Sip, Savour and Indulge: The Guide to Gifting Luxury Hot Chocolate

It’s a drizzly evening, you’ve just come home from work, and all you want is a comforting hot chocolate to ease you into the evening. That’s exactly what we aim to deliver with our drinking chocolate range — and the gift of genuine quality time might well be the most thoughtful present you could give all year.

Why hot chocolate makes the perfect gift

Finding a gift that actually gets used can be harder than it should be. But hot chocolate? That’s different. You can rest assured that your gift won’t be collecting dust. Instead, you’re offering an accessible moment of indulgence that fits into everyday life — as a morning ritual, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a wind-down treat.

Our hot chocolate formulations are made from real chocolate flakes, with no powders or artificial ingredients in sight. Every sip features pure, grated chocolate — just as it should be.

Understanding the flavour profiles

We’ve spent two decades perfecting our chocolate profiles, and we have an obsession with getting it just right. We see it less like choosing a flavour and more like matching a personality.

Not sure which flavour would suit your recipient best? Our Chocolate Love Match Quiz can help guide you to their perfect hot chocolate match.

The pure chocolate grades

If your giftee appreciates things in their purest form, start with the dark hot chocolate grades. Classic 70% Dark is the bestseller for good reason — balanced cacao, not too sweet or bitter, and deeply satisfying. For a bold choice, Dark 85% offers intensity with a creamy finish, while Dark 100% (pure Honduran cacao) is for true chocolate lovers who crave a rich, no-sugar experience.

On the milder side, Milky 50% provides a creamy, comforting alternative for those who find dark chocolate too intense. Vanilla-White and Coconut-White are also unique white hot chocolate options with Madagascan vanilla and a tropical twist, both boasting a melt-in-the-mouth texture thanks to 36% cocoa butter.

The flavour adventures

Now, if your recipient loves a bit more complexity, the flavoured hot chocolate range aims to ramp up their flavour experience.

Salted Caramel strikes that perfect sweet-savoury balance with a pinch of sea salt cutting through the richness. It’s indulgent without being cloying.

Hazelnut Praline tastes exactly like biting into a sublime praline—real roasted hazelnuts melded with 70% dark chocolate. One for the nutty chocolate enthusiasts.

Mint features Tasmanian peppermint with 70% dark chocolate. It’s cooling yet indulgent, refreshing yet rich. Think of it as the sophisticated grown-up version of after-dinner mints.

Black Forest Gateau combines morello and black cherries with a blend of dark and white chocolate. Nostalgic, fruity, and encapsulates the dessert in cacao form.

Orange uses blood orange with 65% Supermilk chocolate for citrusy notes that feel rounded rather than sharp. It’s surprisingly versatile—lovely in the evening or as a morning wake-up.

For those who like a kick, Chilli and Ginger bring warmth and vibrancy. The chilli offers beautiful cacao intensity with uplifting heat, whilst the ginger revitalises the palate.

How to package your gift

We know that presentation matters, so we like to make things refreshingly straightforward. Our hot chocolate sachets come in boxes of 10 single-serve portions or They look elegant without being over-the-top.

Selection Boxes: The Clever Option

If you’re gifting to someone new who can’t decide between flavours, the Hot Chocolate Selection Box is designed to make your gifting experience smooth and straightforward.

It includes 10 different sachets covering everything from bestsellers like Classic 70% to more experimental flavours like Black Forest Gateau. It offers a chocolate tasting journey from the comfort of home, allowing your recipient to discover what they love without committing to one flavour.

We also have a Hot & Cold Selection Box if they’re curious about iced chocolate drinks, and a Mocha Latte Selection Box for coffee lovers who want to broaden their cacao horizons.

Adding the personal touch

At checkout, you can add a free message card and write your own note for a personalised touch. You can also choose an elegant gift bag or box for a more polished look.

For last-minute or long-distance gifts, you can also Send a Gift By Text. Your recipient will receive their gift details and can even select their own delivery date, making it a stress-free process for both gifter and giftee.

When to buy and gift luxury hot chocolate

Hot chocolate might feel like a winter gift, but our sachets are designed to work beautifully year-round.

They’re curated especially for the ALL-NEW Velvetiser® — our revolutionary hot machine that can also generate soothing iced chocolate drinks at the turn of a dial.

Birthdays are obvious, but don’t overlook the less obvious moments. A “thinking of you” gift when a friend’s going through a tough patch. A “well done” for someone who’s just smashed a work project. A “just because” for your sister who’s been brilliant lately. A :thank you” to a teacher, colleague, or neighbour. These are the gifts people remember because they’re unexpected.

Christmas and seasonal celebrations are also natural fits. Pop a selection box in with other gifts or give it as a standalone present — it works either way. Our packaging is smart enough to hold its own under a tree.

When to shop for hot chocolate gifts

If you’re organised (or trying to be), stock up during the year when you spot them on special offer or as part of a bundle. Hotel Chocolat often runs promotions, and these sachets have a decent shelf life when stored properly in a cool, dry place.

For seasonal gifting, early November is your sweet spot for Christmas shopping before the rush. You’ll have first pick of any limited editions or seasonal flavours they release.

The Velvetiser® Connection

Our hot chocolate sachets can be made on the hob — just heat your milk gently, whisk in the flakes off the heat, then return briefly to melt. However, they’re specifically designed to work with the ALL-NEW Velvetiser®.

It’s been engineered to create a “vortex-effect” via ridges and a custom whisk that folds the chocolate and milk together whilst heating to a very precise melting point. The result is a velvet-smooth texture topped with an unrivalled chocolate crema you simply can’t achieve on the hob.

Explore our luxury hot chocolate range today

Gifting hot chocolate is more than just a product—it’s a moment to slow down and savour something special.

Ready to gift? Browse our drinking chocolate collection and experience how real chocolate can make all the difference to flavour.