Hot Chocolate Bar Decor Ideas and Toppings

Join me for some festive Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas and warm up this holiday season by creating your own DIY hot cocoa bar. Perfect for your family and guests, pour a cup of cocoa, add the toppings and enjoy!

Creating a DIY hot chocolate bar is a simple celebration of the holiday season. It is one of my favorite ways to create a cozy winter space for my family.

During the long, dark, cold days of winter, my family enjoys making their own hot chocolate drink and adding their choice of toppings. It is cozy, delicious, and decadent.

The best thing about creating your own hot cocoa bar is that you can keep it simple or make it as detailed as you desire.

I love coordinating my winter decorating theme. So, to match my Woodland Christmas tree, I am sharing my rustic hot chocolate bar with a woodland touch.

This is the list of ultimate chocolate bar ideas, from decor to hot cocoa toppings!

Hot Chocolate Bar Decor

Hot chocolate bar decor can be as simple or as decorated as you would like, from a simple wooden tray on the kitchen counter to a fully decorated buffet.

Here are a few ideas for adding holiday cheer to your cocoa bar:

• Mounting Putty – is essential to keep the decor in place so that nothing gets knocked over. I used it on the bottom of my bottle brush trees, reindeer, and the jar filled with candy canes.
  • Mounting Putty

• Bottle Brush Trees – available in all sizes and colors, bottle brush Christmas trees are the perfect addition for a festive woodland touch.
  • Bottle Brush Trees

• Reindeer – I love adding reindeer to my holiday decor for a rustic festive feel.

• Holiday Sprays or Picks – the possibilities are endless regarding the availability of holiday sprays and picks. For a free option, consider clipping your own evergreen foliage.
  • A few of my favorite Sprays and Picks are shared HERE

• Bakers Twine/Ribbon – add some ribbon around the jars to add a festive touch, and use baker’s twine to tie on labels and decorations.
  • Merry Christmas Ribbon
  • Bakers Twine

• Pinecones – another fun idea is to use pinecones to decorate the hot cocoa bar or mini pinecone ornaments to decorate the jars.
  • Mini Pinecone Ornaments

• Lights – mini fairy lights can add a special glow and atmosphere when placed in the bottom of the tray or woven amongst the jars and hot chocolate mugs. I prefer to use battery-operated lights so that I don’t have to worry about being near a wall outlet to plug the lights in.
  • Mini Fairy Lights

• Tissue Paper – I used two different kinds of tissue paper and lined the bottom of my tray to add more texture to the arrangement. It will also help protect the wooden tray in case something gets spilled.
  • Christmas Tissue Paper

• Stands – to create different levels for various toppings, use various sizes of wooden pedestal stands to hold the jars or decor. Another great option is to use tree rounds to add height to the jars and a feel of rustic charm.
  • Wooden Pedestal Stand
  • Tree Rounds

• Hot Cocoa Bar Sign – create your own using a chalkboard, find free printables online or buy a pre-made one. While I don’t have the set-up for adding a hot chocolate bar sign, it adds an extra festive touch if you have the space.
  • Hot Cocoa Sign

• Candles – Consider adding several candles to set a cozy, festive mood. Place them in several locations in the setup if you are decorating a larger space, such as a buffet or side table. Just be sure to take precautions so they don’t get knocked over.
  • My Favorite Candle

Hot Cocoa Bar Ideas

• Crock Pot and Ladle – If you are serving hot chocolate to a large group, plan to make it ahead. Then keep it warm in the crock pot and let individuals ladle it into their mugs.

• Mugs – Set out an array of coffee mugs or disposable coffee cups for your family or guests to choose from. I love using my mugs from the Hearth and Home collection, or you can purchase disposable cups with sleeves and lids.
  • Hearth and Home Mugs
  • Cups with Sleeves and Lids

• Labels – Use labels to identify the different toppings in each of the jars. I purchased several small wooden ornaments to use as a label, but you can be as creative as you like. Purchase pre-made ones or make your own using cardstock or Christmas tags.
  • Plain Tags
  • Pre-Made Hot Cocoa Tags

• Jars – I used mason jars in different sizes for the hot chocolate bar toppings. I really like using a wide-mouth jar, as the opening makes it easy to scoop the toppings out. Use a variety of styles and sizes to add height and interest to the grouping of toppings.
  • Storage Latch Jars

