Hoda & Jenna love hot chocolate boards, and now we do, too

The holidays are officially upon us and while that usually means a fun-filled frenzy of dinner parties, office events, cocktail hours, and Secret Santa gift exchanges, this year things are going to look a little differently for all of us—but that doesn’t mean we have to forego the festive little delights that come along with the holiday season.

Thanks to social media, this year we’ve been blessed with endless creative and cozy takes on classic holiday treats. From savory charcuterie chalets to hot chocolate bombs and even turkey-themed cheese boards, if there’s one great thing 2020 has given us it’s aesthetically-pleasing holiday snack ideas. And now we’ve found a new creative treat to obsess over—the hot chocolate board.

What exactly is a hot chocolate board? Think of it as the sweet and cozy alternative to a cheese and charcuterie board—complete with everything you’d need to host a DIY hot chocolate night at home. They’ve caught on both on and off social media with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager calling them “ everything you’d ever want for your hot cocoa,” Wednesday morning during TODAY with Hoda and Jenna.

Like many social media-based food trends, hot chocolate boards are extremely cute and aesthetically-pleasing—in fact, you’d almost think they were professionally arranged based on the perfectly lovely use of color, texture, and array of ingredients.

Thankfully, however, they’re actually quite simple to replicate at home… All you need is some hot chocolate powder, marshmallows, and any other sides and additions you already have in your kitchen.

While traditional charcuterie boards are most frequently garnished with jams, honey, and nuts or dried fruit that compliment the meats and cheeses, hot chocolate boards are pretty much fair game: sprinkle in caramel, peppermint bark, candy canes, or even leftover Halloween chocolate to fill out the board in time for a cozy night at home.

We love a good charcuterie board—especially when it’s paired with great company around the holidays—but the hot chocolate variety may just be the cozy alternative we all need as we hunker down at home for the holidays. While cheese and other savory accoutrements are great, nothing beats sipping on a homemade cup of cocoa while binge watching your favorite holiday movies from the couch in your PJs.