When the holidays come around, usually at Thanksgiving time, the hot cocoa bar makes an appearance. This has been a fun family tradition of ours for years and will usually stay out all through winter. And how cute and festive does it look on the counter!
In the past I always made our own homemade hot cocoa mix, which I still love and will always be my favorite, but with most of us now having celiac disease in our family we unfortunately had to make a few changes this year. The Nesquik in my original recipe says it may contain wheat so we are not able to have it anymore. I first experimented with my original recipe by just changing out the Nesquik to cocoa powder but so far I have not been able to find the perfect ratio to share with you all. For my cocoa bar I like the convenience of a mix that is kept on the counter so that we can just add hot water verses having to heat the milk, melt the chocolate, and add the sugar. With me trying to be dairy free though most the time, I may have better luck giving that option a try with coconut or almond milk. For everyone else though I like a quick and easy mix! 
In the mean time, while I am still trying to figure out my own homemade mix, I was able to find a few gluten free cocoa mix substitutes, both a dairy and a dairy-free option. I forgot to take a picture of the dairy cocoa mix but here is the dairy-free version. 
HOT COCOA BAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN
When setting up my cocoa bar I like to keep it just the basics for everyday. Cocoa mix, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, and mugs. A small counter space next to the stove or close by is the perfect spot. I chose to use my butlers pantry and share it with the coffee station. I even found the perfect sign for both! 
The tea kettle is always kept close by on the stove and whipped cream is kept in the fridge, dairy and dairy-free. If we are hosting a party I may add a few other fun items to the cocoa bar but I feel like this is great for everyday.
I love this red tea kettle that I found!
This year I am using a half gallon clear canister for the cocoa mix with a 2 tablespoon measuring spoon inside for convenience. The marshmallows and peppermint sticks are kept in clear jars right next to the cocoa mix. These peppermint stick packs that I found at Target are perfect and were only a dollar a piece!
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I love how festive this makes my kitchen and the fun family tradition that goes with it!
Love the coffee and hot cocoa sign. Perfect for this space.
Thank you! Yes, I thought it was perfect because the two shares a space!