Hot chocolate for 12: whole milk, cocoa and chopped chocolate whisked together on the stove at home, then poured into a preheated thermos and served with a toppings bar at the lot. It's kid-friendly, takes about 25 minutes, and needs no stove at the tailgate.
Serves: 12 (about 8 oz each) · Hands-on: about 20 min · Total: about 25 min
Home gear: a large pot (at least 5 quarts), a whisk, an instant-read thermometer, a 3-quart or 1-gallon vacuum-insulated drink dispenser
Pack for the lot
- Thermos or dispenser of hot chocolate
- Whipped cream, in the cooler
- Marshmallows, peppermint, chips, caramel and cinnamon
- Small bowls or cups for the toppings and a few spoons
- Instant-read thermometer
- 16 insulated 12-oz cups with lids
- Napkins and trash bags
Lot notes
- Kid-friendly: there's no alcohol in it, and it's built for the kids in the lot. Test a cup before a small kid gets it, since a good thermos keeps it hot enough to burn.
- Fuel: none at the lot. It's all done on the stove at home.
- Holding it hot: milk drinks follow the 2-hour rule once they drop below 140°F. Check it with the thermometer when you pour. Once it reads under 140°F, drink it within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), then toss what's left.
- Keep the heat in: a preheated jug, filled to the top and kept capped, holds heat far longer than a half-full one. Keep it out of the wind.
- Cleanup: rinse the thermos at home the same day, since milk sours fast. Cups go in the trash bag.
Can you make hot chocolate ahead?
Yes. Make it the day before and refrigerate it, then reheat it on the stove to 165°F the morning of the game before it goes into the preheated thermos.
How do you keep hot chocolate hot at a tailgate?
Use a vacuum-insulated dispenser or a big thermos, preheated with boiling water and filled to the top. Keep it capped and out of the wind, and check it with a thermometer: below 140°F, you have 2 hours to drink it.
How much do you need for 20 people?
Multiply by 1⅔: 20 cups of milk (1¼ gallons), 1¼ cups of cocoa, 1⅔ cups of sugar, 10 oz of chocolate, ¾ tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of vanilla. Use a pot of at least 8 quarts, and bring a 2-gallon dispenser or 3 thermoses.
What's a kid-friendly hot drink for a tailgate?
Hot chocolate with a toppings bar. It has no alcohol, kids get to build their own cup, and it carries hot from home in a thermos.