Every Hot Chocolate I Tried at the Squamish Hot Chocolate Festival

How many hot chocolates can one person drink in a day? 

This was the question I jokingly tossed around while planning my day trip to Squamish from Vancouver for the Squamish Hot Chocolate Festival. It’s the sixth year of the festival, and if you’re also a hot chocolate lover looking to sample a few special recipes before the festival ends on February 25, pick up a tasting passport at the Squamish Adventure Centre. If you collect 10 or more stamps, you can submit the passport to be entered to win a paddleboard.

My task was to try as many festival hot chocolates as I could. The goal? At least five. I’m pleased to report I surpassed this target, although I did have a bit of help. Here’s every hot chocolate I tried from the Squamish Hot Chocolate Festival—in order, and rated out of 10.

1. Ruby Core Hot Chocolate at Unique Slow Rise Bakery

This spot has been on my radar ever since I heard they challenged guests to eat 100 dumplings last spring. This take-out style dim sum and Hong Kong bakery is tucked into the Klahanie Campground right by Shannon Falls. Even though we had some heavy West Coast rain that day, I quickly forgot about the weather while sipping on this hot chocolate.

The silky ruby chocolate milk with a hint of berry is just the right sweetness to satisfy a sweet tooth without being too decadent. The lightly toasted marshmallow-meringue rim is a treat with every sip. The accompanying sweet soup dumpling filled with chewy mochi and ruby chocolate pairs nicely as a balance to the hot chocolate. As the first drink, it was a strong start, and I kept thinking back to it as the day went on.

Price: $10
Rate: 8.5/10

2. Pineapple Under the Sea! at Sunflower Bakery & Cafe

When I saw this special hot chocolate on the list, I was itching to try it. Sunflower Bakery downtown Squamish was buzzing on a rainy Saturday, which was absolutely heartwarming. I was tempted by the array of baked goods and doughnuts, but charged ahead with my mission and shamelessly ordered the SpongeBob-themed hot chocolate.

One sip of this hot chocolate and you’ll feel like a kid again—ironic considering I would describe the flavour almost like a warm piña colada with white chocolate instead of coconut (and obviously, no alcohol). And both adults and kids alike would enjoy this hot chocolate. As a pineapple-flavoured, white hot chocolate with whipped cream, yellow sprinkles and topped with a SpongeBob marshmallow, this drink gets extra points for creativity alone. It’s bold and sweet, but it’s fun—exactly what Hot Chocolate Fest is all about.

Price: $6
Rate: 7.25/10

3. Coconut Cloud Hot Chocolate at Tacofino

As I was busy filling up on hot chocolate, my partner was getting hungry. So we added a detour and hit Tacofino for lunch—and to try the special hot chocolate.

If there’s a clear ingredient trend in this year’s Hot Chocolate Fest, it’s marshmallow. The Coconut Cloud Hot Chocolate is no exception. This decadent, rich hot chocolate is less creamy than the previous ones I tried, but it’s wonderfully spiced with cinnamon, clove and ginger. Not only is there a toasted coconut marshmallow on top, but the soft, spiced mini diablo cookie was such a treat that I wanted a second.

Price: $6.50
Rate: 7/10

4. Sesame Ember Hot Chocolate at Wonderlands Coffee

North of downtown Squamish was one of the day’s two hidden gems. Wonderlands Coffee is spacious and bright, a reprieve from the gloomy weather and busy Saturday crowds.

Feeling pretty weighed down, I called in my partner for some tasting support. And despite this being my fourth hot chocolate, I found myself wishing that we weren’t sharing this Japanese-inspired creation. It’s like a warm hug in a mug. The nutty, savoury umami sesame flavour from the home-made syrup balances so well with the hojicha and dark chocolate. My partner loved this one so much that he even took notes: “Sesame flavouring is so subtle but really nice,” he wrote, adding: “Familiar flavours. Unique combination.” 

What makes this hot chocolate so special isn’t the added treat on the side or sesame snap garnish. It’s the flavours elevating the hot chocolate itself, staying true to what you know and love about the homey comforting drink, but making it better.

Price: $7
Rate: 9.5/10

5. Choco Remedy at Raincity Distillery

The second hidden gem of the Squamish Hot Chocolate Festival came not from a cafe, but a distillery. The Choco Remedy at Raincity Distillery is rich and earthy, inspired by ancient Asian medicinal ingredients with lily bulb and lotus seed. Every ingredient comes together to make yet another unique flavour combination, garnished with a crispy cinnamon brown sugar rice puff (like a churro ready to dip into the chocolate).

I recommend getting this one with the booze if you’re over 19. The Canadian maple pecan-infused whisky adds a new layer of warmth, taking the medicinal inspiration a step further.

Price: $8 without alcohol; $12 with alcohol
Rate: 9/10

6. Fox in the Brambles at Fox & Oak

It was worth squeezing in one last hot chocolate. I couldn’t pass through Squamish without a stop at Fox & Oak, especially when they have two hot chocolates at the festival. I opted for the Fox in the Brambles, a blackberry Earl Grey white hot chocolate accompanied by a mini glazed doughnut, glazed also with Earl Grey and a blackberry drizzle.

As my sixth hot chocolate of the day, I appreciate that it tastes closer to a London fog than a hot chocolate. The drink is sweet, but the berry and Earl Grey flavours are distinct. The cake doughnut is also not too overpowering, so it’s a nice balance to the hot chocolate’s sweetness.

Price: $7.50 for 8oz; $9 for 12oz
Rate: 8.5/10