Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe
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Delicious Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe. A combination of cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla make this hot cocoa recipe absolutely delicious! Bonus – this decadently warm and chocolatey drink is ready in minutes.
I’ve kind of put my foot down a little bit recently and have stopped purchasing a lot of ready-made snack items. By ready-made, I mean pantry items like cereal, instant oatmeal packages, hot cocoa, chewy/granola bars and other various quick snacks found in the pantry.
My kids have been abusing the ready to eat snacks lately – polishing them off within a day of me bringing groceries home and I’m pretty tired of that.
I feel like they’re old enough now that, hey if you’re hungry, make yourself a sandwich or burrito, cook some oatmeal or eat a piece of fruit! (I think the straw that broke the camel’s back was me walking into the pantry and catching my son pouring an uncooked package of brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal into his mouth!)
Plus learning to do for your self is a good life skill. (My little missy is becoming an absolute potato soup in a mug, queen!)
Hot Cocoa Recipe From Scratch
We’ve had a round of super cold weather lately and I thought a mug of homemade hot cocoa would definitely hit the spot for them (and me, lol.)
If you’ve never made hot cocoa from scratch, its super easy and oh-so chocolatey delicious!
What is the Difference Between Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate?
In case you were wondering, there is a difference! Hot Cocoa is made with cocoa powder, milk and sugar and Hot Chocolate is made with actual melted chocolate and tends to be a heavier and richer chocolate beverage.
Ingredients
Want to make this Hot Cocoa Recipe? Be sure to add these ingredients to your shopping list:
- Sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Milk
How to Make Hot Cocoa
Have you ever made Hot cocoa from scratch? It’s actually very easy and only takes a few minutes! (Printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa, and salt in together and stir in water. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes and the chocolate is silky smooth.
- Add milk to the saucepan and stir the hot cocoa together until hot. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
- Remove hot cocoa from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Top with optional toppings and enjoy.
Can I Use Half n Half to Make my Hot Cocoa?
Yes, you can use just about any type of milk to make hot cocoa from scratch. The higher the fat content, the richer more decadent your hot cocoa will be. I prefer my hot cocoa to be made with whole milk and top it with a generous amount of whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sauce.
Hot Cocoa Recipe Tips:
- When heating the cocoa powder with the water and sugar, be sure to stir constantly and combine the ingredients thoroughly until you have a silky smooth “chocolate paste.” Then add the milk to the chocolate. You will then continue to heat the hot cocoa, but make sure to not let the mil come to a boil.
- Like thicker hot cocoa? You can add a bit of cornstarch dissolved in with the milk.
- The trick to the most amazingly smooth and creamy hot cocoa? Sift your cocoa before adding it to the pan!
- Use good quality 100% Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. I like Ghirardelli Cocoa.
- Like Starbucks Hot Chocolate? You can get the same Starbucks taste, by purchasing their Caramel and Mocha Sauces online.
- Another secret on how to get the freshest (and easiest) Whipped Cream? You have to get one of these Whipped Cream Dispensers!
The way these dispensers work, is you pour fresh whipping cream into the dispenser with a bit of sweetener (If that is what you like.) “Charge” the dispenser with a CO2 charger, give the canister a shake and you will have fresh whipped cream for your hot cocoa in 30 seconds!
The cream stays fresh in your fridge (in the canister) for up to 2 weeks! I just love mine and have been using it like crazy.
Can this Recipe Be Doubled or Tripled?
Of course! If you click the little scale, 2x or 3x button in the recipe card, it will calculate the amount of each ingredient needed to double or triple the hot cocoa recipe.
Hot Cocoa Toppings and Add-ins Ideas
Topping ideas:
-
- Marshmallows
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate or caramel sauce
- Mini dehydrated marshmallows
- Sprinkles
- Additional sprinkle of vanilla powder or even cinnamon
Hot Cocoa Stir-ins:
-
- Spoonful of Nutella
- Coconut oil
- Peanut butter.
- Mint extract
- Instant espresso powder
- Caramel
The ideas are endless!
