My favorite time of the year is finally here, but I am not talking about my birthday or Christmas. It is officially hot chocolate season, where the weather in California is finally warm enough to enjoy a nice cup of joe with a big dollop of whipped cream on top. Some people may think I have a slight addiction. Are they wrong? Not necessarily, but I would consider myself a hot chocolate connoisseur. Because I have drank about every hot chocolate you could think of, I will be ranking 5 types of hot chocolate based on my very biased opinions.

5. Swiss Miss

Swiss Miss original hot chocolate packets are a classic. Although they do not produce a very high quality beverage, the tiny marshmallows that melt into your cocoa and the nostalgia that comes with it make Swiss Miss a contender on this list. However, I am not a huge fan of having to mix my hot cocoa for minutes straight, until my arm is basically ready to fall off. For these reasons, Swiss Miss is in fifth place.

4. Kimi’s Coffee Cup

Kimi’s hot chocolate is on this list purely for the aesthetic. I would say that the actual beverage is mediocre since it is usually a little watery. However, when this hot chocolate arrives to your table, it is always decked with a mountain of whipped cream, marshmallows, and chocolate sauce. The dramatics involved with Kimi’s hot chocolate brings it up to fourth place.

3. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Coffee Bean is my favorite coffee shop for many reasons, and their hot chocolate is one of them. If you enjoy milk chocolate more than dark chocolate, then you will definitely enjoy Coffee Bean’s Hot cocoa. Layla Langrell ’23 shared, “This morning I tried to make regular hot cocoa. I took a sip, then spit it out and made the executive decision to never make homemade hot chocolate ever again. I promise to never betray Coffee Bean’s hot chocolate ever again because they are the only acceptable beverage.” You heard it here folks, this hot cocoa is worth a try.

2. Starbucks k-cup pods

You might be surprised to see that Starbuck’s in-store hot chocolate is not anywhere on this list, but I believe that their K-cup pods are far more consistent and delicious. These pods are super easy and fast to make in the comfort of your own home. My preferred method is to select the smallest drink size option, so the chocolate is super concentrated. If I’m feeling extra, I’ll even use two pods so I have double the amount of hot chocolate.

1. In-N-Out

This choice may be a surprise considering In-n-out is a fast food burger chain, but I believe they have put in the work to deserve the number one spot. The first time I ever drank this liquid gold was on a cold and rainy day when In-N-Out was giving away free hot chocolate to kids. Their hot cocoa is the perfect blend of sweetness, chocolate, and milk. It is also the perfect thickness, and is always the right temperature. I have nothing bad to say about In-N-Out’s hot chocolate, so give it a try the next time you are in the mood for a perfect hot chocolate.

Any of these brands of hot chocolate are great choices, and I highly recommend every single one of them. However, if you only try one if my recommendations, you should definitely try In-N-Out’s hot chocolate. Take advantage of this rare cold weather, and enjoy a nice cup of hot cocoa to keep you warm.