Veena Azmanov

Cake Artist and Food Enthusiast

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The BEST Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix aka Hot Cocoa Mix

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The BEST Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix with Real Chocolate Inside

A chocolate drink is winter or summer can be a real treat. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for the best homemade hot chocolate mix made with real chocolate makes the most amazing thick, creamy and delicious chocolate drink that taste like vanilla pastry cream. Use it as a base for making hot chocolate drinks in winter as well frozen chocolate drinks in summer.

A jar of hot chocolate mix made at home using cocoa powder, real chocolate. Pinterest optimized image featured with chocolate

The BEST Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix – How to make hot chocolate mix.

One of our family favorite drinks in winter is, of course, hot chocolate and in summer its frozen chocolate drinks. We like our chocolate drinks thick and creamy. In summer  I make a jug of hot chocolate and leave it in the fridge so the kids can have it when it’s cold or when they feel the need. Personally, I’d rather they drink some good homemade chocolate drink compared to those frizzy sweet drinks.

A jar of hot chocolate mix made at home using cocoa powder, real chocolate. Pinterest optimized image featured with chocolate

How to make the BEST homemade Hot Chocolate Drink – How to make hot chocolate mix

Thick and creamy and taste like Vanilla Pastry Cream

We like our hot chocolate thick and creamy so I add real chocolate and just a little cornstarch in the mix. This thickens the hot cocoa making it extra luxurious. Just like you do when you make eggless vanilla pastry cream –  not as thick as that but you get the idea.

I love to grate some chocolate for extra dusting and dress the rim sometimes too. Just makes it a little extra special.

A jar of hot chocolate mix made at home using cocoa powder, real chocolate. Pinterest optimized image featured with chocolate

How to make the best Hot Chocolate Mix with Real Chocolate Inside – How to make hot chocolate mix

Let’s talk ingredients and Substitutes Hot Cocoa Mix (Save/Pin)

  • Cocoa Powder – I use unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder. Its just regular cocoa powder we use for stand baking, nothing fancy.
  • Confectioners Sugar – is regular powder sugar that has been processed with cornstarch or potato starch to prevent caking.
  • Cornflour – this is what helps us achieve that thick luscious creamy and velvety texture. The more cornstarch you add the thicker the hot chocolate will become. I highly recommend you do not add any more than the recommended amount here as you want this to be a pouring hot chocolate consistency, not vanilla pastry cream consistency.
  • Grated Chocolate – While it’s not absolutely necessary and you can avoid it? I highly recommend you don’t omit it. Real chocolate had cocoa butter which adds richness, flavor, and sheen to our finished hot chocolate. Having said that we all know that real chocolate has to be good quality chocolate – no less!! A good quality chocolate will shine thru and give you that gorgeous velvet like texture so I highly recommend using a good eating chocolate.
  • Spices – This can be omitted or switched depending on your preference or season. For example, in fall I love to add pumpkin spice or ginge bread spice. I winter I love to add garam masala (yes garam masala) or cinnamon. I know cinnamon is a very common addition but I highly recommend trying a pinch of garam masala.
A jar of hot chocolate mix made at home using cocoa powder, real chocolate. Pinterest optimized image featured with chocolate

How to make the best Hot Chocolate Mix with Real Chocolate Inside

Milk and Milk Substitutes

  • Milk – To make a drink you can use regular dairy milk. For a vegan version use Almond or Soy based milk. You can also use Coconut milk but take note that coconut milk will also have a coconut flavor. Personally, I love it but just make sure the person you serve it too like it too.
  • Milk Powder – As a kid, my mom used milk powder in her cocoa mix – that way all she did was add water to make the hot chocolate. If you prefer to do that just add 2 cups of milk powder and you can use a cup of water for every 2 tbsp of powder. Personally, I prefer the real mix I do not add milk powder in my cocoa mix.
This Kahlua chocolate milkshake is made with my homemade cocoa mix. It's rich, chocolaty and has the thickness of pouring vanilla pastry cream. And of course Kahlua which makes everything better. Doesn't it?

