Looking for the absolute best Christmas DIY hot cocoa bar ideas to recreate? Here are 31 insanely cute and easy hot chocolate bar ideas to help you stay warm all winter long!
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Christmas is only a few short months away, and the most festive time of the year is also the coldest time of the year. I kid you not when I say I stay home all winter long. Well, I have to go to college but other than that, I stay home. I do not go out to parties or go skiing like most people do during the colder months.
I’m a pretty boring person during the cold weather, LOL. From Winter to Spring, you’ll find me in my room, bundled up with at least 3 blankets, rewatching Gilmore Girls for the 10th time, and with a cup of hot cocoa in my hand. Speaking of hot cocoa, it’s literally one of my favorite drinks to warm up with.
My friends and I actually do have sleepovers, especially during the Holidays to celebrate with each other and do fun activities. But they all come over to my apartment because like I said, I cannot withstand the cold and because I always have a hot chocolate bar set up during the winter. If you’re also searching for the cutest hot cocoa bars to recreate, then keep on reading.
From simple and minimal to all-out and festive, you’ll definitely find at least one hot cocoa bar idea you love. These ideas are relatively easy and cheap to recreate so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A HOT COCOA BAR
These are just a few things to add to your hot cocoa bar. You can include less or more depending on your budget.
- Hot Cocoa
- Chocolate Chips
- Marshmallows In Different Sizes
- Candy Canes
- Chocolate Syrup
- Caramel Syrup
- Whipped Cream
- Sprinkles
- Stirring Spoons
- Festive cups
- Cute Christmas Decor
Now that you know what to include, let’s take a look at these stunning hot cocoa bar ideas that’ll guarantee compliments!
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HOT COCOA BAR IDEAS
1. LOTS OF TOPPINGS
It’s not really a hot cocoa bar without any toppings is it? A few of my favorites to include are chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, marshmallows, and chocolate wafer sticks.
Transfer the contents into glass mason jars and don’t forget to add small wooden spoons to scoop them up.
2. CROCKPOT HOT CHOCOLATE
This is another super cute and simple hot chocolate bar idea. Transfer all of the toppings into glass jars and include wooden spoons inside as well
If you’re having a party or guests over, instead of having them make their own hot cocoa by mixing everything in, have it already made for them in a crockpot.
This will ensure the area remains mess-free and the hot cocoa will remain hot. Take a look at the crockpot recipe here.
3. NEUTRAL HOT COCOA BAR
Don’t like bright colors or want something aesthetic? This cozy neutral hot cocoa bar is just what you’re looking for. This will go perfectly with any aesthetic of your home and it’s insanely cute.
4. COFFEE AND HOT CHOCOLATE BAR
When you’re having guests over, some of them may want hot chocolate and something sweet while others may want to warm up with some coffee.
Which is why making a bar for both hot chocolate and coffee is such a great idea. Guests will have options to choose from and they don’t have to go to two different places to get what they want.
Get a wooden board and place all of your coffee and hot chocolate essentials there. Such as syrups, flavoring, sugar, toppings, stirrers, and of course mugs.
You can place the coffee machine off to the side with the creamers.
5. RED BOWLS AND TOPPINGS
Even if you don’t add any decorations to your hot chocolate station, I would recommend transferring the toppings into bright red bowls.
I absolutely love these ones from Amazon. They are cheap and come in a set of 6. Red is one of the main colors of Christmas so it only makes sense to include them.
6. WREATH AND FAIRY LIGHTS
Fairy lights just make everything more magical and festive in my opinion. So make sure to incorporate some in your cocoa bar. Add a wreath on the wall above to give it a more Christmas-y touch.
7. SMALL COCOA BAR
If you live in a small apartment like myself or just don’t have that much space to work with, this is the one for you! One of my favorite ways to utilize space is by installing racks.
In this instance, you’ll want a mug rack/bar that you can install under the cabinets. This will save you lots of counter space and will also serve as decor by incorporating festive mugs.
8. HOT CHOCOLATE KIND OF DAY
Tiered trays are another one of my faves. You can find so many different styles on Amazon and Etsy for a really affordable price.
Place all of your hot chocolate essentials on there like cocoa mix, syrups, toppings (marshmallows, chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc.), and of course some festive mugs.
