The Ultimate Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe, and Then Some
Chilly days and nights call for mugs of hand-warming and heart-warming hot chocolate! This cozy drink is perfect for post snow-play days, post-game days, or any time, especially when sharing a sweet, creamy treat is in order. Don’t forget to take a thermos of hot chocolate to a special outdoor event or on a road trip to keep the chill away. Keep some cookies or biscuits on hand for dipping too.
Here we talk about what the perfect homemade hot chocolate recipe looks like and how you can modify it to your taste buds.
Did You Know?
Chocolate has been enjoyed as a drink all over the world since 400 AD. In fact, the Aztecs claimed it was a “drink from the Gods” and we couldn’t agree more. So, not only is chocolate the star of so many edible recipes, but it started out as a drinkable delight.
Nowadays, chocolate is in a league of its own and has reached famous food status all over the world. While Switzerland is known for its premier brands of chocolate, Germany, Italy, and even the U.S. produce chocolate that is known all over the world.
What Kinds of Chocolate Are There?
Milk Chocolate
Milk chocolate is a combination of milk and chocolate and is most popular for drinking and baking. It is also the most popular commercial candy bar type of chocolate. It comes in a solid form as well as a powdered form.
White Chocolate
White chocolate isn’t really chocolate at all; it’s the fats extracted from cacao beans, milk solids, and commercial sweeteners. White chocolate is used in baking and dessert recipes. It is also used as a fun decorating method when it is melted.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate has a higher amount of cacao solids, and depending on the percentages, it varies in levels of bitterness. However, don’t be put off. Dark chocolate is often used as a “palate cleanser” and is a tasty complement to red wine, cheeses, fruits, and nuts.
Unsweetened Chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate, also known as bitter or baking chocolate, is the result of grinding roasted cacao beans. It's strong in flavor and requires a sweetener for baking purposes.
DIY Hot Chocolate Flavor Add-Ins
With just a few add-ins, hot chocolate can take on new flavor profiles:
- Mexican mocha: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, cardamom, and some cinnamon.
- Caramel mocha: Stir in chopped caramels.
- Mint chocolate mocha: Add a couple of drops of mint extract to each cup.
- Peanut butter mocha: Swirl in your favorite creamy peanut butter.
Or, add any of your favorite coffee syrups like eggnog, cinnamon dolce, English toffee, Amaretto, hazelnut, or coconut.
How Do I Make Homemade Hot Chocolate?
Nowadays, there are dozens of ways to prepare and enjoy this heavenly beverage, so grab a pot, a mug, your favorite mix-ins, a friend or two, and let’s get started.
Pro tip: The thicker and creamier the milk, the better the result. Great dairy free options for homemade hot chocolate are oat milk, coconut milk, and hemp milk. These varieties will replicate that frothy, creamy texture that makes hot chocolate so delicious.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
Servings: 4
Time to make: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of whole milk
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or vanilla flavored coffee syrup
Directions:
Whisk milk, cream, and sugar over medium heat until the mixture is dissolved. Then, add chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate is melted.
Next, remove chocolate milk from the heat and stir in vanilla. You’re then able to pour the drink into mugs. Feel free to top it with marshmallows, whipped cream, or extra chocolate shavings.
Pro tip: Keep homemade hot chocolate in a crock pot set to low and let everyone help themselves. You can also make a batch or two and store them in the refrigerator for a last-minute cozy beverage.
Nutrition Facts:
- Servings: 4
- Calories: 467
- Total fat: 29.5 grams (38%)
- Saturated fat: 19.1 grams (95%)
- Cholesterol: 69 milligrams (23%)
- Sodium: 118 milligrams (5%)
- Total carbohydrate: 40.3 grams(15%)
- Dietary fiber: 1.4 grams (5%)
- Total sugars: 37.6 grams
- Protein: 9.7 grams
- Vitamin D: 89 micrograms (444%)
- Calcium: 306 milligrams (24%)
- Iron: 1 milligram (6%)
- Potassium: 444 milligrams (9%)
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.