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This recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate is so quick and easy to make. No more mixes! This recipe uses your milk of choice, chopped chocolate, spices and it’s topped with a delicious my Coffee Marshmallows or Mint Chocolate Chip Marshmallows.
When the weather hits even a little brisk, I love to transition from my Iced Pumpkin Spice Lattes to warm Matcha Lattes to a Gingerbread Latte. Hello, I love a flavored drink!
I don’t think anyone would argue that hot chocolate is the coziest of cozy drinks. And since this is lil’ blog is called A Cozy Kitchen I think I’ve gone way too long without sharing a proper recipe for it. So, let’s talk about this perfect Homemade Hot Chocolate.
Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate!
Let’s talk about the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate.
- Hot cocoa is cocoa powder dissolved into milk or (God forbid) water. I have good memories of hot cocoa, actually.
But during the holidays, it was always hot chocolate. My mom would tell us stories about how in Peru, on Christmas Eve, right before midnight mass, a big pot of hot chocolate was made. They’d take big blocks of chocolate, melt it and then mix it into warm milk until it dissolved.
- Thick hot chocolate is just melted chocolate into milk. It’s what they also call drinking chocolate.
But sometimes it’s too rich for me; hence why I like this iteration: half melted chocolate and half cocoa powder. It makes the best combination of the best texture and viscosity, sweetness and spice.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Milk – If you’re a dairy-free queen, feel free to use oat milk or almond. I love a nice low-fat dairy milk so it’s not too, too thick.
- Sugar – I don’t use too much sugar; just the right amount.
- Cinnamon stick – You can use some spices, if you like. I like simmering it with a cinnamon stick and a pinch salt. This adds a nice depth that isn’t detectable.
- Vanilla caviar – I love using a scrape of vanilla. I usually use an already used up vanilla bean from my Homemade Vanilla Extract. You don’t need a ton just 1/4 of the beans from a pod. Feel free to use a splash of vanilla extract if you don’t have a vanilla bean.
- Chocolate – I love a good rich bar of chocolate. I’m using semi-sweet but feel free to use bittersweet or dark chocolate. I would steer clear of milk chocolate because I fear it might be too sweet and if you do, you can leave out the sugar and add it to taste.
- Cocoa Powder – Baking cocoa powder will make this hot chocolate not too thick.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe card below!
How to Make Homemade Hot Chocolate!
- Using a sharp knife, chop the chocolate into small pieces.
- Add the cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, sugar, vanilla bean caviar (or extract) cinnamon stick and pinch of salt to a medium saucepan.
- Warm it over medium-low heat until the chocolate has melted. Serve it immediately.
Tips and Tricks
- Milk Chocolate – If you want to use milk chocolate (say that’s all you have), feel free to eliminate the sugar in the recipe.
- Stir regularly – Stir it regularly to avoid a skin from forming on the top.
- Dairy-free – If you’re looking for a healthier hot chocolate/less indulgent, check out my Oat Milk Hot Chocolate. It’s made with cacao powder, maple syrup and collagen powder.
What To Serve with This Cup of Homemade Hot Chocolate
If you tried this Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk, or milk of choice (oat, almond, soy)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1/2 whole vanilla bean, scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- To a medium saucepan, placed over low heat, pour in all of the ingredients. Heat until a very gentle simmer and whisk until the chocolate has melted and is cohesive. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and discard.
- Divide amongst mugs and garnish with whipped cream, marshmallows or chocolate shavings.
Notes
- Milk Chocolate – If you want to use milk chocolate (say that’s all you have), feel free to eliminate the sugar in the recipe.
- Stir regularly – Stir it regularly to avoid a skin from forming on the top.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you could just deliver that to me right now, that’d be swell.
Yes, Please!! I would give anything for these right now. It is 20 below (yes, I am not joking it really it!!) right now and I am freezing. This would be so good!
20 below?!?! Good gracious.
This.is.so.pimp.
And I’m dying for those coffee marshmallows. omg.
Best title ever ;} A couple of weeks ago I made the kids hot cocoa with water since we were out of milk and my 7 year old said and I quote “What are you trying to pull?!! This isn’t real hot chocolate!” ;}
This certainly is however! l.o.v.e.
Hahahah your 7-year-old is adorable.
I never really thought about the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate! This looks a-mazing and I love the addition of the chili powder, too.
LOVE these fancy ass posts! This hot chocolate looks perfect!
I love Sharffenberger! And I love those cups!
Looks very posh Adrianna! After my own trial and error I agree it seems best to melt the chocolate separately, and gently. And to use at least 70% and a lot of it!
This recipe is so necessary for this time of the year. It is exactly what is needed to get through a long and dark winter here in the north – Denmark to be precise.
Since we are such a dairy country, we always top our hot chocolate with wipped cream, but your coffee marshmellovs might just be a lovely change.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Oh Denmark in the winter sounds soooo lovely. I know the days are short and somewhat dark but how cozy!
GAH! My coffee marshmallows, hot chocolate dream came true.