This 2-Ingredient Hot Chocolate Dip Recipe Is a Must-Make This Cozy Season

The holidays always leave me scrambling for time, especially as a food writer in the midst of my busiest season. On top of that, because I'm in the business, I’m always expected to bring the most show-stopping dish to festive gatherings. With very few moments to spare, it’s hard to make more complex recipes happen, so I’m always looking for simple yet memorable ideas to try. Iconic dishes I can pull off in a pinch.

Enter hot chocolate dip, a two-ingredient lifesaver I know everyone will be impressed by this year. I stumbled across the idea from @basicswithbails, a recipe developer on Instagram, and tested it out, wiping the entire bowl clean after—it was that good! It’s creamy and chocolaty yet light and airy. I spent a whole Saturday dipping Oreos, pretzels, Pirouettes, and candy into this delightful dessert, and it’s so unbelievably easy to make that I plan on bringing it to every holiday party this year.

What Is Hot Chocolate Dip?

As the name suggests, hot chocolate dip marries together hot cocoa mix and frozen whipped topping (aka Cool Whip). You’ll want to top this dessert spread just like you would garnish the cozy beverage that inspired it, with fixings like mini marshmallows. Of course, you can take it further and add extras like crushed candy canes, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. For the grand finale, raid your pantry for graham crackers and cookies and get to dunking!

How to Make Hot Chocolate Dip

You don’t have to bake anything to create this delicious dessert dip. First, let your Cool Whip come to room temperature so it’s easier to work with. Then, pour the contents of your hot cocoa packets into a bowl filled with the room-temperature whipped topping. I used Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate. Gently fold everything together, careful not to overwork it and risk deflating. Cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for about 2 hours to set. Before serving, garnish it with mini marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and grated chocolate.

Finally comes the fun part: selecting dippers, such as fruit, sugar cookies, graham crackers, chocolate biscuits, pretzels, and more, to scoop into the creamy, decadent treat.

Hot Chocolate Dip Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed

• 3 (1.38-ounce) packets of hot chocolate, or about 3/4 cup of hot chocolate mix, or more to taste

• Mini marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and chocolate shavings, to garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Add Cool Whip into a large mixing bowl.

2. Fold in hot chocolate mix, stirring gently until incorporated and still fluffy and creamy.

3. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours to set.

4. Serve hot chocolate dip with toppings like mini marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and chocolate shavings.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Dip Your Own

This recipe is magical on its own, but with a few tiny upgrades, you can take it to a new level. For starters, you don’t have to serve it in a bowl. If it’s called hot chocolate dip, why not show it off in a cozy holiday-themed mug? When it comes to the fixings, you can crush your favorite candy bars like Snickers or Reese’s and sprinkle them on top. And when it comes to the dunkers, leftover cookie-exchange treats, crunchy wafers, or fudgy brownies are all fair game. Lastly, to give it a flavor spin, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of peppermint (start slowly) or vanilla extract.

However you serve it, take it from me—it will be the bell of the ball, and a dish you'll start bringing to every party, too.

Read the original article on ALLRECIPES