Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix is an easy and convenient staple to always have in your pantry! Besides making delicious mugs of hot chocolate, this mix can be used to make other desserts and treats! Hot chocolate mix packs up great for gift-giving and can be turned into a steaming mug of goodness with just some hot water!
Making homemade hot chocolate mix also means you can dictate how much sugar is added based on your preference, without containing unhealthy artificial preservatives, unlike store-bought hot chocolate mixes. That gives me peace of mind when serving a mug of hot chocolate to my kids and family or adding this homemade mix to recipes such as Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Bombs, Dirty Snowman (Boozy Hot Chocolate Float), or Peppermint Hot Chocolate Bombs.
Always have a batch of homemade hot cocoa mix on hand whenever you’re in the mood for a warm chocolate drink, or double the ingredients and gift it in cute jars for friends and family! If you love hot chocolate, don’t miss this Thick Italian Hot Chocolate or these Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
- Making homemade hot cocoa mix means greater control over the ingredients used for healthier versions of the commercial hot cocoa mixes you find in grocery stores.
- This hot cocoa mix can last up to 3 months in proper storage.
- Use this hot cocoa mix recipe for making other desserts and decadent drinks, or gift it in airtight jars to friends and family!
🍫 Ingredients:
- Sugar – Granulated sugar provides a good amount of sweetness in this hot cocoa mix, but you could also use light brown sugar or powdered sugar (although you may wish to reduce the quantity).
- Chocolate – Use a 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar and 2 oz. white bar or semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
- Cocoa powder – I prefer unsweetened cocoa powder since there is already a lot of sweetness from the sugar and chocolate.
- Instant Non-fat dry milk – This powdered milk enables you to add boiling water for a cup of delicious hot cocoa.
- Sea salt
- Cornstarch – While this ingredient is optional, it does a great job of thickening the hot cocoa. It won’t affect the flavor of your hot cocoa.
PRO TIP: If you aren’t going to make your hot cocoa on the stovetop, then I suggest you omit the cornstarch since you won’t reach sufficient heat to thicken the hot cocoa mix with the cornstarch if you are simply adding hot milk or water to your mug.
🔪 Instructions
PREP: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the chocolate bar pieces are broken down.
Continue chopping until you have a consistent grain, fine chocolate powder.
PACKAGE OR SERVE: Package the homemade hot cocoa mix into glass sealable containers with decorative ribbons and gift tags or make a cup of hot cocoa by combining two tablespoons of hot cocoa mix with 6-8 oz. of hot water or milk, stirring to dissolve.
Stovetop Instructions for Serving Hot Chocolate Mix:
Add the cornstarch to the hot cocoa mix (as recommended in the recipe ingredients) for the best results. Combine two tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix with 1 cup of milk (dairy milk or almond milk) and bring to a simmer for 1 minute over the stovetop. This method will create thicker hot cocoa. Top with mini marshmallows, and enjoy!
- The great thing about this hot chocolate mix is that you can use it not only for delicious cups of hot chocolate but also for making hot chocolate bombs, as well as desserts and treats that require the use of hot chocolate mix!
- Create a decadent cup of hot chocolate by adding some mini marshmallows, line the glass with chocolate syrup, or add in some peppermint extract for a holiday twist.
- Since I’ve included dry milk in the hot chocolate mix, you can simply make a cup of hot chocolate with boiling water. This option is great when camping or when you don’t have fresh milk.
Fun Fact
Did you know that almost all commercial hot cocoa mixes contain artificial preservatives to extend their shelf life? It’s one of the reasons I stopped buying my hot cocoa and started to make it myself. Now you can too!
Variations
- You can easily change the types of chocolate used and the amount of sugar to suit your personal preferences. Just make sure to maintain a ratio of twice as much sugar as unsweetened cocoa powder otherwise, it could be a bit bitter.
- The ingredients can also be doubled to make a larger batch if you like or if you plan to make batches as gifts.
- Substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar if you like since it dissolves well.
- Add coffee creamer to the hot cocoa mix instead of dry milk powder.
- Add instant coffee to the mix for a hot mocha drink.
This hot cocoa mix can last up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container or jar in a cool, dry area of your kitchen or pantry.
Unlike store-bought hot cocoa mix, this homemade mix doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives so it won’t last as long, but that’s fine with me since I always prefer a healthier option for the family!
Both are referred to interchangeably, but there are slight differences. The main difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate mix comes from flavor and consistency. Hot cocoa mix is traditionally thinner in consistency but usually sweeter as added sugar is most often included to offset its naturally bitter flavor, while hot chocolate mix will give you a richer flavor with a thicker consistency.
Ways to Use Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
Ingredients
- ¾-1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar or chips
- 2 oz. white chocolate bar or chips
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup instant nonfat dry milk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch Optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse or run until the chocolate bar pieces are completely broken down and hot cocoa mix is a consistent powder.
- Package in a container with a lid.
- To serve, mix two tablespoons of hot cocoa mix with 6-8 oz. of hot water or milk, stir, and enjoy.
- For the best results, include cornstarch in the mixture as listed in the ingredients. To serve, heat 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of milk over the stovetop until mixture reaches a simmer. Stir constantly, allow to simmer for 1 minute. Hot cocoa will thicken slightly. Serve.
Nutrition
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