This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dairy MAX for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.
This deliciously creamy peppermint hot chocolate recipe is a crowd-pleaser and sure to warm you up this winter from the inside out!
Is there anything better than hot chocolate on a cold winter day? I can't think of anything. And peppermint hot chocolate? Mind blowing. And I'm not talking about some powder dissolved in water either. No no no. I'm talking about decadent, creamy, peppermint hot chocolate made with real whole milk, melted chocolate and a pinch of love. It's what cocoa dreams are made of, you guys. 
If you've never made REAL hot chocolate before, you are in for a treat. What makes it so unbelievably delicious? The creamy whole milk and half & half, of course! The texture of real dairy simply cannot be replicated with a packet of powder. And have you taken a look at the ingredients list on a can of powdered hot chocolate mix? Yuck. Give me real wholesome dairy products any day.
I am lucky to live in one of the few areas of the country left where we get our milk (and other dairy products like cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.) delivered from a local dairy farm right to our door each week. It's amazing! The family-owned dairy farm is located about 45 minutes north of here and every Monday they make a trip down to my town to make the rounds and deliver goodness to the cooler on my doorstep. It makes Mondays much less painful around here and I love supporting local dairies and the families who run them! 
My family has never met a dairy product we didn't like. And thank goodness because there are lots of health benefits to having dairy products in our diets. According to choosemyplate.gov it is recommended that children ages 2-3 have 2 servings per day, ages 4-8 is 2.5 serving per day and then ages 9 and up it is recommended that they have 3 servings per day. Foods in the dairy group provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These include nutrients such as calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
You can find many, many more scrumptious dairy-packed recipes at DairyDiscoveryZone.com and learn more about dairy's role in building healthy bodies here: Dairy MAX
So are you ready to make the best peppermint hot chocolate you've ever tasted? I thought so! 
AMAZING PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups half & half
1 cup chocolate chips, milk or dark
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
Instructions:
- Stir milk and half & half in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until just barely simmering.
- Reduce heat and add in chocolate chips. Whisk until chocolate is melted.
- Add in cornstarch and peppermint extract and continue whisking until smooth. Enjoy that delicious aroma!
- Top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, crushed candy canes, and/or peppermint stick, if desired. But I highly recommend it. 🙂
** PIN IMAGE BELOW TO SAVE FOR LATER OR TO SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS! **
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