Easily set up an everyday DIY hot cocoa bar using your Keurig and a few inexpensive fixings!
When thinking of the perfect winters day, I think we can all agree it almost always involves a steaming mug of hot cocoa with all the fixings!
And while I love looking at all the beautiful hot cocoa bars on Pinterest that would put Martha Stewart to shame. That’s not always practical for everyday use {especially with kids}.
So I’m sharing with you how I set-up my everyday DIY hot cocoa bar with a Keurig. Everyone can make their own cup to their liking, including the kids with no fuss!
You can see my past DIY hot cocoa bars HERE
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How I Set Up A DIY Hot Cocoa Bar With A Keurig
It’s a family tradition for us to set up our annual coffee bar at the beginning of December. It adds a special touch for the holiday season. Plus having everything in one place saves time when we’re in the mood for a hot cup of cocoa.
Now while I’ve added some holiday cheer to the shelves above the hot cocoa bar. The actual hot cocoa bar itself is a very simple set up.
Hot Cocoa Bar Supplies
- Jars with lids | you can also use mason jars
- Tray to hold everything
- A few cute holiday mugs
- Keurig {optional}
- Festive decor items {optional}
Like me, you may already have most of the non-food items on hand. I’ve been using my apothecary jars for years now to hold the toppings. Mason jars with lids work well also.
You can set up your hot cocoa bar anywhere you like. I’ve seen them on bar carts, counters, and small tables.
I’ve set up my DIY hot cocoa bar up in the coffee bar area in our breakfast nook. But in the past, I’ve set it up on our kitchen counter.
Use a tray
I always start by using a tray of some sort to keep my mugs and the hot cocoa toppings all in one place. This is especially helpful if you’re setting up your hot cocoa bar on your counter.
This year I’m using the same galvanized 2 tiered trays I used last year. I love that I can fit a lot into it within a small footprint. This is a good solution for those working with a tight space.
DIY Hot Cocoa Bar Toppings
To keep the cost down and the amount of sugar the kids {and adults} are consuming I try to limit the number of toppings I put out.
You can obviously use any treats your family like. But these are the tried and true fixings we use year after year.
~Mini Marshmallows {Dollar Store}
~Old fashion candy cane sticks {Dollar Store} – Great for stirring and it’s so tasty when it melts in your cocoa.
~Stauffer’s Iced Gingerbread Cookies – We get these gingerbread cookies every year from Walmart. They are so delicious not only with hot cocoa but with coffee and tea too!
~Crème-Filled Rolled Wafers – Another delicious treat to go along with your hot cocoa that also pairs well with coffee. The kids like them so much that we had to put them a little out of reach LOL.
Hot Cocoa Bar With A Keurig
As I mentioned earlier, outside of the holidays this is our coffee station. We use the Keurig pretty much every single day for the perfect cup of coffee every time. And this is not a sponsored post. We’ve just been using the Keurig for going on 5 years now and genuinely love it! It’s the perfect gift for any coffee lover!
Since we already use the Keurig every day for coffee, we figured why not for hot cocoa.
It’s awesome being able to have hot chocolate {and coffee} at the touch of a button!
And the best part is that the kids {9 & 11} can use it on their own. No more “Mooom can you make me some hot cocoa?!”.
Our hot cocoa of your choice is the Swiss Miss or Walmart brand K-Cups. We found the K-Cups fits perfectly in this cute ceramic egg holder.
No Keurig no problem
While I know I just sung the praises of having Keurig. Of course not having one doesn’t mean you can’t have a hot cocoa bar obviously. For us, it was just making use of something we already owned.
You may have a homemade hot cocoa mix you like better. Or you may prefer to buy the mix packets. Any these options will work perfectly fine! Just be sure to keep your loose hot cocoa mix in an airtight container.
Adding a festive touch
So that’s pretty much the basics setup of our simple DIY hot cocoa bar with a Keurig. However, if you’re like me you might want to add a few festive touches to your hot cocoa bar.
Putting a Christmas/winter sign or chalkboard along with a little holiday greenery, real or faux will really turn up the holiday vibe around your hot cocoa bar.
So whether you have a Keurig or not. grab some hot cocoa/k-cups, a few yummy toppings, a couple of festive mugs, and a tray to hold everything. And you’re all set to enjoy a delicious cup of hot cocoa anytime!
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