Stephens Peanut Butter Cup Hot Cocoa Review

It's unfortunate the hot cocoa has garnered such a poor reputation in the beverage community.  You know what I mean.  You're out to dinner with a group of business associates, and the server is getting a drink order.  You're most likely to hear someone order a beer, mixed drink, or coffee.
They have such cool names too--Heineken, 7 & 7, cappucino, etc.  Nobody wants to be the guy at the end of the table asking for hot cocoa.  You're sure to be asked if you want whip cream and sprinkles on top, and if you want crayons with your menu.
Even the name sounds bad...Hot cocoa.  I bet this conjures up images of visiting your Grandmother's house, or sipping a drink with your best friends after coming in from building a snow fort.

I'm semi-proud to say I love hot cocoa.  It's delicious.  I shouldn't have to be ashamed that I love it either.  Hot cocoa is kind of like the fat girl in the beverage caste system.  You're not going to go out with it to a club, the beach, or find it in a strip club, but it is fantastic to sit down on a soft couch with and watch Dancing with the Stars.

If you do have a sweet tooth for cocoa goodness, I'm sure you're familiar with Stephens Hot Cocoa.  As far as hot cocoas goes, this is the prettiest of the fat girl cocoas.  Stephen's cocoa has long been one of the best instant cocoas on the market.  It dissolves well in water, has great flavor, and is a smooth drink.
They have many great flavors in their arsenal including hot chocolate, chocolate mint truffle, and have tried to branch out with other options such as candy cane, white chocolate, and Italian amaretto cocoa to name a few.
But the one that really grabbed my attention is a fairly new flavor called Peanut Butter Cup cocoa.

Cocoa--check.
Peanut butter cups--check
Sitting on the couch watching Dancing with the Stars--check

When you open the sealed container, the smell is intoxicating.  I almost stuck my finger in the mix like a cocoa Lik-m-Aid it smelled so good.
The consistency is slightly different than other Stephen's mixes.  I found some of the peanut butter chocolate "lumps" would not quite dissolve properly being spoon stirred.  I suppose I could have used the cocoa-motion to mix it properly. (yes...I have a machine to mix my cocoa...don't judge me.)
This flavor is quite tasty, and has found a place in my regular rotation of cocoa drinking.  The peanut buttercup flavor is not too overpowering, and it is just as smooth as other flavors of Stephens I've tried.
At only 4 grams of fat per serving, you can satisfy your peanut buttercup craving without expanding the waistline too much.

I do have one complaint.  Stephens used to supply a small measuring cup in each can which would give a perfect amount of cocoa mix per cup.  Now I just grab a spoon and start throwing cocoa into my cup.  What happens if the chocolate is too watery?  You'll have to dirty another spoon to add more as you really don't wan't to stick a wet spoon into the cocoa mix. (scratch that--good idea as now you have a cocoa spoon Lik-m-Aid)

Stephens Peanut Butter Cup hot cocoa warmed its way into my heart with a 4-star rating.