Low Carb Valentine’s Hot Cocoa Bombs
If you loved the Christmas hot cocoa bombs trend, you’ll adore the lovely Valentine’s hot cocoa bombs edition just as much!
If you’ve seen any of the Valentine’s hot cocoa bombs being sold by local bakers, you probably swooned over them a little bit. I mean, they’re just so pretty! And fun! And tasty!
Fortunately, as I discovered at Christmastime when I created my detailed hot cocoa bomb tutorial, hot cocoa bombs are SUPER easy to make using Trim Healthy Mama, keto, low carb ingredients for the perfect on plan treat. These are the exact same thing, only tweaked to make them heart-tastic for Valentine’s Day.
How to Make Valentine’s Hot Cocoa Bombs
Equipment
- heart mold (or another shape)
Suggestions: the 3-piece mold from BWB Embalagens (this is the best) or any silicone one (make sure the bombs it makes fits in your mug). The ones I have linked are both the geometric heart, but any heart or other shape will do (for example you can make sphere ones Valentinesy too, or opt for some smooth heart ones) - other molds, optional
Example: You can use a unicorn horn mold or a rose mold. Check out my Christmas hot cocoa bombs post to see the unicorn one I did (it can easily be tweaked to Valentine’s colors). - cupcake liners, optional
Note: These are for placing the hot cocoa bombs for pretty display or serving. They can also be used to hold the bomb steady while decorating. - pastry bags or quart size zipper bags
- double boiler or a bowl and saucepan, optional (if you don’t want to microwave the chocolate)
- food safe paintbrushes, optional
Ingredients
- on plan, sugar free chocolate
Ideas: Skinny Chocolate, Trim Healthy Mama chocolate chips, Trim Healthy Mama Butterfly Bars (no nuts, chopped into smaller chunks), ChocZero chocolate chips*, ChocZero chocolate squares* (chopped into smaller chunks), Bake Believe chocolate chips*, Lily’s chocolate chips, Lily’s bars (chopped into smaller chunks), any 85% or darker chocolate chips, or any 85% or darker chocolate bars (chopped into smaller chunks) - paramount crystals, butter, or coconut oil, optional
Notes: Paramount crystals are best for this, but room temperature butter or coconut oil work too. This just makes the chocolate reach a smoother consistency a little easier. It is not necessarily required, but if your chocolate is having issues getting smooth, add it a tiny bit (like 1/2 teaspoon or so) at a time to give it a boost. - oil-based food coloring, optional
Note: If you decide to color your chocolate, it is VERY important to use an oil-based food coloring (the oil in it is technically off plan, but a little used for coloring is fine as a personal choice item when using occasionally). If you use gel, liquid, or other types of food coloring, it can cause your chocolate to seize (become hard and useless). - on plan marshmallows, made or cut into smaller chunks (about 1/2″ diameter each) OR use 1 or two large ones, maybe in a fun shape like a heart; you can use scissors sprayed with nonstick spray to cut them into smaller pieces more easily or use mini cookie cutters sprayed with nonstick spray
Suggestion: I usually use my own recipe, but there are plenty of other THM friendly marshmallow recipes that work as well (including Mazing Marshmallows). - colored sweetener, optional
- edible gold leaf, optional
Note: I used this on some of my designs. It looks awesome, but it does NOT dissolve so keep that in mind.
* These items are considered personal choice, so you don’t want to have them too often. However, they are perfect for an occasional treat like this.
Instructions
I already gave some pretty thorough instructions in my Christmas hot cocoa bomb post, so check it out (instructions are copied in the recipe card below as well). You can also watch the video below (using the silicone molds). Click here for a video using 3-piece molds.
Decorating Ideas
For this post, I decorated the Valentine’s hot cocoa bombs pretty simply. I used oil-based food coloring to color the white chocolate (for this post, I used ChocZero white chocolate chips). I used tipless piping bags (cut a small hole in the tip) for the drizzle. And I used off plan sprinkles (specifically ones I found in the seasonal aisle at my local King Soopers grocery store; you don’t have to use off plan ones though as on plan ones like this are available, this is just what I had on hand already without ordering anything new) and edible gold leaf to decorate them (remember edible gold leaf does NOT dissolve, so keep that in mind if you choose to use it). Watch the “How to Make Valentine’s Hot Cococa Bombs” video above or on YouTube to see how I did it.
Inside these particular bombs, I made a simple white hot cocoa mix using heavy cream powder and THM Gentle Sweet for some, and for others I only put THM Strawberry Pristine Whey Protein Power (so when it opened, it made warm strawberry and white chocolate milk basically–which my kids LOVED).
Flavor, Filling, & Topping Ideas
Again, check out my Christmas hot cocoa bombs post for a bunch of flavoring combos, filling ideas, and topping ideas for these Valentine’s hot cocoa bombs.
How to Use Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Place one hot cocoa bomb in a mug.
- Pour hot (boiling or almost boiling) unsweetened plain or vanilla almond or cashew milk (plus maybe a tablespoon or so of heavy whipping cream) over the bomb.
- Watch the bomb “pop” open with marshmallows!
Printable Hot Cocoa Bomb Direction Labels
If you’re making these hot cocoa bombs as gifts for your Valentines, I recommend placing them in cupcake liners, then in individual cupcake boxes, then attach these printable tags. You can print these tags onto sticker paper or onto white cardstock then punch a hole and tie it on like a gift tag!
