No matter what your party style is, these candy cane peppermint affogatos are the perfect dessert for ending an elegant meal or a relaxed hangout with friends.
Our take on the candy cane affogato has peppermint ice cream drowned in espresso or hot chocolate if you want to make it kid-friendly!
What’s your Christmas party style? Are you the games and appetizers kind of hostess who prefers a casual hangout with friends?
Or do you go for a more formal affair with a complete dinner with a fancy spread type?
My (Rebecca’s) personal favorites are caroling parties, traipsing around the neighborhood with all of your friends, and singing to the neighbors until their ears hurt,
And their toes and nose are frozen. Hoop skirts, bonnets, and top hats are optional, of course.
But let’s be real — no matter how you host, it can be a lot of work! And while feeding people is pretty much my love language,
I also want to be able to spend time with my friends and family and actually create memories beyond the kitchen!
That’s why easy but still impressive options are my MO. And these candy cane affogatos definitely deliver.
How often do you find a dessert that takes five minutes, Martha Stewart would approve of, and your guests will love? It’s a win-win on every count!
So no matter what your party style is, these candy cane affogatos are the perfect dessert for ending an elegant meal, a relaxed hangout with friends, or thawing out noses and voices.
What is an Affogato?
Affogato means “drowned” in Italian. In food terms, an affogato usually refers to an ice cream or gelato-based dessert or drink that is drowned in hot espresso.
Our take on the candy cane affogato has peppermint ice cream drowned in hot chocolate. So this recipe is kid-friendly! But you’re more than welcome to change it up with espresso.
Ingredients in a Candy Cane Affogato
Vanilla ice cream
White hot chocolate — We used a cocoa powder mix to save time, but you can also make your own homemade white hot chocolate from scratch. It’s quite easy!
Peppermint extract — To get that peppermint flavor
Red food coloring
Candy canes
How To Make Candy Cane Affogato
Step 1 — Prepare the white hot chocolate in a small saucepan.
Step 2 — Add 3-4 drops of red food coloring to the hot cocoa mix.
Step 3 — Flavor with 1.5-2 teaspoons of peppermint extract to taste.
Step 4 — Set out four clear glasses, and place two small scoops of vanilla ice cream in each.
Step 6 — Pour about half a cup of the hot peppermint cocoa over each.
Step 8 — Garnish with a candy cane.
Step 9 — Pour hot and serve immediately.
How To Serve Hot Chocolate Affogato
If you prep the hot chocolate ahead of time, all you have to do is reheat it.
Then, scoop the ice cream to serve a dessert that’s practically bursting with Christmas cheer and has so many options!
You can serve the candy cane affogatos in fancy glasses or a clear plastic party cup.
Of course, you want to add the hot chocolate just before serving, or you’ll have melted ice cream.
The perfect time for these to be eaten or drank is just as the steamy, pink goodness begins to soften the ice cream into little creamy white drips around the edges.
The unique hot and cold contrast is the hallmark of a good affogato.
Serve this with our best chocolate cookie recipe for a tasty meal!
How To Customize Your Peppermint Hot Cocoa Drink
If white hot chocolate isn’t your jam, add the peppermint to regular cocoa and skip the red coloring. You could even offer both options!
Though we garnished our drink with a candy cane, whipped cream is another popular topping. A dollop of vanilla or even coffee whipped cream will add some extra cream sweetness.
You can also add crushed peppermint candies and chocolate chips, and what is hot chocolate without marshmallows?!?
Throwing a holiday party? Check out our favorite holiday recipes and DIYs from our archives below —
- Christmas Cookies S’mores recipe
- Gingerbread Muffins With Lemon Glaze recipe
- Mini Stout Gingerbread Cakes recipe
- How To Make Christmas Cocktails In Ornaments DIY
- How To Make Holiday Wreath Meringue Macarons
- DIY Retro Camper Gingerbread House + Recipe
Candy Cane Affogato Recipe
Candy Cane Affogato Recipe
Equipment
- Glasses
Ingredients
- 1 qt vanilla ice cream
- 16 oz white hot chocolate
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to taste
- 3 drop red food coloring
- 4 candy cane
Nutrition
Instructions
- Prepare the white hot chocolate.
- Add 3-4 drops of red food coloring.
- Flavor with 1.5-2 tsp of peppermint extract to taste.
- Set out 4 clear glasses, and place 2 small scoops of vanilla ice cream in each.
- Pour about half a cup of the peppermint hot chocolate over each.
- Garnish with a candy cane, and serve immediately.
Don’t forget to share your candy cane affogato with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Find them all right here with a few bites to go along with them!
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Best Candy Cane Affogato I tried it at my place and literally it was delicious. One of the expert designers with advanced experience Freelance Web Designer Abu Dhabi providing advance and creative level of services for more information visit to the website!
These look amazing!
Thanks, Amber! XOXO
These look so cute and delicious! I can’t wait to give them a try!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Very delicious! Thanks, Paige!
Tastiest and cutest drink ever!
Yay! XOXO
Delicious! I’ve recently started enjoying Affrogatos at our local gelato cafe. Oh, wow…I LOVE them. And this one? Definitely awesome. I enjoyed mine with a mix of hot chocolate and espresso. The kids loved the hot chocolate version!
We’ve started to enjoy affogato desserts and drink too! Happy to hear that the kids loved this version. Thank you, Betsy!
THis drink looks so pretty!! It so perfect this time of year!
Love a good candy cane drink. Perfect for Christmas Eve with the family.
I’m way more casual for Christmas, perhaps too casual. These look so festive!
Oh my goodness, this looks so delicious! I need to try this one :)
So festive and beautiful! I’ve never seen hot chocolate like this but I bet it’s yummy!
That is quite the pink dessert in a cup. it looks so delicious… I must try it.
Wow this looks incredible! I can’t wait to make these. Loving the presentation as well!
I’ve hosted a gingerbread party and a hot chocolate party and they both were so much fun! I definitely want to make this and see if I could add it to my list.
This candy cane affogato sounds delicious. Hot chocolate and ice cream, doesnt get any better than that!
Oh man, I’ve never tried ice cream with my hot chocolate, but this sounds amazing! I am a games and appetizers type of host. I have friends coming over this weekend, we may have to try this.
Well if that isn’t the most Instagrammable drink ever! This sounds so delicious and festive . . . I love peppermint for the holidays!
This would be so fun to make for a girls night! I am going to bookmark this!
Wow, I’m loving this… it looks amazing! I’m definitely going to give it a try at Christmas!
This looks so festive! We are very casual holiday party people. This would be a bit hit at our family Christmas gathering and it looks so easy to make!
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