How to Make DIY Hot Cocoa Bombs with Marshmallows

Homemade DIY hot chocolate bombs

Have you seen any of the viral videos going around with the magical hot chocolate bombs?

You put a round, chocolatey hot cocoa bomb in the bottom of a mug, pour hot milk or plant milk over it, and it explodes into a magical, chocolatey drink with marshmallows and toppings floating in it.

While you can buy pre-made bombs in stores or on Etsy, they can get spendy!

You could spend up to $5 for a hot cocoa bomb or even closer to $15 for some extra fancy ones like unicorn hot chocolate bombs!

If you are moderately crafty, though, you can make your own DIY hot chocolate bombs and they will have less sugar and cost much less than storbought hot cocoa bombs.

What is a hot chocolate bomb?

A hot chocolate bomb (or hot cocoa bomb) is a thin chocolate or candy shell filled with cocoa powder and other hot chocolate toppings like marshmallows, sprinkles, candycanes or candy.

When you pour hot milk over a hot chocolate bomb, the heat from the liquid melts the shell, causing it to break open and release its fillings. The shell also melts into the hot liquid and becomes part of the beverage itself!

The result is a super creamy, rich hot chocolate beverage!

Where can I buy hot chocolate bombs?

While hot chocolate bombs aren't hard to make, if you'd really just rather buy them, I would check out all the hot chocolate bombs for sale on Etsy or shop small at local businesses in your area! 

How much do hot chocolate bombs cost?

I've seen them sold for as little as $3 each but most seem to cost about $5. I have seen them for as much as $15 for super fancy ones!

You can make your own DIY hot chocolate bombs for less than $1 each, though!


Looking for more hot holiday beverages?

Whether you prefer cinnamon spice or peppermint, I've got more hot holiday beverages you can make at home!


How to Make DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs with Marshmallows

DIY homemade hot cocoa bombs filled with marshmallows and topped with cocoa powder near a mug of hot chocolate


Ingredients
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Important to note: Exact amounts of ingredients needed or yield may vary depending on the actual silicone mold you use. Silicone molds come in all sizes, so if you don't use the exact same one we did, you may end up needing more or less of each ingredient.

You will also need 1 cup of milk or plant milk to pour over your finished hot cocoa bombs when you're ready to serve them! 

I recommend organic whole milk or almond milk for a creamier, full-bodied finish.

Yield: 6 finished hot chocolate bombs
Hot chocolate bombs nutrition info - 274 calories, 18g fat, 31.1g carbohydrates, 3.1g protein, 11% RDA iron
Nutrition info is for hot chocolate bomb only - be sure to add the nutrition info for the kind of milk you choose separately if you are tracking calories or macros.

Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients. Nutrition information calculated at: Calorie Count

Supplies
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*While these are the exact molds that were used to make the hot cocoa bombs, it's worth mentioning that they did have a strong smell that was surprising when opening the package.

I triple washed them with soap then let them soak overnight in soapy water. As soon as they came out of the water they no longer had a smell and you could not taste anything off once using them.

Ingredients needed to make DIY hot cocoa bombs - melting wafers, marshmallows, cocoa powder and a round hot chocolate bomb silicone mold


Directions

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 1: 

Melt the wafers according to package instructions, aim for the chocolate to be just warm enough to fully melted but not be overly hot. 

Melted Ghirardelli dark chocolate for making DIY hot chocolate bombs at home

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 2: 

Scoop almost a full 1.5 Tbsp scoop of the melted chocolate (about 1.25 tablespoons) into each of these round cup molds.
Use a scoop to put melted chocolate into round sphere molds to make DIY hot chocolate bombs at home.

Use the back of your spatula to evenly spread the chocolate around the inside of the circle. 

Try to focus on keeping a good layer of chocolate at the top ridge for two reasons: 
  1. You’ll want a strong seam to help ensure the cups are strong, especially when removing from the mold, but also when connecting the two sides together in the final step.
  2. The melted chocolate will slowly move down to the bottom of the cup as it hardens.

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 3: 

Once the chocolate is evenly spread around each of the 12 cups, place filled molds into the freezer on a metal tray as that will help them be level AND help keep them cold longer when taken out of the freezer. 