Click Here to Pin the Hot Cocoa Recipe for Later
Print
Easy Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe for Two
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 4
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: drinks
- Method: stovetop
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup water hot
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups milk
optional add-ins:
- marshmallows
- chocolate syrup
Instructions
- In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa and salt in together and stir in water. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes and the chocolate is silky smooth.
- Add milk to the saucepan and stir the hot cocoa together until hot. Do Not Boil.
- Remove hot cocoa from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Top with optional hot cocoa toppings and enjoy
Notes
Nutrition info calculated using whole milk and no add-ins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
- Calories: 286
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 47
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 9
Keywords: hot cocoa, hot chocolate, drinks
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This is a wonderfully easy drink to make. Takes about 5 minutes tops and it’s super tasty!!
★★★★★
Hello! I loved this recipe and I want to try it, but unfortunately I don’t have unsweetened cocoa powder on hand right now 🙁
Do you think I could sub with the sweetened one, while reducing the amount of sugar at the same time?
★★★★★
I am sure you could, I just don’t know what the ratios would be.
Absolutely delicious
★★★★★
Best Hot Chocolate ever! Well worth the slight extra time to prepare compared to readymade mixes.
★★★★★
I noticed that when you use the scale 1X for the recipe, it shows “cup of unsweetened cocoa powder” but when you scale it up to 2X & 3X it goes to “1/4” and “1/3” cups respectively.
that is some sort of error. I will turn the scaling feature off for now. The recipe (for 2) is 1/8th cup of cocoa powder.
Can this go into a crock pot and keep warm until ready to serve?
I am sure that would be fine.
Quick, easy and yummy!
★★★★★
Just made this hot chocolate, great recipe!!! This will be my go to for hot cocoa!!!!
★★★★★
Loved it! ❤️ So quick/easy and delicious. 6d
★★★★★
Love it! Highly recommended!
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Absolutely delicious, highly recommend 👌
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Absolutely delicious, I did add a jigger of Baileys😁
★★★★★
So good and delicious I went to the store they were out of whip cream so I got cool whip #HotCocoaRecipe
★★★★★
This recipe is delicious, highly recomended!!
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Loved it
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Delicious! Made with Monk Fruit granules (measures same as sugar) so it was a gentle sweet. Used Godiva cocoa powder (was a gift) and 1% milk. Tastes creamy and decadent even with the substitutions for sensitivity to sugar. Might try peppermint extract next time. Thank you for the recipe!
Loved it was so fun making this with my son!!!!
★★★★★
so good! no lumps just delicious chocolate and whipped cream
★★★★★
I made it with almond milk and minus the water, added a few chocolate chips! It’s awesome thank you!
★★★★★
It was awesome and I would totally do it again i love it and the homemade whipped cream was so delicious! No lumps at all…and easy to include the kids in the stirring.
★★★★★
I made this for my kids on a snow day. they usually don’t like hot chocolate, but they loved this one!
★★★★★
So simple and delicious. My kids love this!
★★★★★
Excellent! Just like my Mom used to make.
★★★★★
The best! No powder lumps. I used 1 cup skim milk and 1 cream. Added a shot of Kailua and some whipped cream.
★★★★★
Simple and delicious 😋
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SOOO GOOD
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I made this twice tonight. Once according to the recipe but carob powder instead for my daughter, then with almond milk for myself. Delicious!!
★★★★★
Just made this for myself & my husband and I’ll definitely be making it again. Will probably double the recipe next time so we can enjoy more than one mug 🍺
★★★★★
My 15 year old son tripled the recipe and made this for the family last night. It was so good!
★★★★★
10 year old approved!
★★★★★
So good and delicious I went to the store they were out of whip cream so I got cool whip
★★★★★
In my house, the difference is Hot Chocolate is Hot Milk with Chocolate Syrup and “Hot” Cocoa is the recipe on the back of Hershey Cocoa tin. I never have mastered the recipe and mom has not made Cocoa since my dad passed away. Maybe it is time for me to try again.
This looks incredible. I have been a hit chocolate kick lately so I’m going to have to try this.