Hot chocolate season is upon us! It is the perfect kid friendly drink for the holiday season whether you’re going to see lights or enjoying a family night at home. It is especially great on a snowy day when you froze your behind off making memories with your kids on a sledding hill. Lucky for us in Kansas City, there are lots of local options we can buy to support local businesses.
Best Hot Chocolate Spots In KC
Grab it to Go
- Christopher Elbow: (Plaza) Before going to see the Plaza lights, stop in and get a cup of their “drinking chocolate” with a house-made marshmallow on top.
- Bizz and Weezy Confections: (Crossroads) They serve a hot chocolate and a Mexican hot chocolate that is made in-house.
- Front Range: (Fairway) Grab a hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows if available.
- Blackdog Coffee House: (Lenexa) They serve hot Shatto chocolate milk, and they also sometimes have homemade marshmallows from Ibis Bakery available to purchase.
- Whistle Stop Coffee: (Lee’s Summit) This popular spot in downtown Lee’s Summit serves a great cup of hot chocolate. They also have a hot cocoa kit available to purchase.
Hot Chocolate Bombs
These are all the rage this year. They are hollow chocolate balls often filled with cocoa powder and marshmallows. You pour hot milk over them and when they melt you have a delicious drink to enjoy!
We tried our first one last year from Trader Joe’s and it was shaped like a snowman and hilarious to watch melt, but in the end it tasted awful. Fortunately, there are some great options nowadays that actually taste good — and look pretty, too! They come in a variety of flavors beyond just milk or dark chocolate. You can find cookies and cream, pumpkin spice, caramel, white chocolate, peanut butter, etc.
Here are a few local options, but if you do a search on Facebook Marketplace you’ll find many other folks making them too. Also note that some of them will ship.
- The Cake Loft in Olathe
- Kat’s Confections in Shawnee
- mmm good – sweets and treats in KCMO
- Sweet Surprise Co in Overland Park
- Three T Bakers in Olathe
- Smallcakes North Kansas City location
Pre-Packaged Hot Chocolate
These options are perfect for using at home or giving as gifts.
- Andre’s Confiserie Suisse: You can buy a bag or a jar of their hot chocolate at both their Plaza and Overland Park locations, or order it online.
- Annedore’s Fine Chocolates: You can buy both regular and Aztec hot chocolate at their shop in Westwood.
- Christopher Elbow drinking chocolate: On the website, you can find a variety of flavors that can be ordered online and shipped as a gift. They location on the Plaza should also have it in stock. You may also be able to find it in other local shops, but I’d call ahead and ask. You can see the full of who carries his products here.
- Penzeys: Visit their downtown Overland Park store or order on their website. They have a traditional hot chocolate mix as well as one with mint.
- The Pantry KC: Located in Lenexa, The Pantry sells hot chocolate kits in a variety of flavors including salted hot chocolate, peppermint, vanilla, dark chocolate, and strawberry. They come in mason jar and you just add hot milk to get 38oz of hot goodness! These would make a great gift. You can order online and have it shipped or pick it up at their cafe. If you stop by during their open hours you can also get one made to try on the spot.
So grab your favorite mug, a warm blanket, and enjoy — cheers!