Chill for about 15 minutes. 

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 4: 

Re-melt remaining chocolate as needed and use it to add a thinner second coat of chocolate to the cups. 

Focus on areas that appear to be thinner and again around that top ridge. 

The chocolate will harden quickly this time after having been in the freezer so try to work quickly. 

Place the tray in the freezer again for 5 to 15 minutes. 

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 5: 

Remove one silicone tray from the freezer at time. 

Carefully remove one chocolate cup at a time from the mold and set them face down onto the freezing cold tray.
Removing chocolate shells from a silicone mold. Set them aside on the cold metal tray.

I found that the chocolate came perfectly out of these molds and the melting wafers gave them a beautiful glossy look without having to temper the chocolate. 

Repeat with the second tray until all shells have been removed from the molds.

Set the tray with the 12 chocolate shell cups carefully back in the freezer while you heat a small pan or plate for the next step.
A metal cookie sheet full of dark chocolate hot cocoa bomb shells that will be used to make hot chocolate bombs with marshmallows.


How to make hot chocolate bombs step 6: 

Place a small stainless steel pan on your stove and warm it on medium heat until you can feel it starting to get warm without touching it. Remove pan from heat.

You want to use the residual heat from the pan as you do this but please be careful to not burn yourself!

Remove your tray from the freezer and working with one cup at a time, let each cup sit in the hot pan face down long enough that it will start to melt the top rim of the cup to give you as smooth of a finished edge as possible.
How to smooth the edges of hot chocolate bomb casing shells.

Set them back on the freezing tray, open side UP this time, after you finish each one. Repeat for just 6 cups. 

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 7: 

Add up to 1/2 Tablespoon to 1 full Tablespoon of cocoa powder to six of the twelve cups on your tray (fill the six halves that you melted in the previous step). I used about ½ Tablespoon cocoa powder per cup. 

Add about 1.5 tablespoons of the mini marshmallows to the same six cups. 

You want them to have as many marshmallows as possible-but not so many that they’ll block you from being able to easily put on the other cup to close the ball. 
Filling dark chocolate shells for hot chocolate bombs with cocoa powder and mini marshmallows.

Fun Variation options: This is the step where you can get creative and personalize the hot chocolate bomb fillings if you'd like! You could also add crushed candy canes, a shake of cinnmon, butterscotch chips, a caramel, or whatever fun fillings you can dream up!

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 8: 

Now repeat the same heating process we did above for step 6 for the unfilled chocolate cups that you have. 

This process goes quick, so work with just one cup at a time. Warm the empty cup on the radiant heat from a pan as above and set it on top of one of the filled cups to form a ball.

Pro tip: Be careful not to tip the filled cups over

Pro tip: Work quickly so the warmth of your hands doesn't cause the chocolate to start melting. 

Repeat until you have the 6 finished bombs. 
Freshly sealed homemade hot chocolate bombs: process for how to seal up the two halves of a hot chocolate bomb

How to make hot chocolate bombs step 9: OPTIONAL

Dust the tops of the finished hot cocoa bombs with cocoa powder.
How to finish the process of making hot chocolate bombs - dust the tops with cocoa powder

Store any bombs you will not be using right away in an airtight container in a cool place where they won't melt.

How to make hot chocolate with a hot cocoa bomb

How to use a hot chocolate bomb - how to make hot chocolate with a hot cocoa bomb - start by placing it in a mug and then follow the directions.
To make a rich, delicious hot chocolate beverage with your hot chocolate bombs, follow these steps:
  1. Heat 1 cup of milk or plant milk to about 140 degrees. Organic whole milk or almond milk work great for this!
  2. Place a hot chocolate bomb in the bottom of a 12 oz or larger mug.
  3. Carefully pour the hot milk over the bomb, being sure not to overfill the mug.
  4. Give the hot chocolate a gentle stir to help the rest of the chocolate  from the shell melt and ensure everything is mixed together. 
  5. Allow the hot chocolate to cool for a few minutes before enjoying. 
How to use a hot chocolate bomb to make hot chocolate with a hot cocoa bomb

How to make DIY hot chocolate bombs with mashmallows and other flavors or fillings. These make fun Christmas gift ideas. This step-by-step tutorial teaches you everything you need to know about making and filling your own hot cocoa bombs.

