Making homemade hot chocolate has never been easier! This rich, creamy hot chocolate is easily made on the stovetop and can be kept warm for hours (plus, it’s DELICIOUS when made with almond milk instead of dairy milk).
In a decade of blogging (can you believe my blog turns ten this month?) and nearly four decades of life (yes, I’m avoiding February), one thing has stayed the same.
And that’s my love for hot chocolate.
I love it. Intensely.
And maybe that’s no surprise, because I’ve told you so many times over the past ten years.
I’ve posted a hot chocolate recipe or four:
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix (so good)
Tres Leches and Coconut Hot Chocolate (amazing)
Hot Chocolate Truffles (delicious)
White Peppermint Hot Chocolate
But what was missing was a really good, really classic, really delicious homemade hot chocolate recipe that wasn’t complicated, wasn’t weird, wasn’t fussy.
But it was creamy, rich, chocolaty, and perfect.
There you have it.
Give yourself 10 minutes and you’ll have a cup of hot chocolate right before your eyes.
What I love about this recipe is that it’s so customizable.
Want it darker and more decadent? Change up the brand or type of cocoa powder.
Or add a handful of chocolate chips at the end. No wonder I tried it so quickly.
Dairy-free? Substitute almond milk or another plant-based milk for the milk.
Want it minty? Add a little peppermint extract to the finished cocoa.
Another bonus is that once you’ve made your homemade hot chocolate, you can transfer the delicious nectar to your slow cooker to keep it warm for hours.
Hot chocolate is at your fingertips. Oh yeah.
Perfect for an all-day sledding ride. Or a family party. Maybe to decorate your Christmas tree?
Or maybe just because you need hot chocolate on a Tuesday afternoon. That’s as good an excuse as any.
I’m a hot chocolate lover and I admit that I love this hot chocolate. I hope you do too!
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Ingredients: 8 cups
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (57 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa
- ½ cup (283 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup water
- 6 cups cow’s milk or plant-based milk, such as almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk or additional milk to taste
Instructions
- In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and water. Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes, reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning.
- Add milk and vanilla and cook until very hot but not boiling or simmering. Serve immediately with more cream or milk to cool the hot chocolate and add more cream, or transfer the hot chocolate to a slow cooker and keep warm (warm or low) for several hours.
Notes
Cocoa : My favorite combination is to use half unsweetened natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s) and half Dutch-processed cocoa powder (like Ghirardelli, Droste, or Trader Joe’s) for a richer, sweeter chocolate flavor. If your cocoa powder is more clumpy, you may need to sift it into the pot to prevent lumps.
Milk – This is delicious with almond milk instead of cow’s milk (and if you want an extra touch of chocolate, try using dark chocolate almond milk instead, oh my!).
If you want a minty version: Add a few drops of peppermint oil or extract with milk and vanilla.
