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How do you choose between the indulgence of warm hot cocoa or the kick-up of coffee? Enjoy the best of both worlds with this delicious Coffee Hot Cocoa Recipe!
Coffee Hot Cocoa
When the holiday season arrives, my kids enjoy my classic hot chocolate or caramel hot cocoa, while my husband and I crave this hot cocoa with coffee more than we want to admit.
It's delicious, velvety, and has that kick-up we expect from coffee, all in an easy 5-minute process. Bonus: you can make it with cocoa powder, cocoa mix packets, instant coffee, or brewed coffee. Keep reading to learn more about it and enjoy the most delish mugs!
What is it called when you mix hot chocolate and coffee?
The mix of hot chocolate and coffee is also known as mocha. Caffè mocha traditionally combines coffee, milk, and some kind of chocolate flavor, as this recipe does by adding cocoa powder.
What You Need
You’ll need any milk or swap it for half and half for a creamier consistency, brewed coffee (made with traditional coffee or K-cups; or even instant coffee works), sugar, cocoa powder (or cocoa mix packets), and vanilla extract.
How to Make Hot Cocoa and Coffee
In the recipe card, I’ll explain how to make hot cocoa and coffee using cocoa mix packets or instant coffee. But first, here's how to make it with the classic ingredients:
- Heat up the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, and divide the hot milk into 2 mugs.
- Combine the milk with sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Then add the brewed coffee and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Serve with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, marshmallows, cinnamon, caramel syrup, or your favorite hot cocoa toppings.
More Hot Cocoa Variations
Do you want to surprise your tastebuds with more epic flavors? Then, you need to try my dark hot chocolate, my protein hot chocolate, and my hot chocolate espresso, another favorite for the coffee lovers!
Hot Cocoa & Coffee (with Cocoa Powder)
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk, any
- 2 cups of brewed coffee, 8oz each
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
Prep:
- Heat up the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute. Divide the hot milk into 2 mugs, ¼ cup inside each. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla into each mug. Use a spoon to stir to combine.
- Brew 16 ounces of black coffee, either in a traditional coffee pot or using K-cups.
Combine:
- Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate mixture and continue stirring with a spoon until all the sugar has dissolved.
Serve:
- Top the hot cocoa with whipped cream or marshmallows.
Notes
- You can swap the milk with ¼ cup of half and half, 2 tablespoons in each mug.
- Have cocoa mix packets? Combine each packet with 8 ounces of brewed coffee.
- To use instant coffee, add 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of instant coffee at the bottom of each mug and swap the brewed coffee for hot water.
Taylor says
Can’t beat the combination of cocoa and coffee!
Carlos says
This hot cocoa and coffee combo is super cozy and perfect for sipping on cold days.
Laura Fuentes says
Thank you for sharing how much you liked it!
Janet says
This is the perfect start to the day. I had a sausage biscuit with this, and it was pure perfection.
Pam says
Made this for my husband and I on a chilly day and it was so flavorful and cozy! We both loved it!
Stef says
Such a good combo, the perfect breakfast drink!