Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombs are such a fun and festive way to spread Christmas cheer! Easy to make and fun to gift, these treats are a great holiday treat!
A few years a go I shared my hot cocoa bombs post and it went crazy viral on Youtube. This was during the peak craze of all things hot cocoa bombs.
Although the craze has calmed down a bit, I still love to make them and give them as gifts, especially around Christmas!
If you like these fun decorated Christmas Treats, check out my Christmas Cake Pops, Christmas Rice Krispies, and these Christmas Oreo Balls!
What you need for Christmas Hot Cocoa Bombs?
- Candy Melts- Use different colors for different designs!
- Sprinkles, Luster Dust, or other Decorations
- 3-Piece Molds or Silicon Molds
- Clear Plastic Baggies to wrap them in if giving as gifts
Silicone vs 3-Piece Molds
In my last hot cocoa bomb post, I used silicone molds. The worked fine but did have a learning curve that I did not enjoy.
When I first used my 3-Piece Molds- WOW! It was so easy and produced way more consistently good set pieces of chocolate.
Plus, the 3-piece molds come is so many different shapes that the possibilities are numerous!
For these hot cocoa bombs, I went with 3 different molds. The classic smooth ball, a Christmas Ornament mold, and a geometric sphere style mold. (amazon affiliate links)
How big should molds be?
My silicone molds are ~2 ½ inches in diameter and the 3-piece molds are just under ~2 inches in diameter (50 mm).
Doesn’t sound like a huge difference but the size of each bomb is significantly different.
Although the big ones are fun, I still prefer the smaller ones. Not only do they make more for how much chocolate you use, but they are already so sweet as the small ones that the large ones can get overly sweet very easily.
Don’t get stuck on just round hot cocoa bombs either. There are tree molds, Santa molds, stocking molds and so many more!
How to make Christmas Hot Cocoa Bombs?
- Mark your 3-piece mold fill lines. This makes using theme even easier!
- Melt your candy melts at 50% power in the microwave. I recommend melting the candy melts in batches, using up a batch before moving on to melting more.
- Fill the mold up to the fill line with chocolate, add the insert, and then flip the mold upside down. Gently press the mold to smoosh the chocolate all the wat to the edge if it needs help.
- Stick the mold in the freezer (my preference) or refrigerator until set.
- Once set, the hardened chocolate should easily pop out.
- Fill one ½ of the chocolate bomb with hot coca mix and marshmallows or small candy pieces.
- With either a hot plate or a warm fry pan, place an empty chocolate shell rim down and allow the edge to melt slightly.
- Stick the slightly melted edge against one of the filled chocolate shells and gently press together.
- Allow each hot chocolate bomb to set up completely, then drizzle melted candy melts over them if desired or decorate to look like the character you want.
- Enjoy by pouring hot milk over the hot cocoa bomb and watch it melt!
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Hot Cocoa Bomb Tips
- Don’t stack the molds in the freezer/refrigerator. This can cause the chocolate to bloom.
- Place the molds on a flat surface, dome side up, in the freezer to help the chocolate set correctly.
- If the chocolate doesn’t easily pop out of the mold, this means the chocolate isn’t full set. Return the molds to the freezer or refrigerator for another 5-10 minutes and try again.
- If making large quantities, some people like to decorate each half of the cocoa bomb first before filling and assembling.
- To avoid finger prints when decorating, where food safe plastic gloves.
- Using a cupcake pan upside down, to hold the cocoa bombs as the decorations dry, so they don’t roll!
- Hand wash your molds. Do not put in the dishwasher!
How to make Grinch Bombs?
Use green candy melts, with green lines piped on, and a heart sprinkle.
How to make Snowman Bombs?
Use white candy melts, with a little black, orange, brown, and red piped on for the featured, and mini reeses for the hat.
How to make Reindeer Bombs?
Use brown candy melts, pretzel for the antlers, 2 black dots for the eyes, and a red candy for the nose.
How to make Santa Bombs?
Use red candy melts, then pipe on black and yellow melts for the belt and buckle.
How to make Snow Ball /Glitter Ball Bombs?
Use extra melted chocolate and sanding sugar. Smooth some melted chocolate melts over the bomb then quickly roll in the sanding sugar so it sticks and covers the hot cocoa bomb.
How to make Ornament Hot Chocolate Bombs?
The easiest and best way I’ve found to cover chocolate bombs with a shine is use food grade luster dust. Place a small amount of luster dust in a ¼ filled baggie of round sprinkles.