9. SPRINKLE RIMMED CUPS
Add a bit of fun to drinking your hot cocoa by dipping the cups in sprinkles to make them sprinkle-rimmed. You’ll need to dip the cups into a little bit of corn syrup first and then on the plate of sprinkles.
This is such a fun and easy idea for the holidays. Guests can do this themselves or you can have them already pre-rimmed.
If you’re having a lot of people over, I suggest going with styrofoam cups instead to save yourself the trouble of cleaning up.
10. GINGERBREAD THEME
Gingerbread and Christmas go hand in hand. So, why not make a gingerbread man-themed hot chocolate bar?
Just buy some gingerbread man plushies from Amazon and line them up behind the toppings like it is shown above.
You can also buy some wooden gingerbread decor as well along with including gingerbread cookies as one of the toppings.
Add a few fairy lights and candles here and there to make it more festive and for the perfect illumination.
11. DOLLAR STORE HOT COCOA BAR
Who says creating a hot cocoa bar needs to be expensive? This entire set is from the dollar store and every single item on the tray is less than ten dollars, including the jars.
That sounds like a deal to me. So go to your nearest dollar tree and try to find all of the decor and essentials you need for your bar.
12. LOTS OF DECOR
Here is another one for the gingerbread theme lovers. This hot chocolate station is truly delightful. If you like to go all out during the holidays, then you are for sure going to love this.
Buy a bunch of gingerbread theme decorations. Banners, plushies, and wooden decor; are all things you’ll want to include.
You can also add a few mini-flocked trees to balance everything out.
13. ADD LABELS
I don’t know about you but sometimes I cannot tell which topping is which and more often than not, I literally don’t know what they are.
If you’re like me or are having guests over, make it easier for them to know what is what and attach festive labels to the canisters.
You can find the printable labels like the ones above here. They have a vintage Christmas type of style to them and they are a great addition to the hot cocoa bar.
14. CUTE HOT CHOCOLATE BAR
How cute is this? I am in love with absolutely everything in this hot cocoa bar.
You can also include delicious treats for everyone to enjoy alongside their hot chocolate as well.
For example, marshmallows on a stick, hot chocolate stirrers, and also a few cookies. You can also add red and white straws to make it even more festive.
15. FESTIVE HOT CHOCOLATE BAR
If you want to go all out for Christmas this year, then you need to recreate this hot cocoa bar. One of my absolute favorite things to add to any space is signs.
I especially love chalkboard signs because you can write and draw whatever you want and can change it throughout the year to fit any season.
Add a festive banner, Christmas mugs, Santa, and of course some fairy lights to create a magical space.
16. BAR CART SET UP
If you don’t have any counter space or live in a small apartment, then this is the one for you. Buy a bar cart and create a hot chocolate bar there.
The great thing about bar carts is they don’t take up a bunch of space and, you can roll them wherever you want.
One minute hot chocolate may be needed in the living room and the next in the kitchen. Instead of walking back to the station, you can just bring it with you.
17. HOT CHOCOLATE STIRRERS
Incorporating hot chocolate stirrers is a must for your hot cocoa bar. They are fun, look pretty, and taste incredible so why shouldn’t you include them?
You can buy them from stores or make them yourself at home. There are a bunch of delicious recipes on Pinterest to choose from.
I absolutely love this hot chocolate station setup as well. Especially all of the toppings in the festive Santa mugs.
18. HOT CHOCOLATE TRAY
Wooden trays are great for many things, including creating a hot chocolate bar. Place all of your essentials on the tray. Hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, and candy canes are just a few examples.
Add some Christmas decorations in there to make it more festive. Mini trees, a Santa statue, and Santa mugs are all great options.
Now just move the tray to your desired area. The counter is a great choice and also the coffee table. You won’t have to get up to get a cup of hot cocoa when it’s right there.
19. SEPARATE HOT COCOA STATION
Do you have a lot of unused space in your home? If so, this hot cocoa bar is just what you’re looking for. Set up a cabinet and floating shelves in your desired area.
Now grab all of your decorations and essentials and arrange them how you’d like. I suggest lots of Santa mugs, wooden houses, and gingerbread plushies.
You can also install a sign on the wall to let everyone know it’s a hot cocoa bar.
20. HOT COCOA TIERED TRAY
Looking for the best small space hot cocoa bar ideas for your home? Then you have to try this out. Grab a 3-tiered tray and include all of your festive decorations there.
I love wooden accents and bright red decor for Christmas (plus, you can also add an elf behind everything).
