It may surprise you, but that sippably-sweet hot chocolate that you love to reach for after a day of sledding actually started out as something completely different. Drinkable chocolate was first used by the peoples who lived in the jungles of Mesoamerica over 3,000 years ago, and rather than being the warm and creamy liquid-cheer that we know today, it was a cold and bitter drink.

The point is that hot chocolate has changed a lot throughout the years, and has since been adopted and modified by a variety of cultures, so there’s no need for you to stick with that same old instant cocoa powder the next time you want a bit of warming up.

Instead, expand your horizons, and take a look at some of the amazing hot chocolate variations that we've compiled from all around the world; you’ll never see cocoa the same way again. You can also try our own Peppermint Hot Cocoa or Orange Hot Chocolate recipes.