I paid £7.50 for a hot chocolate at a Christmas market in Yorkshire - but it was worth the money

Customers are already sharing their best and sometimes most expensive finds in York, Sheffield and Manchester.

Our reporter Sophie Mei Lan, a huge hot chocolate fan, tried out a variety of hot chocolate beverages at Christmas events this year

Everyone may be comparing the price of a pint but for teetotal adults or those ferrying children around Christmas events, you find yourself scouring the hot chocolate stands.

My season of hot chocolate kicked off at Barnsley Locke Park’s Bonfire event when we found ourselves queuing for hot chocolate from a small Cadbury’s branded cart. It surprised me that it cost £5 but then again it was made with milk, cream on top and a chocolate flake. After all a ‘99 icecream is definitely not 99p anymore.

I took stock of my frugal upbringing where buying a hot chocolate out used to mean a small plastic cup of chocolate powder mixed with hot water costing between £1-1.50.

Back then, my parents would always try to prepare a flask in advance to avoid paying for beverages at events.

I soon realised that these days £5 for chocolate at a Christmas event is the lower end of the price range.

York Christmas Market

The most I have paid so far this season for a hot chocolate is £7.50. Granted I didn't realise the price when buying my children these hot chocolates, until I went to pay. Weirdly seeing the preparation of these hot chocolate beverages I could understand why.

Chocolate Circus’ hot chocolates have been viral on social media since last year. Their stall on St Sampson’s Square sells a special stacked hot chocolate topped with an artisan cookie, squirty cream, chocolate sprinkles, a York branded wafer and cookie crumb. For the same price you could also buy The Melting Pot from the same stall which is hot chocolate inside a wafer cup with marshmallow fluff on top. Both looked incredible.

The cookies are locally sourced from Beth’s Bakes who were also at the market selling huge slices of chocolate ‘Matilda Cake.’

For me ‘hot chocolate’ for a premium product undersells it as it tasted more like ;liquid chocolate and was extremely decadent.

Victoria Leeds

While preparations are underway to launch Leeds Christmas Market this weekend, ahead of the peak ‘busy’ season, I tried the Cut & Craft pop-up bar in Victoria Leeds. They too sold hot chocolate costing £5. Again this didn't taste like a powdered mix, it was a rich and luxurious melted chocolate you’d expect on a high end chocolate fountain. Not only that, there were seats, bar tables and it felt like the ultimate under cover Christmas ambience.

Yorkshire Winter Wonderland

This Winter Wonderland has been going for 20 years making its way from the heart of York and expanding into a village in the grounds of York Designer Outlet.

There’s a cosy chalet cushioned next to the large outdoor ice rink where you can watch skaters while supping on hot chocolate.

I purchased a loaded hot chocolate for my daughter for £6.40. It tasted like Cadbury’s hot chocolate made with milk with a honey comb drizzle, squirted cream and Crunchies crumbled on top.

Sheffield Moor Christmas Market

I tried a similar one from Sheffield Moor Christmas Market for £5 but without the toppings, and a candy cane instead.

Manchester Christmas Market

We bought a Reese’s themed hot chocolate for £6 which was a bit steeper for what you got. There was another hot chocolate stand selling hot chocolate topped with two wafers and marshmallow fluff.

Christmas Markets aren’t cheap affairs nowadays unless you head to small Christmas Fayres inside community centres and church buildings, which I do actually prefer.

When it comes to the price of certain things, I didn’t mind paying it if it was value for money, using good quality produce from a local independent trader. That’s where TikTok trends can be helpful to enable a small business to sell their quirky produce. Especially considering the high cost of a stall for traders which sometimes don’t make any profit until the final days or hours of an event.

To save money if visiting the mainstream markets as a family, I have learned that we agree in advance a budget which includes food and drink for each person because this can be just as costly as little trinkets.