Place the hot cocoa bomb in the bag and gently roll the sprinkles over the chocolate. This will adhere the luster dust but not the sprinkles.
Only if you temper the chocolate. Tempering chocolate is quite a process that if you get wrong, the chocolate won’t set and will be soft at room temperature. Not what you want for hot cocoa bombs.
This is up to your preference, but milk has a little fat in it so it can help cut through some of the sweetness of the cocoa bombs.
Not typically. Only if they have a perishable filling added to the center.
Make sure to check out all my Christmas Recipes, especially this tasty Christmas Cheesecake, my Grinch Cookies, and this Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Dip!
Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombs
Equipment
- Molds*- Classic Sphere, Trees, Bulbs etc
Ingredients
- 12 oz Chocolate candy melts (makes ~6-15 hot cocoa bombs depending on size of molds.
- ½-1 tbs Hot cocoa mix per bomb
- Mini marshmallows optional
- Crushed Peppermint Pieces optional
Instructions
- If using 3-piece molds (highly recommend), mark the fill line on the outside of the molds with a sharpie. This makes it easy to see. If using silicone molds check out this post hear to see how to use them.
- Place ½ of the chocolate candy melts in a microwave safe dish. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until melted. I like to work with the melts in batches.
- Spoon the melted candy melt into the mold up to the fill line, place the insert into the mold. Then flip the mold and gently press the chocolate around so it covers all the mold.
- Pop the molds into the freezer or refrigerator, set flat and not stacked one on top of another. * Freeze for 8-10 minutes or refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Gently remove each half of hardened melts and the inserts from the molds. Then repeat steps 1-4 with the remaining chocolate candy melts. The chocolate should come away from the molds very easily if set fully. If they are sticking and not popping out, return the molds to the freezer/refrigerator for another 5-10 minutes and try again.
- Fill half of all the chocolate shells with your preferred Hot Cocoa.
- With either a hot plate or a warm fry pan, place an empty chocolate shell rim down and allow the edge to melt slightly.
- Stick the slightly melted edge against one of the filled chocolate shells and gently press together. You may need to smooth out the melted chocolate over the seam for it to seal.
- Allow each hot chocolate bomb to set up completely, then drizzle melted candy melts over them if desired or decorate to look like the character you want.
- Enjoy by pouring hot milk over the Hot Cocoa Bomb so it melts, then stir and enjoy!
Grinch Bomb
- Use green candy melts with a heart sprinkle
Snowman Bombs
- Use white candy melts, with a little black, orange, and brown with some mini reeses for the hat or use a marshmallow for the head.
Reindeer Bombs
- Use brown melts, with pretzel for the antlers, 2 black dots for the eyes, and a red candy for the nose
Santa Suit Bombs
- Use red candy melts, pipe on black and yellow melts for the belt
Snow Ball /Glitter Ball Bombs
- Use extra melted chocolate and sanding sugar. Smooth some melted chocolate melts over the ball then quickly roll in the sanding sugar so it sticks and covers the hot cocoa bomb.
Shiny Ornament Bulbs
- The easiest and best way I’ve found to cover chocolate bombs with a shine is to use food safe luster dust. Place a small amount of luster dust in a ¼ filled baggie of round sprinkles. Place the hot cocoa bomb in the bag and gently roll the sprinkles over the chocolate. This will adhere the luster dust but not the sprinkles.
Notes
- *Although I’ve used silicone molds in the past, I love using 3-piece molds. They are much easier to use, more efficient, and waste less chocolate. 50 mm sized mold are what I use in the picture here. 2 ½ inch bombs are what I use in my original hot cocoa bomb post.
- *Stacking the molds can lead to the chocolate blooming.
- Nutrition is an estimate and doesn't include variety in fillings, decorating pieces, or milk used for drinking.
- Can you use chocolate chips to make hot cocoa bombs? Only if you temper the chocolate. Tempering chocolate is quite a process that if you get wrong, the chocolate won’t set and will be soft at room temperature. Not what you want for hot cocoa bombs.
- Are hot cocoa bombs better with milk or water? This is up to your preference, but milk has a little fat in it so it can help cut through some of the sweetness of the cocoa bombs.
- Do hot cocoa bombs need to be refrigerated? Not typically. Only if they have a perishable filling added to the center.
Lisa says
These Christmas cocoa bombs are so fun!