These adorable Grinch hot chocolate bombs are both cute and trendy. Hollow balls of chocolate are filled with cocoa and mini marshmallows. Put the balls in hot milk and watch them break open and release the yummy surprises inside.
Hot chocolate bombs, or chocolate cocoa balls, have been all the rage on TikTok. They are hard to find in stores because of their popularity, and if you do find them they can be quite expensive – from $4 – $8 per ball!
What are Cocoa Bombs?
A cocoa bomb is a hollow ball of chocolate that is filled with marshmallows, hot chocolate mix and possibly other flavors. Drop them in a cup of hot milk and stir to release the marshmallows and get a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
Luckily they are relatively easy to make at home, and fun to make too. When you make your own you can customize the flavor and the decorations.
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Homemade Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
Making these cute Grinch hot cocoa bombs are a great way to celebrate the classic Dr. Seuss book or movie! Green melting chocolate is combined with red and white to decorate along with a cute heart sprinkle.
The Grinch was always my favorite Christmas cartoon when growing up, so I love these! And if you don’t have heart sprinkles just leave the heart off and call it a Christmas hot cocoa bomb instead of a Grinch hot chocolate bomb.
Why You Will Love Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Decorating them can really bring out your creative side and is fun too!
- Watching these dissolve in milk is fun and kind of addictive. Plus the resulting hot chocolate makes a great comforting winter hot cocoa.
- Your kids have seen these on social media and will love having some of their own.
- Grinch hot chocolate bombs make a great homemade Christmas gift and are a fun alternative to Christmas cookies.
- Combine these with some peanut butter balls and holiday white chocolate popcorn for an amazing collection of homemade food gifts to give to your friends and neighbors.
Key Supplies
While these Grinch hot chocolate bombs aren’t difficult to make they do take some fairly specific supplies.
Silicone Mold
These are easiest to make with a round silicone mold, 2 inches to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. These molds have been flying off the shelves this fall because everyone wants to make hot chocolate bombs!
But you can check local craft stores or order one on Amazon. Even if you can’t get one delivered until close to the holidays hot chocolate is good all winter long.
And making these cocoa balls would make a family great activity if you are stuck inside this winter! You really want to use a silicone mold for these, because it makes getting the chocolate out of the mold simple.
Melting Chocolate Wafers
I used melting chocolate wafers for my Grinch hot chocolate bombs because I wanted green balls. But if you don’t want colored chocolate then chocolate chips or baking chocolate will also work.
If you use chocolate chips I suggest adding 1 Tablespoon of shortening or coconut oil to the chocolate before melting it. This thins it out a little and makes the melted chocolate a better consistency for the mold.
Marshmallows
You don’t have to include marshmallows in your hot cocoa bomb, but it makes them much more fun. Watching the marshmallows pop out is cool, plus hot chocolate is better with marshmallows!
You can use either mini marshmallows you can find at the grocery store or smaller freeze dried marshmallows like you find in store bought hot chocolate mix.
Like the molds freeze dried marshmallows are in short supply right now, so I used mini marshmallows for these cocoa bombs.
Sprinkles
To really make these Grinch-y you need to add a heart! I like these red and pink hearts from Wilton, and then I plan to use my extra hearts for some Valentine’s Day treats!
Hot Chocolate Mix
You can use any hot chocolate mix you like, either store bought or homemade. I just bought a big jar of store bought mix to make this craft simple.
How to Make Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
I’ve tried to be really detailed in these instructions and note all the places you could run into issues. Read them all through before you start for best results.
That said these really aren’t difficult to make, and once you try one batch you will find the next batches go much more smoothly. So plan to use the first batch you make for your family and give future, more perfect batches, as gifts!
As a general tip remember that your body heat is enough to melt the chocolate. So keep your hands cold and don’t handle the chocolate balls any more than necessary.
1. Prepare the Mold
Make sure the mold you are using is clean and free from any residue. If these is anything on the molds it can make it hard to get the chocolate out. Make sure they mold is dry too.
2. Make the Chocolate Spheres
Put the green candy melts in a microwave safe container and microwave them at 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds. Keep microwaving, 30 seconds at a time, until the wafers are almost melted.
The key is to stop microwaving just before the chocolate is completely melted. Then stir vigorously until it is fully melted.
Put a spoonful (about 1 Tablespoon) of chocolate in one cup of the mold and then use the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate up the sides. You can also use clean fingers or a pastry brush to spread the chocolate.
Remember – no one will see the inside of the chocolate balls! So neatness and smoothness don’t matter here! And a thick chocolate coating is better than a thin one.
Once the molds are covered in chocolate put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes to harden the chocolate. You can also let them sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours, but I’m not that patient.
3. Check the Spheres
Once the chocolate is hardened check the spheres, especially around the edges. Gravity can pull the chocolate down and thin out the edges.
If the edges look thin add another coat of chocolate the edges if needed and wait for that to harden. Once they are done pop the spheres out by pushing gently on the bottom of the molds.
3. Fill the Balls
Joining the balls is the trickiest part of the process! First fill half of the spheres with 1 Tablespoon of hot chocolate mix.
Then top them off with with as many marshmallows as will fit. You can let the marshmallows mound up a bit over the top edge of the spheres.
Then melt the green candy melts again, this time in 15 second intervals. You are going to use the excess chocolate to join the two halves together.
But if you get the chocolate too hot it will melt the spheres, not join them together. So melt the chocolate in 15 second intervals, until it is barely melted.
Dip one of the unfilled chocolate bomb halves into the melted chocolate. Then place it carefully on top of the one of the filled spheres and press it gently into place.
Smooth around the seam with your finger to make the seam stronger. You can also use your finger or a spoon to add extra chocolate to the seam if you like.