Enjoy!
how to make hot chocolate with a hot chocolate bomb

DIY homemade hot cocoa bombs filled with marshmallows and topped with cocoa powder near a mug of hot chocolate

If you love this hot chocolate bomb recipe, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

Step-by-Step tutorial for how to make your own hot chocolate bombs with marshmallows and other flavors or fillings. These DIY hot cocoa bombs are gluten free and the perfect gift idea for Christmas.

PRINTABLE HOT COCOA BOMBS RECIPE 

DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs
Print

DIY Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Bombs

Yield: 6 bombs
Author: Kacey H for Creative Green Living
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 Mininactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Learn hot to make your own hot cocoa bombs for perfect, rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate. This recipe is make with marshmallows but you can fill the bombs with whatever flavors you want!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups dark chocolate melting wafers
  • 9 Tablespoons of mini marshmallows
  • 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions

  1. Melt wafers according to package instructions. Get chocolate just warm enough to fully melt but not be overly hot.
  2. Scoop about 1.25 tablespoons into each of the round cup molds and then use the back of your spatula to evenly spread the chocolate around the inside of the circle. Focus on the top ridge to be sure the chocolate there is firm and adequate for joining the two sides together.
  3. Place silicone molds on cookie sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
  4. Melt remaining chocolate. Remove molds from freeze and add a second coat of chocolate to fill in thin areas and firm up the ridge as needed.
  5. Place the tray in the freezer again for 5 to 15 minutes.
  6. Remove one silicone tray from the freezer at time and carefully remove the chocolate cups, setting them onto the freezing cold tray. Repeat with the second tray.
  7. Set the tray with the 12 cups carefully back in the freezer while you heat a small pan or plate until just warm and then remove from heat.
  8. Working with one cup at a time, let each cup sit face down in the hot pan just long enough that it will start to melt the top rim of the cup to make it smooth. Do this with six cups. Place heated cups face up on the cookie sheet.
  9. Add up to 1/2 Tbsp - 1 Tbsp cocoa powder to the cups whose ridges you just melted. Add about 1.5 tablespoons of the mini marshmallows to the same six cups.
  10. If desired, you can also add crushed candycanes, butterscotch chips, a caramel or diced andes mints to the insides of the hot chocolate bombs.
  11. To seal the hot chocolate bombs shut, repeat the same heating step for the remaining 6 chocolate cups. Do one at a time and set it on top of one of the filled cups. Be careful not to tip the filled cups over or to let the warmth of your hands cause the chocolate to start melting.
  12. Optional: Dust the tops of the bombs with a little more cocoa powder.
  13. Store any bombs you will not be using right away in an airtight container.
How to make hot chocolate with a hot chocolate bomb
  1. Heat 1 cup of milk or plant milk to about 140 degrees.
  2. Place a hot chocolate bomb in a 12 oz or larger mug.
  3. Carefully pour the hot milk over the bomb, being sure not to overfill the mug.
  4. Give the hot chocolate a gentle stir to help the rest of the chocolate melt and ensure everything is mixed together.

Calories

274

Fat (grams)

18

Sat. Fat (grams)

15.5

Carbs (grams)

31.1

Fiber (grams)

3.5

Net carbs

27.6

Sugar (grams)

25.9

Protein (grams)

3.1

Sodium (milligrams)

36

Cholesterol (grams)

0
Nutrition information is approximate for each unprepared hot chocolate bomb. Actual nutrition content may vary based on the brand of your ingredients and the size of your molds.
hot chocolate bombs, hot cocoa bombs, hot to make hot chocolate bombs, how to use hot chocolate bombs, what is a hot chocolate bomb
beverage
American
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Created using The Recipes Generator


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2 comments

  1. If I use the regular chocolate, will they be as shiny as yours if i temper it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't personally tried making them this way but this sounds like a logical strategy to me! If you try it, please report back!

      Delete

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