BEST Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

Why you’ll love this chocolate mix

• This is the best hot chocolate drink you can make. It’s better than any hot cocoa mix you can pick from any grocery store.
• Moreover, 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 sometimes dress the rim, too. It just makes it a little extra special. As a kid, my mom used more milk powder in her cocoa mix – that way, she only added hot water to make the hot chocolate.
• Use it as a base for making hot chocolate drinks in winter, frozen chocolate drinks in summer, or other cool chocolate drinks.
• For a vegan version of this hot chocolate mix recipe, use almond or soy-based milk. You can also use coconut milk, but take note that coconut milk will also have a coconut flavor.
• This also makes the perfect holiday gift for family and friends during Christmas. Just fill a mason jar and tie a pretty bow with a gift tag on the lid!

Ingredients and substitutes

• Cocoa Powder – I use unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It’s just regular cocoa powder we use for standard baking, nothing fancy.
• Powdered Sugar – also called confectioners or icing sugar that has been processed with cornstarch or potato starch to prevent caking.
• Dry milk powder – please use whole milk powder for the best flavor. Since it is a dry mix, it does stay well in the cocoa powder.
• 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 more than the recommended amount here as you want this to be a pouring hot chocolate consistency, not a vanilla pastry cream consistency.
• Grated Chocolate – While it’s unnecessary, can you omit it? I highly recommend you don’t omit it. Real chocolate had cocoa butter, adding 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!! Good quality chocolate will shine through and give you that gorgeous velvet-like texture, so I highly recommend good-eating chocolate.
• Spices – This can be omitted or switched depending on your preference or season. For example, I love adding pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the fall. But, in summer, I omit the spices and add vanilla to the milk.

The chocolate mix

• Grate the chocolate with a fine grater or use a food processor.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl – powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk powder, grated chocolate, cornstarch, and spices.
  Pro tip – A whisk works best to combine dry ingredients
• Store it in an airtight container, such as a glass jar, for up to 6 months.

Single serving hot chocolate

• Bring one cup of milk to a boil in a saucepan or microwave-safe mug.
  Pro tip – I used dairy milk, but almond or soy milk is delicious, too.
• Add 2 tbsp chocolate mix to the milk – stir well to dissolve.
• Return the saucepan to heat or microwave at 30-second intervals.
• Bring the milk to a boil. This activates the cornstarch in the chocolate mix, making the hot chocolate thick and creamy.
• Top with more grated chocolate or marshmallows.

Variations

• Holiday hot cocoa – Add some crushed peppermint extract and candy cane over the hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream during the holiday season.
• Chocolate chips – I’ve used a grated chocolate bar, but you can also use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips.
• White chocolate – If you like white chocolate, throw in some white chocolate chips for added sweet chocolate flavor.
• Sweet or unsweet – Of course, I have used unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can use sweetened cocoa powder to make the drink sweeter.
• Cinnamon – Add a sprinkle of cinnamon powder and garnish with cinnamon sticks to celebrate fall.
• Maple hot chocolate – for healthy hot chocolate, reduce or omit the powdered sugar and use honey or maple syrup as sweeteners.
• French hot chocolate – rich, thick, and creamy, made with real chocolate and cornstarch to thicken the mixture.
• Mexican hot chocolate – a sprinkle of cinnamon or cayenne pepper makes the perfect addition to chocolate.
• Dairy-Free or vegan – You can make it with dairy milk, of course, but you can also make it dairy-free and vegan, such as almond milk, coconut milk, and soy milk.
• You can also make a few variations of hot chocolate recipes like Kahlua Chocolate Milkshake, Homemade Mocha Frappuccino, and Frozen Hot Chocolate Drink Christmas chocolate eggnog.

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