for a one minute walk through on how easy it is to make this magical drink.
Ingredients
For the pink hot chocolate (makes one cup)
2 cups of milk of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz. white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp red food colouring
For the topping
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp red food colouring
Wilton sprinkles (rainbow sprinkles, white sugar sprinkles, snowflakes, or anything you’d like)
Rainbow marshmallows
Directions
Place your heavy cream in your stand mixer. I have a KitchenAid Classic that whips cream up like a charm.
Add your red food colouring and icing sugar to sweeten if desired.
When your cream is whipped set aside.
Stir together your milk, vanilla and white chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Stir in the red food colouring.
Cook over low heat, constantly stirring, until you can see steam coming off the pink hot chocolate. Don’t let your mixture boil, and remove from heat.
Pour your pink hot chocolate in a wide mug. It should fill approximately 3/4 of the cup.
Put your whip cream in a Wilton decorating bag and cut the tip off. Pipe the whip cream onto your pink hot chocolate.
Immediately top with sprinkles, marshmallows, and unicorn dust, and don’t worry if you overflow a bit.
Serve immediately.
Gingerbread Beignet recipe
This recipe and photo is from the foodchannel.com, and it always turns out for me. The taste is amazing, but thanks to the spices and molasses, they also make your entire house smell like the holidays.
Ingredients
1 cup evaporated milk OR half and half, heated until warm but not hot
1 envelope dry active yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup shortening
Oil for deep-frying
1 cup powdered sugar (optional, either for glaze or dusting)
2-3 tablespoons cider (for glaze)
Directions
Combine evaporated milk (or half and half) and yeast in a large bowl.
Add egg, molasses, sugar, and vegetable oil.
Stir just until yeast is dissolved.
Sift together 4 cups flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in medium bowl.
Add half of flour mixture to milk mixture.
Mix well.
Add shortening, blending until combined, then add remaining flour mixture.
Knead until mixture comes together, adding remaining 1/2 cup flour, a bit at a time, if needed.
Form dough into ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
On a floured board, roll dough to 1/3-inch thickness.
Cut into 24 squares.
Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free area for 45 minutes.
Add about 3 inches of vegetable oil to a deep-sided pan.
Heat oil to 375°F.
Drop in dough squares a few at a time, turning frequently with a long-handled slotted spoon.
Cook until puffed and golden.
Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
To make glaze, add cider to powdered sugar a little at a time, until of pouring consistency.
Dust hot beignets with powdered sugar or glaze with a cider & powdered sugar glaze.
Wondering how to serve Unicorn hot chocolate and Gingerbread beignets? My favourite way to serve is to set up a hot chocolate bar in the kitchen and have holidays guests come by. Pass out a custom hot chocolate, let them choose from a plate of steaming hot beignets, and spread Christmas cheer to everyone who’s lucky enough to come by.
It’s hard to believe that the holidays are almost over and Christmas Eve is tomorrow, but making both of these recipes will definitely end your festive season with a bang. I think I heard that Santa loves Unicorn hot chocolate and beignets too, so you might want to leave some out for the big guy.
May you and your family have a very Merry Christmas, and if you need a few kitchen tools to make Unicorn hot chocolate and gingerbread beignets, take a peek at some of my favourites.
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