Snow boots?  Check.  Hat and gloves?  Check?  Mug of hot chocolate?  Check!

Winter in Upstate New York means snowy mornings shoveling and chill evenings spent warming up from a day in the snow. Because of this, hot chocolate and hot cocoa move to the top of the list of the #1 most beloved beverage.  To cradle a mug of it in your cold hands after skiing, sledding, snowboarding, or just a day full of shoveling snow, well, it is just what the doctor called for. It's the perfect warm drink, beloved by children and adults alike.

But, today's mugs are filled with something very different than the hot chocolate your mom used to make for you.  As you will see in this list, a mug of hot cocoa now comes in a variety of exciting new flavors and is served in very creative ways! They have fun different toppings and creative ingredients to tailor to your specific liking. From the good old traditional cup of hot chocolate to the newest trends and additions, this list has all your hot chocolate dreams.

And what about those new, hot chocolate bombs that are all the rage?  I love them.  And so we added a couple to this list of places to find a good hot mug of hot chocolate in Upstate New York.

Warning:  These photos will make your mouth water! Might want to make yourself a warm mug of hot chocolate to get you through the list!

From Hot Chocolate to Cocoa Bombs, Warm Up At These 11 Cozy Cafe's

There is just something so comfortable, so familiar, so down right nostalgic about cradling a mug of hot chocolate on a cold Upstate New York day. Here is a list of 11 great purveyors of delicious hot cocoa and hot chocolate. But, it is not the hot chocolate of your youth! Today's mugs are filled with exciting flavor combinations and a variety of options to choose from. These places are cozy cafes and chocolate shops from the Hudson Valley to Western New York.

And, hey! What about hot cocoa bombs? Yes, we have included a couple of those too!

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