Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (2024)

A rich and creamy homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe that is ready in minutes. Learn how to make real hot cocoa using staple kitchen ingredients.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (1)

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Hey, hey, Valentina with Valentina’s Corner sharing our favorite classic Hot Cocoa.

Hot Chocolate Recipe:

Just like homemade Apple Cider, This hot chocolate recipe is a favorite during the cooler months. This is the easiest recipe and takes just minutes on the stove. Enjoy your warm mug of hot cocoa, the ULTIMATE cozy drink that everyone will love!

Ingredients for Hot Chocolate:

There are just 5 ingredients needed for a classic hot chocolate mix.

  • Cocoa powder – be sure it’s unsweetened
  • Sugar – add granulated sugar to your desired sweetness
  • Chocolate – melt in semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, chunks, or shavings for a rich chocolate flavor
  • Milk – we use whole milk for a creamier consistency and it incorporates chocolate better than skim milk.
  • Vanilla extract – use homemade vanilla for the best taste

For an extra rich and creamy hot cocoa: replace 1 cup of whole milk with a cup of half and half or heavy cream.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (2)

How to make Hot Chocolate:

  1. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder. Add milk, chocolate chunks, and vanilla.
  2. Place over medium heat until steaming, whisking constantly to avoid burning the chocolate.
  3. Cool to desired serving temperature and serve with your favorite toppings.

Pro Tip: Cocoa and chocolate can settle at the bottom of the pot. Avoid burning your homemade hot cocoa by cooking it over medium heat and stir continuously.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (3)

Common Questions:

Does hot chocolate have caffeine?

Since unsweetened cocoa powder naturally contains, caffeine, hot cocoa does have some caffeine which can give you a little energy boost. One serving contains about 12 mg caffeine. For reference, a cup of black coffee has 95 mg caffeine and black tea can have 25-50mg caffeine.

Can I make Mexican Hot Chocolate?

To make Mexican hot chocolate, you need additional spices: 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Also, use bittersweet chocolate.

Can I use store-bought hot cocoa mix?

You can omit the cocoa and sugar if using a pre-made cocoa mix. I would suggest using 4 packets or 4 servings according to the package instructions.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (4)

Hot Chocolate Toppings:

The BEST part about homemade hot chocolate is the toppings and added flavors! We love to make a toppings bar, especially for the holidays and parties.

  • Whipped cream
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Crushed peppermint
  • White chocolate
  • Chocolate syrup
  • Sprinkles
  • Peppermint sticks
  • Chocolate shavings
Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (5)

Nothing beats homemade hot chocolate on a cold day, except maybe hot cocoa and a warm slice of Banana Bread… Mmm.

How to reheat hot cocoa:

  • Stovetop – Reheat in a saucepan over low heat until warm, stirring frequently.
  • Slow Cooker – When serving at a party, we love to keep hot cocoa warm in a slow cooker on the low heat setting.

What to serve with Hot Chocolate:

  • Sugar Cookies – our go-to Christmas cut-out cookies
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – with a soft, fudgy center
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies – soft, bakery-style
  • Oatmeal Cookies – oatmeal coconut cookies
  • Chocolate Chip Bar – loaded with chocolate chips

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe

4.99 from 237 votes

Author: Valentina Ablaev

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (7)

A rich and creamy homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe that is ready in minutes. Learn how to make real hot cocoa using staple kitchen ingredients.

SavePinReviewPrint

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4 people

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, (or add to desired sweetness)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 cups whole milk*
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, (chips, chunks or shavings)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Notes

*For a richer and creamier hot chocolate, replace 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of heavy cream or half and half.

Nutrition Per Serving

338kcal Calories39g Carbs10g Protein17g Fat10g Saturated Fat26mg Cholesterol108mg Sodium528mg Potassium4g Fiber33g Sugar395IU Vitamin A296mg Calcium2mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

338

% Daily Value*

Fat

17

g

26

%

Saturated Fat

10

g

63

%

Cholesterol

26

mg

9

%

Potassium

528

mg

15

%

Carbohydrates

39

g

13

%

Fiber

4

g

17

%

Sugar

33

g

37

%

Protein

10

g

20

%

Vitamin A

395

IU

8

%

Calcium

296

mg

30

%

Iron

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hot chocolate, hot cocoa

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 338

Valentina Ablaev

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (8)

I am Valentina, the creator behind the food blog Valentina’s Corner where I share our family’s favorite recipes. When I am not in the kitchen, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband and 5 children. We invite you to join us on our blogging journey!