THM & Keto Friendly Valentine’s Hot Cocoa Bombs
Cook Time5 minutes 
Total Time20 minutes 
Diets 
THM Fuel 
Equipment
- see post for recommended equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
(approximate, per hot cocoa bomb) on plan, sugar free chocolate (ideas: Trim Healthy Mama chocolate chips, Skinny Chocolate, Trim Healthy Mama Butterfly Bars (no nuts), ChocZero chocolate chips*, ChocZero chocolate squares*, Bake Believe chocolate chips*, Lily's chocolate chips, Lily's bars, any 85% or darker chocolate chips, or any 85% or darker chocolate bars - ½ teaspoon or more (approximate, per hot cocoa bomb)
paramount crystals, butter, or coconut oil, optional oil-based food coloring , optional- 1 tablespoon
to 2 tablespoons (approximate, per hot cocoa bomb) on plan hot cocoa mix (see this post for ideas) - ⅛ cup
(approximate, per hot cocoa bomb) on plan marshmallows (such as this recipe), cut into small chunks (or use a couple bigger ones cut into a shape like hearts) - ¼ teaspoon (approximate, per hot cocoa bomb)
colored sweetener, optional Edible Art paint, optional edible gold leaf, optional (remember this doesn't dissolve)
Instructions
Melting Instructions: Microwave Method
- In a non-glass (glass gets too hot in the microwave and can cause the chocolate to seize; silicone or microwave-safe plastic are your best bets), melt the chocolate (if using bars or squares, chop them into smaller chunks first) in the microwave for 40 seconds.
- Pull it out, thoroughly stir it, then pop it back in for 20 more seconds; repeat stirring and nuking it in 20 second intervals until there are only small chunks remaining. The small remaining chunks should melt with generous stirring. If your chocolate starts getting hard and chunky after being smooth, you’ve overcooked it and it has seized (it is no good any more).
- If the chocolate is not getting silky smooth, you can add paramount crystals, small chunks of room temperature butter, or coconut oil about 1/2 teaspoon as time (it should melt with the heat of the chocolate) and thoroughly stir it in until silky smooth.
Melting Instructions: Double Boiler Method
- If you have a proper double boiler (like this), use it per manufacturer’s directions; if you don’t, create one by filling a small saucepan with about 1″ water, bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat, then place a metal, glass, or sturdy silicone bowl (make sure it’s wider than the mouth of the saucepan) over the top of the pan.
- Add the chocolate (if using bars or squares, chop them into smaller chunks first) and let it melt, stirring frequently, until totally melted and silky smooth. If your chocolate starts getting hard and chunky after being smooth, you’ve overcooked it and it has seized (it is no good any more).
- If the chocolate is not getting silky smooth, you can add paramount crystals, small chunks of room temperature butter, or coconut oil about 1/2 teaspoon as time (it should melt with the heat of the chocolate) and thoroughly stir it in until silky smooth.
Mold Instructions: 3-Piece Mold
- If using the three-piece mold, I recommend using a Sharpie to mark the fill line (on the outside of the mold so the chocolate never touches it) as illustrated (my mark was a little crazy). Doing so makes it easier to see the fill line when filling.
- Spoon the melted chocolate into the mold to the fill line.
- Tap the mold on the counter a few times to work out any air bubbles.
- Place the flexible insert into each cavity then place the top piece and press down. The chocolate should squeeze up to the little lip; if there’s too little chocolate, it won’t reach the lip all the way around so you’ll need to add a bit more; if there’s too much chocolate, it will overflow a bit, but you can leave it like this and chip off the excess later once it has hardened.
- Pop the assembled three-piece mold into the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the top piece of the mold then grab the edge of one of the inserts. Gently tug and the hardened chocolate shell should easily come loose; if it gets stuck, then flip the mold over and tap it until comes out. Repeat with remaining inserts.
- Carefully remove the inserts from the shells.
- Stack the shells inside each other until ready to assemble.
Mold Instructions: Silicone Mold
- Before using the silicone molds, it is easier to work with them if you cut them apart. When they’re still together, you might tend to break some while trying to get one out. To hold the cut-apart molds steady while chocolate filling and allowing the chocolate to harden, place them in the cavities of a muffin pan.
- Fill each silicone mold cavity about one-quarter full with melted chocolate. Roll it around or use a spoon or food safe paintbrush to urge the chocolate up the side walls to the top edge.
- Pop the filled molds in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- When you pull the molds out, inspect its walls. If any look too thin (or if you find they break apart easily as you’re removing them, indicating they’re too thin), add more chocolate and smooth it up the walls to create another layer. Pop it back in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
- Once solid, gently pull the silicone away from the chocolate shell a little at a time, working your way around it (this is where it’s easier if the silicone mold has been cup into individual cavities).
- Stack the shells inside each other until ready to assemble.
Assembly Instructions
- Fill one shell (one half of a bomb) with 1 to 2 tablespoons on plan powdered hot cocoa mix and a handful of on plan marshmallows.
- Pop a ceramic or glass plate into the microwave for about 2 minutes or until decently hot. Carefully remove it with a hot pad and set it on top of a hot pad.
- Take an empty shell half and rub the edge over the hot plate until it melts a bit.
- Place the partly melted chocolate shell edge against the filled chocolate shell’s edge and gently press them together. Hold them like that long enough for them to merge. If a little chocolate seeps out, you can smooth it along the seam with your finger.
