As we move slowly into the colder winter months, the prospect of shoveling snow, biting winds and wet boots fill us with dread. However, winter time brings many cheery seasonal traditions with it as well: snowball fights, a break from school, wearing that sweet winter hat you bought at Ragstock and … hot cocoa.

I’m not talking about that plain chocolate stuff your mom gave you as a kid, either. I’m talking about cocoa with a twist, cocoa with an ingenious design, cocoa that breaks all the rules and pushes the limits of your imagination. Cocoa that will make you forget that it’s twenty below outside, the snow is falling and you haven’t seen your roommates since they tunneled out three days ago to go get help. Yep, in times like these, it’s best to hunker down, heat up your stove and do some extreme hot cocoa-making. Here are some ideas for non-traditional hot cocoa (by the way, I used Nestle for all of mine):

Most Pumped Up Cocoa: Coffee

The combination of coffee and chocolate has long been celebrated as one of those perfect flavor marriages, so it’s no surprise that hot cocoa made with coffee is a delicious, decadent drink. Think of it as a slimmed-down mocha from Starbucks. Save for the most resilient of caffeine addicts, coffee and cocoa is best drink in the morning. Unless, of course, you drink it all night, in which case it will, according to Madison local Suzanne Liebergen, “get you buzzed on life the next morning.”

Warmest Cocoa: Peppermint Schnapps

Want cocoa that will warm your cheeks and get your insides buzzing? Add some Dr. McGillicuddy’s Peppermint Schnapps and watch cool play with hot. The minty flavor both acts like a taste oxymoron on the cocoa’s hot temperature and blends with the cocoa’s flavor like the best bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream – ice cream that will warm you up quick!

Iffiest Cocoa: Chai Tea

I say this is the iffiest cocoa combo because out of all of them, this one lost the essence of cocoa the most. It’s not as if it didn’t taste good, but the tea’s flavor overpowered the chocolate and I felt like I was drinking chai tea with notes of cocoa rather than the other way around. A possible solution would be to make a weak chai tea and try again.

Most Surprising Cocoa: Green Tea

Never in my life did I think something green would go with something chocolate, but cocoa made with green tea was actually delightful, which makes it the most surprising cocoa out of the bunch. Rather than assert its leafy presence, the green tea acts as a mouthwatering undertone, serving to even out the flavor of the cocoa rather than distort it.

Most Extreme Cocoa: Cayenne Pepper

Taking your first sip of cocoa with cayenne pepper is a little like lighting a stick of incense, only to realize it was actually a sparkler. Ka-pow! The front half of the sip is smooth and rich like any other cocoa, until the pepper zips up your nose and delivers that crackling shock. Not the most soothing drink in the world, but if you like a little adventure in your drink, this is the cocoa for you. Caveat: I may have put way too much cayenne pepper in mine.

Most Mind-Blowing (as in delicious) Cocoa: Coconut Milk

As for the most unbelievably thick, rich and delicious hot cocoa, the prize must go to our friend in the Asian foods aisle: coconut milk. It may sound a little ridiculous, but the thick, white mixture is the perfect consistency for a hot cocoa add-in or base. And don’t worry if you don’t like the taste of coconut – you actually can’t taste it at all, and two of my friends who hate coconut loved this hot cocoa.

So there you have it: Six cocoa ideas to put to the test. What can you come up with? Look around your kitchen (or sad little corner in your dorm) and find some good cocoa add-ins of your own. Don’t blame me if your mind gets blown, or if you go six weeks without realizing your roommates are gone. Eventually you’ll come to realize that all you really need in this life is a cup of something hot and chocolaty, and to hell with all the rest.

Sam Stepp is a junior majoring in journalism. Send questions, recipes or suggestions to [email protected].