Living in Burlington, Vermont certainly has its perks when it comes to the accessibility of Ben & Jerry's. I can buy it in three different locations on campus, all with my meal plan. In Burlington, however, it gets COLD. So when I took a trip downtown to the flagship store back in December, I was delighted to see they had Ben & Jerry's hot chocolate on the menu.

They had four different flavors listed, but I went off the menu and tried it with their recent Flavor Flip, Chocolate Cherry Garcia. I was able to watch to see how it was done, and I thought to myself, I could totally make this back in my dorm!

The employee scooped the ice cream into a frothing pitcher, added milk, and steamed it right there. Then it was topped with whipped cream and found its new home in my loving hands... and then my stomach. 

hot chocolate, sweet, mocha, chocolate, espresso, cream, cappuccino, milk, coffee
Jennifer Nigro

Unfortunately for my tastebuds, the flagship store is closed for renovations until the spring, so now is the perfect time to make this hot cocoa at home. The same goes if you don't have a Scoop Shop in your town. This recipe is incredibly easy, and if you don't have a milk frothing pitcher, this can all be done in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. 

#SpoonTip: To make it vegan, use one of Ben & Jerry's new vegan flavors. Flavors with fewer mix-ins work the best, but if you're using a microwave for everything, any flavor will work. I used a Keurig Cafe One-Touch Milk Frother for mine and used Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

Ben & Jerry's Hot Cocoa

  • Prep Time:2 mins
  • Cook Time:3 mins
  • Total Time:5 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Ben & Jerry's ice cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Whipped cream
  • Chocolate shavings optional
mousse, candy, dairy product, cake, coffee, milk, sweet, chocolate, cream
Jennifer Nigro
  • Step 1

    Scoop about a 1/2 cup of your favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream into a frothing pitcher.

  • Step 2

    Melt the ice cream in the microwave, about 1 minute. Scoop out any big chunks of mix-ins and use them for decoration later.

  • Step 3

    If you're using a frothing pitcher like I did, fill the milk up to the maximum fill line. If you're using a microwave-safe container, add around a half cup. If you're making a vegan version, use almond milk.

  • Step 4

    Press the on button to steam and froth. If you're using a microwave, microwave on high for 3 minutes and stir. When it's done, pour into a glass and top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and a mix-in (I used a brownie chunk). Enjoy!