Kahlua Chocolate Milkshake

Recipe – The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix – How to make Hot Cocoa Mix (Save/Pin)

Tools 

Cinnamon Mocha Hot Chocolate Milk featuring my Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

Cinnamon Mocha Hot Chocolate Milk

Ingredients 

Hot Chocolate Mix

  • Confectioner sugar – 250 grams (2 cups)
  • Cocoa powder – 100 grams (1 cup)
  • Grated semi sweet chocolate (I use 60%) – 65 grams (1/2 cup)
  • Cornstarch – 2 tbsp
  • Spice powder – 1 tbsp (Optional)

Method

For the Hot Chocolate Mix

  • Grate the chocolate with a fine grater or use a food processor.
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
  • Use a whisk to make sure the powders mix well.
  • Store it in an airtight container – I prefer to use a glass jar.

To make the drink

  • As a guide use 2 tbsp of powder for each cup of milk (dairy or almond milk)
  • Add powder to the milk
  • Heat on medium low until the mixture is thick and creamy
  • Strain into individual serving cups to remove any undissolved bits of chocolate
  • Top with grated chocolate or Marshmallows.

Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

A jar of hot chocolate mix made at home using cocoa powder, real chocolate. Pinterest optimized image featured with chocolate

Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix – Hot Cocoa Mix

The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix aka Hot Cocoa Mix

A chocolate drink is winter or summer can be a real treat. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for the best homemade hot chocolate mix made with real chocolate makes the most amazing thick, creamy and delicious chocolate drink that taste like vanilla pastry cream. Use it as a base for making hot chocolate drinks in winter as well as frozen chocolate drinks in summer.
5 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Adjust Servings Here: 10 Servings
Calories: 87kcal
Author: Veena Azmanov
Prep Time: 3 mins
Total Time: 3 mins

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate Mix

  • 250 grams Confectioner sugar
  • 100 grams Cocoa powder
  • 65 grams Grated semi sweet chocolate I use 60%
  • 2 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Spice powder Optional
Metric - US customary

Instructions

For the Hot Chocolate Mix

  • Grate the chocolate with a fine grater or use a food processor.
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
  • Use a whisk to make sure the powders mix well.
  • Store it in an airtight container - I prefer to use a glass jar.

To make the drink

  • As a guide use 2 tbsp of powder for each cup of milk (dairy or almond milk)
  • Add powder to the milk
  • Heat on medium low until the mixture is thick and creamy
  • Strain into individual serving cups to remove any undissolved bits of chocolate 
  • Top with grated chocolate or Marshmallows.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 44grams | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.1g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 3.3g | Vitamin A: 0% | Vitamin C: 0% | Calcium: 0% | Iron: 0%
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Tried this recipe?Mention @veenaazmanov or tag #veenaazmanov!

Love Drinks? Cold or Hot?

Check out my collection of hot and cold drinks here on this page. Or
See a full list of all recipes here on my Recipe Index 

A collection of different Summer Drink Recipes available on this blog. From simple strawberry chia smoothie to watermelon spitzer as well as frozen hot chocolate and the best homemade hot chocolate ever!!

A collection of Drink Recipes for Summer and Winter.

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Comments

  1. The result is thick and creamy but i prefer sweeter version so i added slightly more sugar into the mix. Going to bring this to my office so im going to try using dry milk powder. It surely taste like the best drink to start the day! Thanks for the recipe! Not many recipe using real chocolates out there.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Ashley. yes, it is thick and creamy. You can definitely add more or reduce the sugar. I’m sure your office colleges will enjoy it. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.

      Reply

  2. OMG this is definitely the best hot coooa mix ever. We make it every week for the last month!! So glad I found this recipe and your blog. Love it. I make mine more thick and like you say more like thick pastry cream.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Ambrose – you just made my day! I think so too!! . Happy to hear you had success with this recipe and loved it as much as I do.I love it thick too! Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always happy to her from those who has tried my recipes or tutorials. If you share it on Instagram please do tag me @veenaazmanov so I can see your finished work. Thanks

      Reply

    • Absolutely Gloria.. My mom never ever purchased these things – she always complained that she was a control freak who wanted to be in control but now I see the positives of it all.

      Reply

  10. Sounds delicious! I love the combo of chocolate and cinnamon, so warming. We like to make cocoa mix at home since we can’t have the store-bought kind sue to allergies. I’ll have to try adding corn starch next time!

    Reply

  12. It looks delicious and i love the idea of adding a little cornstarch to make it really thick and creamy – that’s a tip I’m definitely going to try!

    Reply

  13. I do like a good Mocha when the weather is colder, and I imagine the additon of cinnamon makes this delicious and warming.

    Reply

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