### Easy Apples & Cocoa Recipes for Beginners
Here are 3 super simple and delicious ways to combine apples and cocoa (or chocolate) that even total beginners can make with almost no skills.
#### 1. Warm Cinnamon Apple Hot Cocoa (5-minute drink)
Perfect for cold days – tastes like apple pie in a mug!
**Ingredients (1 large mug):**
– 1 cup (240 ml) milk (any kind – dairy, oat, almond…)
– 1–2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (or hot chocolate mix)
– 1–2 tbsp sugar or honey (to taste)
– ½ apple, grated or very finely chopped
– Pinch of cinnamon (optional but amazing)
– Tiny pinch of salt
**Steps:**
1. Grate or chop half an apple (leave the skin on for extra flavor).
2. Put everything in a small pot or microwave-safe mug.
3. Heat on the stove (medium heat) or microwave (1–2 minutes), stirring often until hot and steamy.
4. Optional: top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
That’s it! You now have apple-pie hot chocolate.
#### 2. Chocolate-Dipped Apple Slices (No-bake snack)
The easiest “dessert” ever.
**Ingredients:**
– 1–2 apples
– ½ cup chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white)
– Optional toppings: chopped nuts, sprinkles, coconut, sea salt
**Steps:**
1. Slice apples into wedges or rounds and remove seeds.
2. Melt chocolate chips in microwave (30-second bursts, stir between) or over a double boiler.
3. Dip apple slices halfway into the chocolate.
4. Place on parchment paper or a plate.
5. Add toppings right away if you want.
6. Put in fridge 10–15 min to set.
Kids love making (and eating) these.
#### 3. Baked Chocolate Apple Crisps (Beginner oven recipe)
Like apple crisp but with a chocolate twist.
**Ingredients (2–3 servings):**
– 2 large apples
– 2 tbsp sugar
– ½ tsp cinnamon
– ⅓ cup oats
– 2 tbsp flour (or more oats if gluten-free)
– 2 tbsp brown sugar
– 2 tbsp butter (cold, cut in pieces) or coconut oil
– ¼ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
**Steps:**
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Slice apples thinly (no need to peel) and put in a small baking dish.
3. Mix sugar + cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.
4. In a bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, and butter with your fingers until crumbly.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Sprinkle the crumble over the apples.
7. Bake 25–30 minutes until apples are soft and topping is golden.
Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream.
These three recipes use basic ingredients, require almost no skill, and taste amazing. Start with whichever one of them tonight – you’ve got this! 🍎🍫
