You are going to love this Butter Pecan Hot Cocoa Bomb Recipe. You won’t really know how easy it is until you make it for yourself! Just take a look at the photo below, and the recipe. You’ll be an enthusiastic hot cocoa bomb devotee before you know it!
How to Make Hot Cocoa Bombs
If you’d like to make a generic hot cocoa bomb, you can use the ingredients list below. But, the recipe for these gorgeous (and delicious) butter pecan hot cocoa bombs is at the bottom of this post!
Ingredients to Make Hot Cocoa Bombs
The recipe for a basic hot cocoa bomb couldn’t be easier. There’s only 3 ingredients!:
- Marshmallows (I prefer Mini marshmallows. They are the best, and you can fill your hot chocolate bomb with them. If you use a jumbo marshmallow, that’s all you get–just one marshmallow. A bunch of marshmallows are just a lot more fun!)
- Hot Cocoa Powder (you can use your favorite flavor)
- Chocolate Candy Melts (paid link) (use the flavor that complements the hot cocoa powder you choose)
That’s all it takes! You can make millions of different hot cocoa bombs with different combinations of flavors (like egg nog, nutella, or pecan praline–those are just a few favorites of mine). You can make a unique hot cocoa bomb for any occasion.
You’re going to need a mold for the chocolate balls. My favorite is a silicone mold. Silicone molds turn out the shiniest, prettiest hot cocoa bombs every time!
What is a Hot Chocolate Bomb?
A Hot Chocolate Bomb and a hot cocoa bomb are the same thing. A hollow chocolate ball is filled with different things, like:
- Andes mints
- Banana chips (dehydrated)
- Brown sugar
- Butterscotch chips (or bits)
- Candy canes (crushed or very small)
- Caramel bits
- Cherries (dried)
- Chocolate chips
- Cinnamon
- Cinnamon candies
- Cinnamon toast crunch
- Cocoa puffs
- Coconut
- Coffee beans (course ground)
- Cookie crumbles
- Crunch berries
- English toffee
- Fruit Loops
- Graham cracker pieces
- Hazelnuts
- Hot chocolate mix
- Lucky charms
- Marshmallows
- Peach bits (freeze dried)
- Peanut butter
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Peppermint candies
- Pineapple (candied)
- Red hot candies
- Rock candy
- Sprinkles (like you use for cake decorating)
- Strawberries (freeze dried)
- Sugar sprinkles
- White chocolate pieces
Once the bomb is completely assembled, warm some milk (or hot cocoa), put the hot cocoa bomb in a large mug, and pour the warm liquid over it. The shell will melt, and the marshmallows and other fillings will “POP” to the top of the mug! You can customize your hot cocoa bombs in an unlimited number of ways…just let your imagination take guide you.
Can You Just Eat Hot Chocolate Bombs?
Eating a hot cocoa bomb is perfectly acceptable! Some people prefer eating the treat to drinking the melted chocolate and warmed liquid. You can just serve your favorite hot cocoa bomb on a pie plate or saucer and dig in with a fork (or just bite into it)!
The hot cocoa mix inside your hot cocoa bomb might be a little messy, so you could leave that out, if you wanted.
There are some edible alternatives to hot cocoa bombs. Here are a couple of cool things for you to try: Harry Potter hot cocoa shots and birthday cake hot cocoa shots.
Here are the Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Basic Hot Cocoa Bombs
You are going to be amazed by how easy it is to make your own hot cocoa bombs. You can make a group of 3 hot cocoa bombs in about 15-20 minutes. That includes putting the decorations on top! The first time I made hot cocoa bombs, it took e a little longer, but once I got the hang of it, I can make a set in under 15 minutes, start to finish.
Here’s my go-to method for making a basic hot cocoa bomb:
- Put the chocolate candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals (stir between the 30-second intervals), continue until your chocolate melts are melted completely, and are smooth and shiny.
- Put about a tablespoon of your melted chocolate into each half of your “chocolate ball” half molds and coat the entire mold. Make sure there are no holes in the melted chocolate coating. Use the back of your spoon to get the chocolate up the sides of the mold (no brush is needed).
- Put the mold in the freezer, and let it set for 3-5 minutes. The chocolate should be stiff and hold its shape.
- Take the mold out of the freezer, and peel the mold away from the little chocolate cups. Wearing gloves will prevent you leaving fingerprints on your chocolate. However, if you work fast, there won’t be any problem with fingerprints.
- Put a ceramic or glass plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Take a chocolate cup and put the rough edge on the surface of the warmed plate. The edge will melt a little bit and create a smooth surface. Repeat with the other five cups.
- Put 1 tablespoon of hot cocoa mix and a handful of mini marshmallows into each of 3 chocolate cups.
- Warm the edge of one of the three empty chocolate cups and put it on top of a filled chocolate cup. The melted seams will seal together. If necessary, use your finger to put a little melted chocolate around the seam.
- Decorate the completed chocolate balls with sprinkles or drizzle to your heart’s content!
What Chocolate is Best for Making Hot Chocolate Bombs?
I think that candy melts are best for making hot cocoa bombs. Candy melts make hot cocoa bombs so easy, because they are made in the color and flavor of your choice. In addition, they don’t need to be tempered when making the perfect hot cocoa bomb.
