We don’t live where it snows, but it definitely still gets cold and rainy during the winter season here in the California Bay Area. And it’s on mornings like that that the best way to coax my kids out of bed is with a mug of hot chocolate! It’s always such a treat! My very favorite hot chocolate is actually this European-style version that is super thick and creamy, but it isn’t quite as convenient to make in the morning as just having a mix available to do individual portions. I have to say that this hot chocolate mix takes a close second place and is still pretty darn rich, creamy, and decadent, especially when mixed with hot milk instead of water. Sometimes I will double or triple the batch to always have it one hand to enjoy all season long! There is nothing more comforting than sitting down with a warm, relaxing mug of hot cocoa! Some of our other favorite seasonal drinks are White Hot Chocolate, Slow Cooker Apple Cider, and of course, Homemade Eggnog. I made batch after batch of hot chocolate mix, testing various proportions of cocoa powder, sugar, and other ingredients to get things just right. I found that adding a little cornstarch helps thicken the hot chocolate every so slightly giving it a silkier feel in your mouth. And I have a couple of suggestions to take your hot chocolate mix from good, to really, really good, PREMIUM hot chocolate. Both of these ideas are optional and you can skip them and still have good hot chocolate milk for gifting or enjoying yourself, but they do make a difference if you have the time.
Try adding vanilla powder!
The first is to add some vanilla powder (affiliate link) to your homemade hot chocolate mix. I have never actually seen this in stores and have just ordered it online. Nielsen-Massey makes a good one two, but at almost triple the price, it’s much more expensive. The wonderful vanilla flavor really balances out the cocoa powder and really somehow makes it taste more chocolate-y. Obviously you can’t add regular vanilla extract to a dry, powdered hot chocolate milk, but using vanilla powder lets you add that vanilla flavor without the liquid!
Toast the powdered milk!
The second trick is one I learned from Alton Brown: try toasting the powdered milk in the oven before adding it to your hot chocolate mix. I made multiple batches of hot chocolate mix when I was recipe testing and I definitely noticed a difference between the batches made with toasted milk powder versus those where I skipped this step. Again, both approaches are still super delicious, and admittedly, it’s a bit of a nuisance to heat the oven, then toast the powered milk and cool it before you can make the hot chocolate mix, but it’s worth a try at least once!
How to make homemade hot chocolate mix
What chocolate is best for hot chocolate?
I tested several reputable recipes when coming up with this version, some of which used chopped up white chocolate and others going the other route with dark cocoa powder. Ultimately, our favorite batches were made by combining a little Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder with their regular unsweetened cocoa powder to give us the overall best chocolate flavor that is on the dark side, but not too dark. It tastes much more rich and chocolatey, with more complex cocoa flavor than just regular unsweetened cocoa powder alone.
How long does hot chocolate mix last?
If you store your hot chocolate mix in an airtight container (mason jars are great for storing and gifting this mix), it will last all season long since all of the ingredients are shelf-stable! We just keep our mix in the cupboard so it’s ready and within easy reach whenever we want to make a mug.
Can you add marshmallows to this hot cocoa mix?
Absolutely! My kids love those dehydrated marshmallow bits (affiliate link) in their hot chocolate mix and it makes for a really pretty presentation when gifting to not mix them in but instead fill a mason jar with the hot chocolate mix first, then pour a layer of marshmallows on top.
Gifting ideas
Fill cellophane bags with the hot cocoa mix and tie them with a ribbon. Stick them in a cute mug with a candy cane and a card explaining that they will need to add ¼ to ⅓ cup of the hot chocolate mix to 1 cup of hot water or milk. Fill pint or quart size mason jars with the hot chocolate mix, then cover then tie a ribbon around the lid.
Variations to try
Mexican hot chocolate: Try adding 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the mix for a unique flavor combination that is super delicious! Peppermint candy cane hot chocolate: Unwrap 8-10 candy canes and add them to the food processor (affiliate link) to pulverize them really well before adding them to the mix for a chocolate peppermint version. Other flavors: The easiest way to add other flavors it to purchase flavored powdered coffee creamer and replace 1 cup of the powdered milk with 1 cup of the coffee creamer. The hazelnut version is my personal favorite.
More Edible Gift Ideas
Homemade Vanilla Extract English Toffee Peanut Brittle Olive Garden Salad Dressing Salted Caramel Sauce Flood Mud Hot Fudge Homemade Gourmet Caramel Apples Chocolate Walnut Fudge
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
