Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate. A combination of cocoa powder and chocolate chips make this hot chocolate extra flavorful and delicious! Ready in minutes.
Homemade Hot Chocolate: You sweet, creamy heavenly thing. If you were wondering how I would like to spend every December evening, it is curled up, with my hands wrapped around a warm mug of hot chocolate. Bonus points if that hot chocolate is topped with freshly whipped cream and a heavy sprinkle of chopped dark chocolate.
Filed under the list of things I will not consume: frosting from a tub, cool whip, and hot chocolate out of a packet. Friends, it is so incredibly easy to make Homemade Hot Chocolate. Put down that powdery packet! Throw a handful of real ingredients into a saucepan and you will have Homemade Hot Chocolate in minutes! It’s simple, delicious, and so much more satisfying than the store-bought stuff.
Homemade Hot Chocolate
This recipe is made with a combination of cocoa powder and chocolate chips. The cocoa powder adds the distinct “hot cocoa” flavor, and the chocolate chips melt into the mixture making this drink extra creamy, rich and luxurious. A splash of vanilla extract rounds out all that chocolaty flavor and makes this what I consider the perfect Homemade Hot Chocolate.
- Place the milk of your choice in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Using milk instead of water, makes this hot chocolate extra creamy and flavorful. I prefer whole milk or 2% milk, but you can choose any milk that you choose (I’ve even used unsweetened almond milk).
- Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar, and heat until warm.
- Once the milk is warm, add chocolate chips, whisking until they melt into the milk.
- Add a splash of vanilla extract.
- Serve immediately, topped with your favorite garnishes: marshmallows, whipped cream, chopped chocolate, crushed candy canes or more.
One of the wonderful things about making hot chocolate from scratch is that you can make it exactly the way you want it!
- Want it extra rich? Add some half and half.
- Want it less sweet? Use bittersweet/dark chocolate chips.
- Want it healthier? Use skim milk or almond milk, and reduce the sugar a touch.
- Want flavored hot chocolate? Add cinnamon, peppermint extract, a shot of espresso, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
The options are endless!
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Recipe
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk (preferably whole or 2%)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium/medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until warm (but not boiling). Add chocolate chips and whisk constantly until the chocolate chips melt and distribute evenly into the milk. Whisk in vanilla extract, serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Katie DePalma
Do you have a recipe for the homemade powder kind , you put in a jar and add water or milk as needed?
Allison
Hi, Katie. I don’t have a recipe for powdered hot chocolate yet. Hopefully sometime soon. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Aya
Cooks Illustrated has the best powdered hot chocolate recipe. I make it and jar it for new moms and they always ask for the recipe. You need to go to their website to get it. Alton Brown also has one from his show Good Eats. Hope that helps!
Season
No but I’m trying yours
Tammy N Dray
Made this for my husband and he loves it said his daddy used to make it all the time and said he’s so glad I found one that tasted just like his…thank you for sharing this!!!!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. 🙂
Annie
It was sooooo good!!! I halved the recipe and didn’t have chocolate chips but a milk chocolate bar, so i used half the bar. It came out really good! Thanks for the recipe
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Keela
I just made this with my little cousins and it is sooooo good! I had to half the recipe because it was a lot of hot cocoa for me but it was so good.
Allison
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Amanda Relien
First time making home made hot chocolate, was so good. I used Ghirardelli melting chocolate and for the sugar I did half the sugar and half crushed peppermint sticks. (My kids love peppermint hot chocolate) It turned out AMAZING!
We will be keeping this recipe handy. I dont think we will see the powder variety in our house anymore! 🙂
Allison
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Chelsea from Zimbabwe
I loved it , just what I needed , Thank you♥️
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Meenal
Finally i got a wonderful recipe of hot chocolate. It was just amazing. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Aya
I really liked this, and I’m very happy you posted this. It reminds me very much of French drinking chocolate! I am going to remake the recipe without adding the chocolate and just the cocoa and see if that is tasty, yet not quite as rich.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! And yes, omitting the chocolate chips will make it less rich.
Fatima
Never buying store bought ever again! ☕
Allison
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Emily
This is the best hot chocolate I have EVER had, thank you so much for the recipe!!!!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Jamie
My kids came home from school requesting hot chocolate, but I didn’t have any of the packets on hand. Decided to give this recipe a try and this is, hands down, the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had! It also received rave reviews from all four of my boys. This will definitely be our go to hot chocolate from now on. No more store bought packets around here. Thanks for the recipe!
Allison
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