Hot Cocoa Recipe (Better Than The Box)
This homemade hot cocoa recipe is rich, creamy, and comes together in minutes with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups milk, any
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, water, and salt over medium heat. Heat this chocolate base mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth.
- When it simmers, reduce the heat, pour the milk, and continue stirring as it heats up and you see steam surface. Do not let it boil; you don't want to burn the milk.
- Turn off the heat, add the vanilla, and mix.
- Pour the hot cocoa into mugs and top it with marshmallows or whipped cream.
Notes
Ingredient swaps:
- Honey or maple syrup can be swapped for granulated sugar (same amount). The flavor will change slightly.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder is more acidic and gives a deeper, richer chocolate flavor, while Dutch-processed cocoa is milder and less intense. Both work well in this recipe.
- In a mug, mix 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Heat 1¼ cups milk (in the microwave or on the stovetop) until hot but not boiling. Pour half over the cocoa mixture and whisk to dissolve, then stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla and the remaining milk until smooth and creamy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Calcium: 331mg | Iron: 1mg
