Hot Cocoa "Charcuterie" Boards Are Our Favorite Holiday Trend

Hot cocoa is blowing up this year. Once eclipsed by popular drinks like PSLs, whipped coffee or matcha lattes, hot chocolate in any form is exploding in popularity once again this year thanks to hot cocoa bombs. (ICYMI, here's what those are and how to make them at home!)

Hot on the heels of these melting mug-fillers and just in time for the holiday season, gorgeous, mix-in-loaded hot cocoa charcuterie boards are filling up our social media feeds. Instead of cheese and cured meats, these shareable platters are often adorned with everything you need to customize a next-level cup of cocoa, such as cocoa powder (naturally), whipped cream, marshmallows, candies, cookies, flavor extracts, sprinkles and more. And for the adults, in the case of the Boozy Hot Chocolate Board the EatingWell Test Kitchen trendsetters created, liqueurs to ensure everyone is in good spirit(s).

For a holiday evening nightcap or for game or movie nights with your friends and family, use these hot cocoa charcuterie boards as inspiration to DIY (FYI- we like this set of two boards, $28.98, Amazon).

Hot Cocoa Board Ideas

@tamingtwins dresses up her cocoa spread with meringues—a unique, low-cal swap for marshmallows—and mini ginger people cookies.

Don't forget the candy canes and caramels if you're serving hot cocoa charcuterie near the holidays, a la @kelticknotcharcuterie.

Combine two trends into one with a hot cocoa bomb-adorned drink charcuterie board, just like @easyylivin. We love the addition of biscotti and chocolate-dipped pretzels to use as dunkers!

Coconut and rock candies are among the unique components on @no2pencilblog's lineup. And is that salt we spy to combine with the caramels? Yum.

Frosted animal cookies (like Mother's Circus Animal Cookies, $3.18, Amazon) and Andes Mints ($27.99 for 120, Amazon) on a hot cocoa charcuterie board like this one by @kateburning will please the kids and kids at heart.