Easiest DIY Hot Cocoa Bombs (+ COFFEE BOMB RECIPE)

What’s Up, Hungry People

At some point, someone, somewhere, realized you could make a chocolate sphere, fill it with marshmallows and cocoa mix, and let it slowly ‘explode’ in a mug of hot water. And that’s how hot cocoa bombs were born.

Christmas of 2020 is really when these bad boys took off – on TikTok especially.

@fictionalfeastfelicia I've been making hot cocoa and coffee bombs FO' DAYS #Christmas2020 #hotchocolatebombs ♬ Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms

Here’s What You Need:

• Chocolate candy melts/buttons: The base for your hot cocoa bombs, creating the chocolate shell.
• Colored candy melts: Green, red, and white for a festive holiday touch.
• Hot cocoa mix: I used Swiss Miss (affiliate link)
• Mini marshmallows and/or mini dehydrated marshmallows: For a fun surprise inside the bombs.
• Parchment paper: To catch any drips and make cleanup easier.
• Latex gloves: To avoid leaving fingerprints on your shiny chocolate spheres.
• Cupcake liners: Keeps the bombs stable and makes them easier to handle – make ’em festive!
• Silicone sphere mold: Essential for shaping those perfect chocolate spheres.

While hot chocolate bombs might look complicated, they certainly are way easier than they look. The only special tool you need is a Silicone Sphere Mold!

If you get super lucky, you can usually find these molds at hobby and craft stores with the cake decorating tools. I went to several craft stores and never had any luck finding them in person due to their popularity this year – but hopefully, they will be returning to store shelves soon now that the hype is dying down.

Let’s Cook

There are many different methods that you can follow to make your hollow chocolate spheres. This is the way I personally did it – and it was super easy.

Assembly Process:

There are many different methods that you can follow to make your hollow chocolate spheres. This is the way I personally did it – and it was super easy.

1. Place 8-10 candy melts into each of the half spheres of the mold
2. Put the mold on a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds
3. Use the back of a spoon to ‘brush’ the chocolate up around the edges of the mold so that the molds are evenly coated
4. Flip the mold over onto a silicone mat or sheet or parchment paper and let the excess chocolate drip out
5. Flip the mold back over and reserve the excess chocolate for the next batch of spheres
6. Chill for 10-20 minutes, until the chocolate is set
7. Microwave a ceramic plate for 45 seconds so that the plate is warm but not burning hot
8. Wear the gloves while removing the chocolate spheres to avoid fingerprints
9. Go one half at a time, melt for 5 seconds on the plate and place the first half in a cupcake liner
10. Put a handful of marshmallows in the sphere in the cupcake liner along with a TEASPOON of hot cocoa powder – don’t add too much cocoa powder or else the cocoa will be too rich!
    1. Remember, most of the chocolaty taste should be coming from the chocolate shell
11. Grab the second half and melt on the plate for 5 seconds then carefully place on top, aligning the edges
12. Chill until you are ready to decorate!

Decorating the Hot Cocoa Bombs

Melt the colored candy melts in plastic piping baggies. Cool for a minute or two so that the baggies are melted but cool enough to be handled. DO NOT USE PIPING HOT CANDY MELTS OR THEY WILL MELT THROUGH THE CHOCOLATE. Snip the ends of the baggies and drizzle the green, red, and white candies over the cocoa bombs. While still wet, sprinkle on the mini dehydrated marshmallows, sprinkles, or other festive toppings as desired. Enjoy!

For Instant Coffee White Chocolate Bombs

Speaking of food trends – at the beginning of quarantine, many people discovered another trend (thanks again, TikTok) for dalgona coffee, aka whipped coffee. And many people, such as myself, bought a huge tin of instant coffee only for that trend to fade away as quickly as it came.

Now you have the perfect recipe to use up that instant coffee and create something fun and delicious! Repeat the process of melting the chocolate in the half sphere mold. Follow the assembly process but add coffee instead of hot cocoa and marshmallows. Seal, chill, and decorate.

Serving Hot Cocoa Bombs

Heat 8-10 ounces (10-12 ounces for the coffee bombs) of hot water or hot milk to 160-170°F. Drop in the bomb and watch it “explode!” Then stir so that the contents are evenly melted. The chocolate will settle on the bottom as the drink cools, so continue to stir occasionally as you enjoy your drink.

Tips and Troubleshooting

• Melting the Chocolate Properly: Make sure to microwave in short intervals and stir often to avoid burning the chocolate.
• Avoiding Fingerprints: Wear latex gloves to handle the chocolate spheres without leaving marks.
• Sealing the Spheres: Ensure the edges are slightly melted to create a solid seal, but don’t overheat them.
• Decorating Without Melting: Allow the candy melts to cool slightly before piping to prevent melting the chocolate shell.
• Storage: Keep the finished bombs in a cool, dry place to maintain their shape and prevent melting.
• Use Quality Cocoa Mix: For the best taste, use a high-quality hot cocoa mix. This will make a significant difference in flavor.
• Don’t Overfill: Adding too much cocoa mix or marshmallows can make it difficult to seal the spheres properly.

And there you have it, Hungry People! Hot cocoa bombs and coffee bombs that are fun to make and even more fun to watch explode in your mug. These hot chocolate bombs are perfect for cozying up by the fire or gifting to friends and family. So grab your molds, get melting, and enjoy a sweet sip of cocoa. Don’t forget to share your creations and tag TheStarvingChefBlog on IG and Fictional Feast Felicia on TikTok—I can’t wait to see how they turn out!