Put the balls on a tray with parchment paper and put them back in the refrigerator or freezer to let the seam set.
4. Decorate the Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
To decorate the cocoa bombs melt the red and white chocolate in a zippered plastic bag. Microwave the bag for 30 seconds at a time, kneading it until the chocolate is completely melted.
Then snip a corner off the bag with scissors and squeeze the colored chocolate on top of the bombs. This is another case when you don’t want the chocolate you are using to get too hot, since it could melt the bombs.
Put one heart sprinkle on each bomb to decorate. Alternatively you can just use red and green sprinkles and make the bombs looks like Christmas ornaments instead of having a Grinch theme.
Return the Grinch hot chocolate bombs to the refrigerator or freezer to set before using, or let them set at room temperature for an hour.
How to Serve
To serve these put a Grinch hot cocoa bomb in the bottom of a mug. heat up milk until it is steaming but not boiling and pour it over the hot chocolate bomb. Watch, stir and enjoy!
How to Store
These will keep for 2-3 weeks at room temperature, as long as they are in a cool and dry place. So don’t store them next to the stove!
Alternatively you can store them in the refrigerator, which is probably a good idea if you live in a warm, humid climate.
When storing them it is best to keep them separate, so don’t put them all in one bag. Store them in individual small cellophane bags or place them in mini muffin liners in an airtight container.
Packaged in individual bags and tied with a ribbon these make fun holiday gifts!
Variations
While these are Grinch hot chocolate bombs there are lots of fun ways you can make your own creative hot cocoa bomb. Here are some suggestions:
- Peppermint – add crushed candy canes inside and outside to decorate the balls
- Chocolate chip – add mini chips along with the marshmallows
- Coffee – Use flavored coffee powder instead of the hot chocolate mix
- Crushed cookies – crush up your favorite Christmas cookies and use to decorate and flavor the hot chocolate bombs
- Pumpkin spice – add a little bit of pumpkin spice flavor and orange sprinkles
Frequently Asked Questions
Most hot chocolate mixes suggest you add around 2 Tablespoons of hot chocolate mix to a cup to make the beverage. These balls only have about half that amount.
But even though it is less than the suggest amount the extra chocolate provided as the Grinch hot chocolate bombs melt makes up for the lower amount of hot chocolate mix. If you really feel they need it you could always stir a little extra mix into the drink after the balls melt.
You can use the Grinch hot chocolate bombs with hot water. The resulting beverage won’t be as rich and creamy as it is when made with milk.
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Grinch Hot Chocolate Bombs
Ingredients
- 1 12- ounce package green melting chocolate
- 1 packet instant cocoa mix
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup red melting chocolate
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- 6 heart candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Make sure the mold is clean, dry and doesn’t have any residue anywhere.
- Place the green melting chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chips are almost melted. Stir the chocolate vigorously until the last bits of the wafers melt.1 12- ounce package green melting chocolate
- Put a spoonful of melted chocolate inside one cup on the silicone mold and use the back of the spoon to spread the chocolate up the sides of the mold. Continue this process until all the molds are coated. Make the chocolate thick – neatness doesn’t matter!
- Set the remaining chocolate aside for sealing and decorating the Grinch hot chocolate bombs.
- Allow the chocolate to set completely. You can put the mold in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes. It will also set in about 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.
- When the chocolate is set, check the spheres and make sure they are thick enough, especially around the edges. Add another layer of green chocolate if necessary. When the chocolate done remove each of the chocolate pieces from the mold by pressing gently on the bottom until they pop out.
- Put about 1 Tablespoon of instant hot chocolate mix into half the pieces and top the hot chocolate mix with marshmallows.1 packet instant cocoa mix, 1 cup mini marshmallows
- For the next part keep in mind that the chocolate spheres are fragile and will melt. Even your body heat could melt the chocolate. So don’t handle them any more than is necessary.
- Reheat the chocolate in 15 second intervals until melted. You want to get the chocolate hot enough to seal the spheres, but not so hot it melts them. Pick up one of the empty chocolate halves and dip the edges into the green melted chocolate. Carefully place it on top of a filled piece and lightly press it into place. Use your finger to smooth more melted chocolate around the seam of the Grinch hot chocolate bomb. Continue until all the chocolate bombs are sealed.
- Put the red and white chocolate into plastic bags. Melt them 30 seconds at a time, kneading after each interval, until the chocolate melts. Be careful not to get the chocolate so hot that it melts the balls. Once the chocolate is melted cut a corner off a bag and drizzle the red and white chocolate over the top of the bombs to decorate.¼ cup red melting chocolate, ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- Place one heart sprinkle on top of each Grinch hot chocolate bomb.6 heart candy sprinkles
- Allow the chocolate decorations to set before using, around 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- To use the Grinch hot chocolate bombs, place the bomb in the bottom of a mug. Pour one cup of hot but not boiling milk over the top of the bomb to melt the chocolate. Stir to mix.
Video
Notes
Working with the chocolate
- Keep the chocolate you are using to seal and decorate the hot cocoa bombs from getting too hot. If it is too hot it will melt the balls instead of decorate them. Also even your body heat can soften the chocolate, so keep your hands cold and handle the balls as little as possible.
Decorating Grinch hot chocolate bombs
- You can skip the heart sprinkle, add holiday sprinkles and make these Christmas ornament hot chocolate bombs instead.
Storing Grinch hot chocolate bombs
- These need to be kept cool and dry. They will keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks as long as your house isn’t hot and humid, but can be refrigerated if you prefer.
- Store the Grinch hot chocolate bombs in individual bags or separate them in mini muffin liners. If they are all in one bag they might stick together.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
