Grinch hot chocolate bombs are a twist on classic hot chocolate that will bring a touch of whimsy to your holiday celebrations. With their vibrant colors and delicious peppermint flavor, these fun chocolate creations melt in hot milk to reveal a surprise of marshmallows, chocolate mix, and a small red heart.
Fun with Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
These Grinch peppermint hot chocolate bombs are a treat that adds fun to any cozy beverage occasion. When you pour hot milk over them, they melt away, revealing marshmallows that pop out and float to the surface. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating these whimsical treats.
Supplies for Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
To make these hot chocolate bombs, you’ll need a few supplies. First, use silicone molds with 2 1/2-inch round half-ball sphere cavities, perfect for holding generous amounts of hot chocolate mix and marshmallows. You’ll also need gel food coloring and food-grade peppermint essential oil or peppermint oil to create that festive color and flavor.
Make the Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
Creating Green Chocolate
For the outer layer, use white chocolate tinted with green food coloring for a fun Grinch theme. The key is to mix in just a hint of yellow to achieve the desired shade. Additionally, adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil or peppermint oil provides that refreshing peppermint flavor to your hot chocolate.
When working with melted chocolate, it’s crucial to choose the right additives. Gel colorings work best since they won’t seize up the chocolate, unlike liquid extracts. Stick to food-grade peppermint essential oil or peppermint oil to avoid any issues.
Coating the Mold
After you melt the chocolate and add the coloring and peppermint oil, spoon paint the chocolate into the molds. You don’t want the chocolate too thin, or it might break when you try to remove it. However, you don’t want the chocolate too thick either because it takes longer to melt in hot milk and can also add too much sweetness to your hot chocolate.
After painting the chocolate, place the mold in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to harden. Then remove the mold from the refrigerator, peel it away from the chocolate, and press the bottom of the mold to release the chocolate half-spheres. The outside of the half-spheres will be shiny and very smooth. The insides do not have to be perfect because they will be hidden when finished.
Filling the Half-Spheres
Now the fun begins! Add 2 tablespoons of hot chocolate mix, some marshmallows, and a little finely crushed candy cane dust. I placed a candy heart sprinkle in these Grinch bombs!
Adhering the Shells of the Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
After filling one half-sphere, it is time to add the other half. You can melt some of the leftover green chocolate and paint it on the edge of the top half-sphere. The melted chocolate will act as glue.
Another quick way to make chocolate glue is to heat a nonstick frying pan and place an empty sphere in it for a few seconds. The edge of the half-sphere will melt. Quickly pick up the half-sphere and place it on top of the filled half-sphere, and press them together so they stick. If there are any cracks, “paint” them with leftover melted chocolate to seal them. Then smooth the ball by wiping away any melted chocolate on the seam.
Decorating the Balls
Now you are ready to decorate the tops of the balls. I melted a little white chocolate and added pink coloring. To make the chocolate thinner for drizzling, add a little vegetable oil and stir. The oil will thin the chocolate without causing it to seize.
Place the melted chocolate into a resealable lunch bag and snip off a small piece in the corner. This eliminates the need for a decorating tip, and the thinned chocolate will be easy to drizzle across the hot chocolate bombs.
Using a back-and-forth motion, stripe the tops of the balls. Then, working quickly before the chocolate sets, add sprinkles and decorations. I added a little peppermint dust to the top, too.
To keep the spheres stable, place them into a standard-sized cupcake paper. It is functional and also makes a pretty presentation.
Explore More Flavors
You can make hot chocolate bombs in other flavors. You can use milk or dark chocolate and create your own fun flavors by adding ingredients inside the ball with the hot chocolate mix. Enjoy!
Other Grinch Posts You Might Enjoy
Click on each name to link to the post.
Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
Equipment
- 2 1/2-inch (cavities) half-sphere silicon mold (this recipe will make 8 half-spheres or 4 finished balls)
- nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (divided) white chocolate chips
- 3-4 drops food-grade peppermint essential oil
- green food coloring
- yellow food coloring
- 8 tablespoons milk or dark hot chocolate mix
- pink food coloring
- sprinkles
- marshmallows
- finely crushed candy cane dust
- 4 medium-sized red candy heart sprinkles
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe dish, heat 1 cup of chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted.
- Add the essential oil and stir. Add a little green food coloring and a smaller amount of yellow. Stir, and add additional coloring until the desired green Grinch color is achieved.
- With a spoon, paint the inside of the spheres, taking care to paint all the way to the edge. Gravity can sometimes pull the chocolate back down, so check after coating all the half-spheres to make sure it reaches the top edge. If there are thin spots of chocolate, recoat them. Thin spots can easily break, yet you do not want the chocolate too thick either. You do not have to grease the mold.
- When all of the half-spheres are "painted" with chocolate, place the mold in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate. This will take 5-10 minutes.
- When hardened, remove the chocolate from the mold by peeling it away from the chocolate, then press the bottom of the mold to release the sphere, being careful not to break the chocolate.
- Add 2 tablespoons of hot chocolate powder to half of the spheres. Add mini marshmallows if desired and 1/4 teaspoon of finely crushed candy cane powder. Add a candy heart.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan until it is warm enough to melt chocolate. Place an empty half-sphere in the pan, rim-side down, until the chocolate edge begins to melt. This will only take a couple of seconds. Remove the half-sphere from the pan and place it on a half-sphere already filled with hot chocolate. The melted edge will act as chocolate glue, sealing the sphere. Add a little leftover melted chocolate to seal any holes around the edge. Wipe off any extra chocolate.
- Melt 1/4 cup of chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Add pink gel food coloring to the chocolate until the desired color is achieved. Add a few drops of vegetable oil to the chocolate to thin it for piping. Place the chocolate in a plastic sandwich zipper bag and snip off a small corner for piping.
- Using a back-and-forth motion, pipe stripes onto 1 ball at a time. Quickly, before the chocolate sets, dust the top with sprinkles. Repeat for all the balls.
- To serve, place a ball in a large mug. Slowly pour 1 1/2 cups of hot milk over the ball, melting it into the milk. If the sphere doesn't fully melt and the marshmallows pop out, use a spoon to rotate the sphere. When the chocolate melts enough, the marshmallows will pop out of the ball.
Notes
Gel Food Colorings
Wilton gel food colorings used include lemon yellow, leaf green, and rose.Peppermint Oil
Dottera Peppermint Essential Oil was used.How to Adjust the Sweetness
- Use more or less milk to adjust the sweetness to your taste.
- Reduce the amount of hot chocolate in the sphere. Then adjust the milk to taste.