This homemade hot chocolate mix is absolutely delicious and super easy to make. Make a big batch and gift them to friends and family this Christmas.
Is there anyone else who likes to drink ‘cold’ hot chocolate? Or is it just my son? He wants me to make him a piping hot mug of hot cocoa topped with melting marshmallows, then he lets it cool down and drinks it with a straw. That boy!! The cold literally doesn’t bother him at all. So hot chocolate doesn’t have to be ‘hot’ for him. But God forbid if we run out of marshmallows.
I love making hot chocolate mix at home. Why buy preservative laden hot chocolate mixes from the store, when you can make them at home with a few pantry staples in no time at all?
In its most basic form, my hot chocolate mix recipe needs just 3 ingredients – cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk powder in a 1:2:2 ratio. Sieve them together to make them smooth and free of lumps. Fill it up in cute little jars and enjoy all winter long. Simple as that.
And when you want to warm up, dissolve spoonfuls of this mix in hot water or milk. I love to indulge in a milky beverage. The hot milk and milk powder in the hot cocoa mix makes it so creamy, smooth and delicious!
Now, apart from the three absolutely essential ingredients, it is so much fun to dress up and personalize your mix. A bit of of cinnamon really elevates the flavor. I like to add a pinch of instant coffee powder to my mug as well. And don’t forget the chocolate chips to make it extra chocolatey. Chocolatey – my new favorite word!
Top your mug of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and mini candy canes. So cute, sweet, comforting and nourishing! The bestest (yes, that is a word!) thing in the world is a mug of creamy, delicious hot chocolate on a cold winter night.
And since you are making hot chocolate mix, make some extra to give away as Holiday food gifts. Choose small jars or big ones, fat jars or skinny ones. Fill ’em all up and gift away!
This is our hot chocolate station right now. Lights, carols and hot chocolate – what fun!!
It is so much fun to make gifts in jars during the Holidays. I like to layer the individual hot chocolate ingredients in fat jars and top them with marshmallows. This makes for a cute presentation. Or you can mix the ingredients together and fill them in tall, skinny bottles. Add ribbons, gift tags and instructions, and you’ve just made the most adorable and delicious Christmas edible gift ever.
Get the super easy recipe below.
Make this decadent hot chocolate mix with just 3 basic ingredients. Feel free to scale this recipe up or down keeping a ratio of 1:2:2 for cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk powder.
Dress up your mix with cinnamon, coffee or even a punch of cayenne powder for Mexican hot cocoa. The options are endless!
- Unsweetened dark cocoa powder - ¼ cup, sieved to remove lumps
- Powdered sugar - ½ cup, sieved to remove lumps
- Milk powder - ½ cup, sieved to remove lumps
- Cinnamon powder - 1-2 tsp
- Instant coffee powder - 1-2 tsp
- Mini chocolate chips - ¼ cup
- Mini marshmallows - ½ cup
- Mini candy canes - a few, whole or crushed
- Milk or water - 1 cup
- Hot chocolate mix - 3-4 tbsp (depending on how thick you want it)
- Mini marshmallows - 1-2 tbsp
- Mini candy cane - 1
- Hot Chocolate Mix: To make the hot chocolate mix, whisk together the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and milk powder. Whisk in any optional flavoring agents that you like (cinnamon powder, instant coffee powder, etc). Mix in the mini chocolate chips. Your hot chocolate mix is ready to use. Store in clean lidded glass jars in a cool, dry place.
- Hot Chocolate Drink: To make a serving, boil water or milk. Add hot chocolate mix to a mug and top with hot water/milk. Stir well to dissolve. Top with mini marshmallows and candy cane. Serve immediately (or cold, if you are my son!).
- Hot Chocolate Mix Gift Jars: You can make gift jars in 2 ways. This recipe makes 1 pint-sized jar or a couple of smaller ones. Be sure to add the hot chocolate mix ingredients in a 1:2:2 ratio.
- In the first method, layer individual dry ingredients in a pint-sized jar and top with chocolate chips, marshmallows and candy cane. Another way is to mix up the ingredients (as in step 1) and fill them into bottles. Close jars tightly, decorate with ribbons, add handwritten instruction labels and gift them. (See instruction label text in Notes).
1. Remove marshmallows.
2. Mix rest of the ingredients.
3. Dissolve 3-4 tbsp mix in hot water or milk.
4. Top mug with marshmallows and candy cane. Enjoy!
Making hot chocolate mix with cocoa powder is the easiest way to a warm mug of hot chocolate. No more grating or chopping chocolate, and no more boring mixes from the store.
I am super excited to share this delicious post in my month-long #ChristmasRecipeSeries. Don’t forget to PIN & SAVE this recipe for later.
Do you like hot chocolate? Ever tried making and storing your own hot cocoa mix? Do try this super simple recipe this winter.
Want more Holiday recipes? Check out this page for all recipes under #ChristmasRecipeSeries.
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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday, FoodieFriDIY & Saucy Saturday.
What an awesome and yummy gift Anjana! Your photos, as always are spectacular! Thanks for sharing it with us at Fiesta Friday!
Thank you so much 🙂
Such a great post Anjana 😍
Thank you 😍