Any chocolate will work, If, for whatever reason, candy melts just won’t work for you. But keep in mind that candy melts are specifically made for molding chocolate. The final product is normally pretty predictable.
Do I Have to Temper My Chocolate?
Using candy melts will mean that you don’t need to temper your chocolate. However, if you decide to use other chocolate like candy bars or chocolate chips, tempering your chocolate will probably be required.
The problem is that “other” (not candy melt) chocolate is more inclined to crack and fall apart as you try to remove the mold. Sometimes this chocolate will also be brittle. One way to combat these problems is to put extra melted chocolate in the molds, especially on the sides and around the edges. You may need to put two coats on each mold.
Can You Make Milk Chocolate Cocoa Bombs?
Milk chocolate hot chocolate bombs are just as easy as the regular chocolate ones. You can use milk chocolate candy melts (paid link) or milk chocolate chips. The only thing to remember is that if your using a chocolate that is not candy melts, you will probably need to temper the chocolate.
Vegan Hot Cocoa Bombs
Vegan hot cocoa bombs are easy-peasy! All you have to do is choose the right ingredients, meaning candy melts. Yes, there are vegan candy melts, and here is where you can find them:
If you don’t want to use the candy melts, you can always use your favorite vegan chocolate. But, that other chocolate may require you to temper your chocolate.
Can You Make White Chocolate Cocoa Bombs?
Candy melts, candy melts, candy melts…yes, they are available in white chocolate! That’s going to make your endeavor much easier than using chocolate that is not candy melts. Use the same procedure outlined above, and you’ll have white chocolate cocoa bombs lickety-split.
How To Color Chocolate for Hot Cocoa Bombs
Coloring candy melts is not difficult, as long as you use gel food coloring.
Candy melts come in a variety of colors and delicious flavors. However, if you’re using chocolate that is not a candy melt or you choose to color your candy melts (I know, sometimes the unexpected does happen), be sure to use gel food coloring (paid link). To ward off the effects of your chocolate starting to seize-up keep some olive oil on hand. When I say the chocolate might seize up, I mean that it may get stiff and become difficult to stir. If this happens, you can add a tablespoon of oil (or more, if needed) for every half cup of chocolate. That should get your chocolate to smooth out again. If you’d like to see how this works, you can take a look at my Butterbeer Hot Cocoa Bombs. It’s kind of interesting.
What Mold is Best for Making Hot Chocolate Bombs?
Silicon molds are my favorite, but they are not available in as many shapes as acrylic molds. If you are only wanting to make round hot cocoa bombs, silicone is probably your best bet, because they pull away from the chocolate more easily than acrylic molds. But, you should also check the prices–silicone molds can be more expensive than acrylic.
How to Use Hot Cocoa Bombs
It’s so simple to use a hot cocoa bomb. May favorite way is:
- Put the hot cocoa bomb in a large mug.
- Heat some milk in another cup for about a minute in the microwave. You’ll want it hot enough to melt the chocolate.
- Pour your hot milk over your cocoa bomb. The chocolate will begin to melt, and the filling will “pop” to the surface.
You may want to use a spoon to stir this concoction, but you’ll be amazed and entertained!
Put your completed hot cocoa bombs in an airtight container, and they can be sored at room temperature. You can also store them in the refrigerator, but that can cause your chocolate to become cloudy.
Butter Pecan Hot Cocoa Bomb Recipe
Since you’ve decided that this post is the ultimate resource, providing all the information you need about hot cocoa bombs, and because you’ll want to return to this recipe for Butter Pecan Hot Cocoa Bombs, be sure to pin it to your favorite winter recipes board on Pinterest so you can find it again fast!
Butter Pecan Hot Cocoa Bombs
You are going to love this Butter Pecan Hot Cocoa Bomb Recipe. You won't really know how easy it is until you make it for yourself!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
- 1 cup White Hot Cocoa Mix
- 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 6 Pecan Halves
- 1/2 cup Crushed Pecans
- 2 tbsp Orange and Yellow Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl until completely melted and smooth.
- Place 1 tbsp of butterscotch into each of the half-sphere molds, coating the mold in an even but thick coat. Reserve the remaining melted butterscotch chips.
- Place the molds into the freezer to set for 3-5 minutes.
- Once hardened, remove the molds from the freezer, then remove the butterscotch cups from the mold.
- If the edges are not even, heat a plate in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until hot to the touch, then place the open edge of the cups onto the plate and rub them in a circle until the edge of the cup is smooth and even.
- Fill half of the butterscotch cups with 1 tbsp of white hot cocoa mix , 1 tbsp of crushed pecan pieces and 5-10 mini marshmallows.
- To seal the cocoa bombs closed, heat a plate in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until hot to the touch, then place the open edge of the un-filled cups onto the plate and rub them in a circle until the edge of the cup is warm and melty. Immediately place this melted-edge cup on top of a filled cup, sealing the two edges together. Repeat sealing all of the hot cocoa bombs closed.
- Dollop some of the reserved melted butterscotch chips on top of a hot cocoa bomb, then place 1 half of a pecan and some sprinkles on top. Repeat with the remaining hot cocoa bombs.
- Allow the butterscotch to set, then enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 552Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 408mgCarbohydrates: 91gFiber: 4gSugar: 74gProtein: 7g