Homemade Hot Chocolate with Real Chocolate

Homemade hot chocolate with real chocolate is a great way to warm up from the cold. This chocolate drink is rich, thick, creamy, and chocolaty. Made with my popular homemade hot chocolate mix that uses real chocolate along with the cocoa powder.

Table of Content

• Why make this hot chocolate?
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Homemade hot chocolate recipe
• Variations
• More chocolate
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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Winter is here and we are already in comfort food moods from chocolate drinks, to pumpkin lattes. Have you tried my iced pumpkin lattes?

It's been raining constantly for three days so the kids are really upset about not being able to play out. 

The best thing about being indoors, of course, is soups and drinking chocolate. Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup and some fresh bread for dinner. Top it with a cup of luxurious homemade chocolate drink under a warm blanket and your favorite movie on Telly. Heaven!

Why make this hot chocolate?

• This is a rich chocolate flavor that is thick and creamy. The longer you cook the mixture, the thicker and creamier it becomes - almost like drinking vanilla pastry cream in a glass!
• This recipe uses my homemade hot chocolate mix. While you can use any store-bought variety I highly recommend you try my cocoa mix. It's the best thing you will do for yourself in winter or summer. It makes some really delicious thick, creamy, and luscious hot and cold drinks.
• The best part is the mix takes only 5 minutes to make using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
• You can top it with whipped cream and grated chocolate or of course, marshmallows as I did today.
• You can use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate bar or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Love the creaminess they add to the drink.
• 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, soy milk.
• In summer, I love to smear the rim of my glass with melted chocolate. And drop in a handful of ice cubes. Top with whipped cream to make frozen hot chocolate.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Hot chocolate mix - As I said above this recipe uses my hot chocolate mix. You can use a store-bought cocoa mix but that usually has only cocoa powder, milk powder, and some sugar.
  My cocoa mix has real chocolate in there!!
• Milk - I use dairy whole milk. Almond, coconut, or soy would be delicious too.
• Spices - I love adding a pinch of cinnamon to my hot chocolate mix. In fall I like some pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice mix.
• Additional - add a pinch of ⅛ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavor.

Homemade hot chocolate recipe

Small batch

• In a small saucepan add the milk and cocoa mix. Stir to combine. Heat on medium heat and let the milk come to a boil. When the milk boils let simmer for just a minute on low heat. Remove from heat and pour into a mug. Top with grated chocolate or marshmallows.
  Pro tip - Use a whisk to stir powdered ingredients to prevent lumps. Bring the milk to a boil. This activates the cornstarch in the chocolate mix and makes the hot chocolate thick and creamy.

Large batch

• In a medium saucepan add the milk and cocoa mix. Stir to combine. Heat on medium heat and let the milk come to a boil. When the milk boils let simmer for just a minute on low heat. Remove from heat and pour into a mug. Top with grated chocolate or marshmallows.
  Pro tip - Use a whisk to stir powdered ingredients to prevent lumps. Bring the milk to a boil. This activates the cornstarch in the chocolate mix and makes the hot chocolate thick and creamy.

Microwave

• You can also use a microwave-safe mug and heat the milk for a minute, add the hot cocoa mix, and continue to heat at 30-second intervals until the milk comes to a boil. Top with grated chocolate and marshmallows.

Variations

• Holiday hot cocoa - During the holiday season add some crushed peppermint extract, candy cane over the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.
• 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 some 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 a healthy hot chocolate reduce or omit the powdered sugar and use honey or maple syrup as sweeteners.
• Mexican hot chocolate - of course, a sprinkle of 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, soy milk.
• You can also make a few variations of hot chocolate recipes like Kahlua Chocolate Milkshake, Homemade Mocha Frappuccino as well Frozen Hot Chocolate Drink, Christmas chocolate eggnog with it.

More chocolate

• Frozen Hot Chocolate Drink
• Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies
• Recipe for Chocolate Babka
• Rugelach Chocolate Rolls - Chocolate Rugelach Cookies
• Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
• Coffee Chocolate Cake or Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
• See all chocolate desserts, chocolate cake

Frequently asked questions

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