Read more posts by Valentina

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between hot chocolate and hot chocolate? ›

The source of the chocolate flavour is different. Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

What is the best cocoa powder for hot chocolate? ›

Unsweetened cocoa powder: a high-quality cocoa powder or cacao powder is essential. I highly recommend using Ghirardelli's 100% cocoa. I think it has the best flavor for hot chocolate (and trust me, I've tried quite a few!)

Is homemade hot chocolate good for you? ›

Hot chocolate has been associated with improved mood and reduced stress levels due to its high cocoa content. The flavanols in cocoa have been linked to increased levels of serotonin, which helps to regulate mood and reduce anxiety. Additionally, theobromine in cocoa can help to reduce fatigue and improve alertness.

Is hot chocolate made better with milk or water? ›

Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.

What are the 4 steps of making chocolate? ›

There are a number of steps to making chocolate: sorting the beans, roasting them, cracking and winnowing them, grinding the beans into a thick liquid and adding sugar, and tempering the final product.

How to make chocolate in 6 steps? ›

The making of chocolate
  1. Step 1: Selecting the beans. ...
  2. Step 2: Harvesting, fermenting and drying. ...
  3. Step 3: Roasting to grinding. ...
  4. Step 4: Crushing to refining. ...
  5. Step 5: Conching-refining. ...
  6. Step 6: Tempering and moulding.

Which chocolate is best for hot chocolate? ›

Homemade hot chocolate recipes contain very few ingredients, and the largest ingredient is chocolate, so be picky. Use dark or bittersweet chocolate. Milk chocolate will be too sweet, at least for most European tastebuds.

What is the best type of hot chocolate? ›

We'd be remiss not to include Swiss Miss in our taste test because when it comes to hot chocolate mix, it's by far the most well-loved. Swiss Miss makes a variety of flavors of powdered hot chocolate mix from seasonal favorites like pumpkin spice to mix made with unicorn-shaped marshmallows.

What makes hot chocolate taste like hot chocolate? ›

Ingredients: Hot chocolate gets its deep, chocolatey flavor from the base of thick, melted chocolate. Warm liquids like water, milk, or cream are added to make the drink liquid. Hot cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa, sugar, and added flavorings.

Which is the healthiest hot chocolate? ›

So, you can make your hot chocolate healthy by opting for cocoa powder, or a natural, high cocoa percentage drinking chocolate. Although cocoa powder isn't incredibly low in calories, health isn't just measured by this – keeping a healthy, happy body is far more important than calorie counting.

What is the safest hot chocolate mix to drink? ›

The review found that Swiss Miss milk chocolate flavor hot cocoa mix and Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa mix were safer to drink than the others.

Does Nesquik make good hot chocolate? ›

Nesquik® Hot Chocolate drink mix is a great tasting hot chocolate that can be nutritious too! Nesquik wakes up your warm milk with a delicious cocoa taste.

Is hot chocolate just milk and chocolate? ›

Hot chocolate is made by mixing cocoa powder, sugar, and milk and heating the mixture until it becomes a warm, rich, and creamy beverage. Chocolate milk, on the other hand, is simply regular milk with chocolate flavor added. It is usually served cold and may or may not contain added sugar.

How to make hot chocolate in steps? ›

Method
  1. Heat the milk, cocoa, sugar and chocolate in a small pan over a medium heat until steaming and the chocolate has melted. Whisk to dissolve the cocoa.
  2. Pour into a mug, then add the cream to float on top. Grate over a little more chocolate to serve.

Is hot chocolate just chocolate milk but hot? ›

Essentially, yes. Hot chocolate can be a mix of cane sugar, cocoa powder, and/or melted chocolate. Chocolate milk can also be made up of the same ingredients. Chocolate milk is known to be a little sweeter and hot chocolate is known to be a little richer.

What is the science behind hot chocolate? ›

The magic in hot chocolate mix is watching water and powder turn into a creamy and rich liquid. This reaction is made possible with emulsifiers, such as mono- and diglycerides, which are a group of ingredients that disperse fat in foods to allow other ingredients, such as cocoa powder, to become more water-soluble.

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