Place this on your kitchen counter along with the needed essentials for making hot chocolate for the perfect small space bar.
21. HOT COCOA BAR
Here is another super cute hot cocoa bar idea that is great for any size space. Get a wooden stand and place all of your hot chocolate essentials.
Transfer the contents of the ingredients and toppings in small mason jars to make them look more aesthetic.
I also love the idea of tying red and white string on the jars with a small spoon on the end. That way, people have it to scoop up the toppings but the entire thing doesn’t get dirty.
22. TIE STRING AROUND THE JARS
Red and white are two of the main Christmas colors so it only makes sense to incorporate them into the hot cocoa bar.
You can use a red and white tablecloth for this to make it stand out. You can also tie some string around the jars of toppings and make it into a cute little bow.
Add a mini tree to complete the look.
23. JUST THE BASICS
Nobody needs a ton of toppings and mix-ins in order to create a hot cocoa bar. Just the basics will do wonders and be just as tasty.
Hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, and whipped cream are generally what everyone reaches for so just include those.
You can obviously add more toppings if you wish depending on your budget.
24. SMALL TRAY BAR
Want a hot cocoa bar in your bedroom? I know I do! How fun would it be to just sip on some delicious hot chocolate and watch TV shows all day long?
It would literally be my dream come true. Grab a small tray and place hot cocoa mix, hot chocolate stirrers, mini marshmallows, candy canes, and my favorite, whipped cream on there.
This is the perfect hot cocoa tray and you better believe, that I will be recreating this idea.
25. HOT COCOA AND SWEETS
Hot chocolate by itself is absolutely delicious but combined with some sweet treats, it tastes frickin fantastic.
Get yourself a bar cart and place hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, spoons, candy canes, chocolate chips, and all other toppings/mix-ins you want on the first layer.
Then, on the bottom, place your favorite sweet treats. A few to include are cookies, donuts, and brownies. This is perfect for when you have guests over or are hosting a party.
26. SMALL BAR CART
How insanely beautiful does this look? It’s super festive and will definitely catch everyone’s eyes. Get your favorite rolling cart and grab all of your hot cocoa essentials.
Transfer everything into mugs and small jars to make it look more pretty and aesthetic. Add a couple of decorative items like mini trees and wreaths to complete the setup.
27. ADD A FESTIVE GARLAND
If you don’t like adding a bunch of decorations to your drink station then simply adding a festive and Christmas-y garland is all you need to do.
As you can see in the above picture, your eyes instantly go to the “Merry Christmas” garland. So if you include a garland like that, then no other decor is needed.
You can also add some fairy lights to give it a more whimsical look and feel to it.
28. SIMPLE HOT COCOA BAR
In search of simple and easy hot cocoa bar ideas? Stop your search because I’ve found the perfect one.
Grab a wooden board and place hot cocoa mix, whipped cream, toppings, and hot chocolate stirrers there.
Keeping up with the wooden theme, add some cute signs and more wooden decorative objects. Also, include a couple of faux plants to brighten up the space.
29. HOT COCOA STATION
How cute is this hot cocoa station? Recreate this bar idea with Christmas figurines, fairy lights, cute signs, hot cocoa essentials, and a jar of cookies.
I love that this also has a coffee machine included because guests may prefer that over hot chocolate and it’ll be in the same spot.
30. RAE DUNN AAND GREENERY
Rae Dunn is one of my absolute favorite things ever, no matter the season or Holiday. But, for Christmas, having these in your hot cocoa bar is an absolute must!
They come out with Christmas-themed Rae Dunn every year with the most adorable sayings I can’t help but love.
Buy lots of red, white, and green Rae Dunn for your hot chocolate bar to make it Christmas-themed. Also, include a few faux plants or mini trees to make the space brighter.
31. CORNER HOT CHOCOLATE BAR
This is one of my favorite hot cocoa bar ideas on this list. If you have some empty space or an awkward corner you don’t know what to do with, then just create a hot cocoa station.
Buy yourself a nice cabinet from Amazon (since it’s cheaper) or just use one you already have. Then simply place all of your essentials and decorations on the surface.
Hang up a cute and bright hot cocoa bar sign and place all of your mugs and spoons inside the cabinet to keep the surface looking its best and clutter-free.
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THIS POST SHOWED YOU THE BEST HOT COCOA BAR IDEAS
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