• Spoons – To stir the hot chocolate, you need to set some spoons near or on the hot chocolate station. For a budget-friendly option, I used some silver spoons that I found at local thrift stores. However, you can use wooden spoons or coffee stir sticks.
  • Wooden Spoons
  • Coffee Stir Sticks

• Scoops – Don’t forget to add some scoops or spoons to get all those delicious toppings out of the jars.
  • My Wooden Scoops

• Tray – I placed all the Christmas decorations and jars in a large wooden tray with handles for my hot chocolate bar. This is a great option if you can move the tray around easily.
  • Wooden Trays

Hot Chocolate Bar Toppings

Have you wondered what you put in a hot chocolate station besides the usual whipped cream and marshmallows? Here is a list of delicious hot chocolate toppings:

Hot Chocolate

• Homemade: Make your own delicious hot chocolate recipe, a great option for serving a large group. Make it ahead and keep it warm in a slow cooker; then, each person can dip out their desired amount using a ladle.

• Instant Powder: If you do not want to make hot chocolate from scratch, you can use store-bought hot chocolate mixes. You can stir the hot chocolate mix into hot water, but we prefer the rich, delicious taste when mixed with warm milk.
  • William Sonoma Classic Hot Chocolate
  • Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa

Best Hot Chocolate Toppings and Stir Ins

Keep the hot chocolate bar simple and easy with just a few of these topping selections, or make it elaborate! This section is for those wondering what I can top hot chocolate with:

• Caramel Chips
• Soft Caramels
• Mini Marshmallows
• Chocolate Caramel Truffles
• Chocolate Chips
• English Toffee Bits
• A Dollop of Ice Cream
• White Chocolate Chips
• Hot Chocolate Bombs
• Jumbo Marshmallows

What to Sprinkle on Hot Chocolate

Once you have your mug of hot cocoa and have added in your favorite toppings, then added the whipped cream, don’t forget the final step of sprinkling on some added flavor!

Here is a list of options to add the finishing touch to your drink.

• Peppermint Bark
• Peppermint Candy
• Shaved Chocolate Bars
• White Chocolate Shavings
• Sea Salt
• Toffee Bits
• Ground Cinnamon

Syrups and Sauce

Add a touch of decadence to your drink with a drizzle of syrups or sauces over the top of your whipped cream!

• Chocolate
• Caramel Sauce
• White Chocolate
• Sea Salt Caramel
• Dulce de Leche

Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas for Stirrers

Once you have your hot cup of cocoa prepared, don’t forget to add a stirrer.

• Candy Cane
• Chocolate Coated Pretzel Stick
• Peppermint Sticks
• Pirouette Cookies

How to Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar

A hot chocolate bar can be as simple or as detailed as desired, from a wooden tray on the kitchen island to a fully decorated table. There is no wrong way to set up a hot chocolate bar. Here is how to make a hot chocolate bar for Christmas:

Location: Decide where you will put your hot chocolate bar. Pick a convenient spot for everyone to reach the hot chocolate and toppings.

Set-Up: Set the ingredients up in an orderly to create a hot chocolate bar party that people can easily move along. Make a clear starting point with enough mugs for your guests on one end, followed by the prepared hot cocoa mix and then the toppings.

How to Make a Hot Chocolate Bar

There are so many ways to make a hot chocolate bar. But here is a simple idea with instructions on how I made our rustic woodland Hot Chocolate Bar.

Gather Decor: Begin with layering pretty Christmas tissue paper in the bottom of a wooden tray. Then, add the tall decor pieces to the back area of the tray.

Decorate Jars: To decorate the jars, use ribbon to add a festive touch. A great way to attach the ribbon to the jars is to use mounting putty to hold the ribbon in place.

Add Labels: Use hot chocolate bar labels to identify the jars’ contents. Using baker twine, tie the labels around the top of the jar. Add on a miniature ornament for a holiday touch.

Fill the Jars: Once the jars are labeled, add the sweet treats that will fill the mugs. Then, place the jars on the wooden tray.

Add the Finishing Touches: Arrange the jars and decor on the wooden tray to what you think looks best. Then, add the finishing touches by adding a string of white lights and filling any empty spaces with holiday picks.

I hope this post inspires you with ways to create the ultimate hot chocolate bar for this hot chocolate season! It is a fun way to celebrate the season and chase away the winter blues!

It is the perfect way to celebrate with dear friends and family! Cheers to a delicious cup of hot cocoa!