Skip the packets with questionable ingredients and make this Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix at home with only 4 ingredients instead!
It's almost Halloween here, which means our weather has quickly gotten and stayed cold these last few days. That means my girls are usually asking for me to whip up a batch of hot chocolate pretty much daily now.
But let's be honest for a minute. Have you ever looked up the ingredients in the store-bought hot cocoa mixes? They usually read something along the lines of sugar, corn syrup, whey, carrageenan, natural flavors, and a host of other ingredients that we usually have no idea how to pronounce, let alone what they are.
This is why I like to make my own instead, with only a few simple ingredients.
Why Homemade Is Better?
- No questionable ingredients!
- No hidden gluten or grains!
- Super easy to make and keep on hand!
- Mixes easily with milk of choice or water!
- Cheaper than store-bought mixes!
- Customize the way you like it!
What's in Hot Chocolate Mix?
This hot chocolate mix is really easy to make, just how you like it with simple ingredients. It will make you feel a little bit better about your kids reaching for another glass this season!
- Sugar or Powdered Sugar - Both work well, but if you are using powdered sugar, make sure you use something like Wholesome Brand Powdered Sugar, which is corn-free to avoid grains.
- Cocoa Powder - Use a good quality cocoa powder and make sure it's gluten-free.
- Salt
- Powdered Milk of Choice - This can be left out, or use your favorite dairy or dairy-free powdered milk. I prefer to add this when I make a batch for our girls; then, they can add hot water from the dispenser and whip it up on their own. If you prefer, you can leave it out and then warm up your favorite milk and add the powder without the milk added as you make it.
Making Hot Chocolate Mix
You can do this two ways, but both are super simple. You can either toss everything into a bowl and whisk or toss everything into a blender or food processor and pulse a few times. I find mixing it in the blender allows the powdered milk (or if using regular sugar) it makes a finer mix, and it also dissolves better when you make it into actual hot chocolate.
Mix it up!
Cinnamon - Sometimes, I like to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the mix to make it a fun Mexican hot chocolate!
Brown Sugar - Add about ¼ C of light brown sugar to the mix for a little bit of caramel flavor in your hot chocolate.
Peppermint Extract - Want a little festive twist? Add a few teaspoons of peppermint extract to your mix for a fun way to whip up some peppermint hot chocolate!
Marshmallows - Sometimes, I will add some of our daughter's favorite gluten-free My Dandies Marshmallows into the mix, so they are already there to melt into their hot chocolate for the perfect added treat.
Collagen Powder - I personally love adding in a bit of my favorite Primal Kitchens Collagen powders to my cocoa mixes. I like the added protein, which helps to balance out the sugars just a bit.
How to make a glass!
When you are ready to enjoy a glass of hot chocolate simply mix ¼ c of mix with 1 c of either hot water or milk of choice and mix until it's completely dissolved and then enjoy!
More Ways to Warm Up
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Easy Weeknight Shepherds Pie
- Rustic Braised Chicken and Veggies
- Beef Tips and Gravy
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients
- ½ C Sugar or Powdered Sugar
- ⅓ C Cocoa Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 C Powdered Milk of Choice optional
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a bowl or blender as desired.
- Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- When you want to make a glass mix ¼ C of mix with 1 C of either warm water or milk of choice and mix until tis disolved.
- Enjoy or top it with marshmallows or fresh whipped cream for an added treat.
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