Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Quick, easy and delicious, this is the best homemade hot cocoa mix you’ll ever try! It’s especially perfect for holiday gift giving!

Use this homemade hot cocoa mix to make some classic hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, or change it up with some Peppermint Hot Cocoa!

The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa

Better Than Store Bought!

Hot cocoa is one of my favorite things to sip on during the holiday season. When the snow starts falling I always start craving it! But I haven’t really found a store-bought cocoa that I really love. They’re all good, but are often expensive and full of all sorts of preservatives.

So this year I thought I’d make my own cocoa mix using a few pantry staples along with one or two secret ingredients. The results? The BEST homemade hot cocoa mix I’ve ever had!

Ingredient Tips:

  • Milk Powder: I prefer using whole milk powder but often times nonfat is easier to find. Whole is slightly more rich and creamy while nonfat is a little more on the bitter side.
  • White Chocolate: Not only does it helps sweeten things up (along with the powdered sugar), it also makes this cocoa extra smooth and creamy. Make sure you buy white chocolate, not vanilla chips… there’s a difference!
  • Cocoa Powder: Probably the second most important ingredient! I prefer unsweetened dark or Dutch cocoa but natural works too if you prefer more of a milk chocolate flavor. And like I always say, use quality ingredients (especially cocoa), because you can definitely taste it in this recipe!
  • Pure Vanilla Powder: That’s my secret ingredient! It’s what makes this recipe taste 10x better than any other recipe out there. Nielsen-Massey makes one that I love, and I use it in place of vanilla extract in dry mixes and baked goods. It’s worth the extra money, I promise! (It can also be found in the bulk spice section of stores that carry bulk foods) If you happen to have ground vanilla bean you can definitely use that too, I know I’ve used it in recipes and it’s excellent!

The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa

Making Hot Cocoa Mix

MIX + PUREE. Once you have your ingredients measured out, mix them together in a large bowl and then puree them in batches until the mix is nice and smooth (basically until the white chocolate is finely ground). That’s it!

To use, mix ¼ cup of the mix with 1 cup of warm water or milk. 

Store it in an airtight container for up to 6 months and enjoy at your leisure! As long as the hot chocolate remains dry, it should stay good. The older it gets the more the chocolate taste fades. But this is a great thing to keep in your food storage!

The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa

Whether you’re making a batch of this cocoa for your family or for holiday gifts, everyone is going to love it! If you’re feeling extra fancy you can buy those dehydrated marshmallows and mix those in, or package up some fluffy homemade marshmallows for people to add in later. I hope you’ll give this quick and easy recipe a try! 

Enjoy & happy holidays!

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The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Quick, easy and delicious, this is the best homemade hot cocoa mix you'll ever try! It's especially perfect for holiday gift giving!
4.80 from 25 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Andrea
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Ingredients

  • 3 cup dry milk powder - nonfat or whole
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup special dark cocoa powder - or Dutch process*
  • 1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips - OR chunks**
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla powder***
  • 1 cup dehydrated marshmallows - mini

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Working in 2-3 batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Add mini dehydrated marshmallows if desired, stir to combine. Store the cocoa mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
  • To prepare the hot cocoa, put ¼ cup to ⅓ cup of the mix in a large mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk or water.

VIDEO

NOTES

- Whole milk powder will give this cocoa a slightly more creamy flavor
- Try adding ground candy canes for peppermint hot cocoa!
-  If using ground vanilla bean in place of pure vanilla powder, use 1 tsp. Vanilla powder can be found at most stores with bulk food sections as well as specialty stores like Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma.
*Using high quality cocoa powder is always better than going with the cheap stuff. Quality ingredients yield quality results! Natural cocoa powder can be used in place of dark or Dutch-process for more of a milk chocolate flavor.
**I prefer using Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bars and chopping them into chunks
***My favorite brand of vanilla powder is Nielsen-Massey. You can find this ingredient at most well stocked grocery stores, specialty food stores or even online. It really makes a huge difference in the overall flavor of the cocoa. It's worth the money and can be used in all sorts of dry mixes or baked goods!

Nutrition

Serving: 24serving | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 1mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make hot cocoa mix recipe! It’s really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!