3-Ingredient Homemade Hot Chocolate
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Did you know you can make homemade hot chocolate with only THREE ingredients? Skip the generic brand (made with highly processed, sugary ingredients) and make your own hot chocolate at home!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Parents. You know how it goes.
Snow falls from the sky. Kids pillage the home for their snow gear that has been scattered about. You spend 30 minutes helping them get suited up appropriately. Kids play outside in the snow for 5.2 minutes. Kids return to the house and wet snow gear gets piled by the door. The clamoring for hot chocolate begins.
However, what’s a parent to do if the pre-packaged hot chocolate is running low?
Fear not. We have an easy solution. You can make hot chocolate mix SO EASILY at home.
We’re excited to share our 3 ingredient recipe for delicious, all-natural homemade hot chocolate.
Why Make Homemade Hot Chocolate?
Ingredients matter. As you will find in most of our recipes, we primarily use whole-food, real ingredients. Ingredients you can pronounce. Ingredients your great grandma would recognize.
This is why when I looked at the ingredients in a generic hot chocolate mix, I was shocked.
What IS all that junk? Well, I can tell you, this is NOT real food. Not only is this mix full of highly processed, sugary ingredients, but it also contains corn syrup, artificial flavors, and preservatives.
Whenever possible, we try to make things from scratch. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to make your own things like pizza sauce, croutons, BBQ sauce, and even breadcrumbs.
Even better news is that you can make homemade hot chocolate with only THREE ingredients!
No trans fats, artificial flavors, or preservatives included. You probably have them in your pantry right now.
Ingredients
You likely have the ingredients to make hot chocolate mix RIGHT now. All you need is:
- Cocoa powder – We recommend Ghirardelli brand or you can use cacao powder if you want a healthier alternative.
- Sugar – Plain old white sugar tastes and melts best, but you can use coconut sugar for a little more nutritious alternative.
- Milk – Whatever milk you want works (even non-dairy milk like almond milk), but whole milk will make it rich and creamy.
Instructions
While our recipe below is to make just one cup of hot chocolate, you can easily scale the recipe up and have a batch of the mix on hand. The cocoa powder/sugar ratio is 1:1.
To make a batch of mix for 8 servings, put 3/4 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of cocoa powder into a mason jar and give it a good shake. You’ll use 3 tablespoons of this powder per 1 cup of hot milk.
Now you can have hot chocolate mix ready to roll whenever the first snowflake flies.
Why Use Ghirardelli Cocoa?
We like Ghirardelli because it’s one of the best-powdered cocoas you can get. It rivals specialty high-end products but is much cheaper. Its flavor is deep, rich, and velvety.
This hot chocolate recipe will totally work with any type of 100% cocoa powder but we personally love Ghirardelli. You can even buy it on Amazon! Just be sure to get the 100% unsweetened cocoa, not the hot chocolate mix.
Tasty Tip!
The Best Ever Homemade Popcorn is our favorite snack to enjoy with this hot chocolate. Have you tried it yet?
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
3-Ingredient Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
Avoid all the junk in store-bought hot chocolate mix by using just 3 simple ingredients to make your own. This recipe makes the best homemade hot chocolate ever!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons 100% cocoa powder (We recommend Ghirardelli brand)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup organic whole milk (sub: your favorite milk)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Pour all three ingredients into a small saucepan and heat over medium to medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the ingredients are fully combined and the milk is hot.
- Serve immediately.
Notes/Tips
You can pull back on the sugar if you want.
Laurie says
I use Ghiradeli sweet ground cocoa and just eliminate the sugar – yum!
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Thanks for the tip!
Zinnia says
It was so good!
Carla from Thriving Home says
Thanks Zinnia!
Taylor M. says
I am 7 months pregnant. It’s 90 degrees out still at 8pm but I’m craving hot cocoa. Just found out I have gestational diabetes so a ton of sugar is a no go…this was perfect! I had Dutch process ghiradelli in the cabinet and 2% milk. SO good. Saving this and will not buy premade cocoa again.
Polly Conner says
Thanks for taking the time to share this and leave a review, Taylor!
Babz says
Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of milk-
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Oh that would be divine!
Milk Swallower says
Can I just mix the cocoa powder and sugar together in the mug and then add hot milk ?
Rachel Tiemeyer says
That’s a great idea!!
Sandy says
Can I use the white chocolate powder from Ghirardelli in place of the cocoa?
Rachel Tiemeyer says
We haven’t tried that, but it sounds yummy!
K Ann Guinn says
I will definitely try this simple recipe for hot cocoa mix! I have made homemade hot chocolate mix years ago and it was good, but still contained a lot more ingredients. I always questioned how healthy it was, so this is a great alternative (and I’ve already memorized the recipe….bonus!)! Thanks for continuing to share your great ideas and love of cooking.
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Hi K Ann! Nice to hear from you and I hope you enjoy this simple mix. My kids make it a lot over the winter! Such a fun and easy treat.
Trudy says
Ghiradelli is the only chocolate i use for baking, etc. i love
the taste better than lindt & any other chocolate.
i like to add this to coffee. makes coffee. taste much better.
i can’t offer a measurement, depends your individual taste.
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Yum, such a good idea to stir it into coffee. I’m totally trying that!
Elisabeth says
We’ve made this many times this winter!! Kids always love it! I do 1tbsp cocoa and 1 tbsp of sugar to 1 cup of milk and they still think it’s delicious!
Shirley says
Can you add dried milk to the sugar cocoa mixture and then just add hot water?
Debra says
so you use 3 TBSP of the mix per 8 oz of milk? seems like a lot of mix…am i misunderstanding?
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Yes, 1.5 tablespoons cocoa and 1.5 tablespoons sugar per 8 ounces of milk. It’s the same for store-bought. I’ve made this recipe many, many times. You can try using less (1 T and 1 T), but it just won’t taste like the store-bought stuff. 🙂
QueenMercer says
Our kids love this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Polly says
So easy, isn’t it?!
Leslie says
I love hot chocolate! I’ll be having some when it gets out of the 80’s here. It does get down to 50’s at night which is great! Thanks for sharing!
Bianca @ Track Pants and a Tot says
Looks tasty & so simple! I can never find cocoa powder at the market though, just cocoa mix, which is very similar. I’ll be sure to make this one soon. We’ve had a cold snap lately so it’s perfect hot choc weather.
Jess says
Made this last night for small group while we made gingerbread houses. So good and seasonal!
Rachel says
Oh yeah! Glad you enjoyed it!
Holli says
Mmmm. This is just want I needed to find today as I do think I have all these things in the pantry. This will go great with our cookies and Christmas movie tonight! Thank you.
Would love for you to share this with my Season’s Best {Winter Bucket List} Monthly Link-Up. Homemade hot cocoa…what a great item for anyone’s list!
http://www.fullhands-fullhearts.com/2012/12/winter-bucket-list-ideas-and-link-up.html
Thanks for sharing. Always enjoy your blog and ideas!
Merry Christmas,
Holli