Need something to do with all of those candy canes from Christmas?  Want a tasty way to warm up after shoveling the snow?  Make yourself some peppermint hot cocoa!

Homemade Peppermint Hot Cocoa
4 cups milk
2 ounces chocolate chips – the minis melt faster, but all work well, even Hershey’s Kisses in a pinch!
4 peppermint candy canes, crushed to powder
1 cup whipped cream
4 small peppermint candy canes

In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the mini chocolate chips and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with mounds of whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles. Serve each with a mini candy cane stirring stick.

If you don’t have the above ingredients on hand, but still want a mug of peppermint hot cocoa, just crush up a left over candy cane from Christmas, and stir it into your favorite cocoa mix.  If you were given peppermint bark, stir a piece of that into your hot cocoa instead for an extra chocolatey pepperminty kick!

All variations of this cocoa are amazing!