Homemade Hot Chocolate - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

There is nothing better than to snuggle up to a warm beverage on a cold day. You may wonder how to make hot chocolate. It’s easy to do! I will show you how to make this chocolatey treat.

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Creamy Hot Chocolate

Long before hot chocolate came in packages people were making recipes for hot chocolate on their stovetop. Homemade hot chocolate tastes so much better than any store-bought package.

Chances are you already have what you need to make hot chocolate at home. It is very easy to make.

Best of all if you are trying to stay away from additives, artificial flavors, and preservatives this hot cocoa recipe is for you! It is gluten-free and dye-free.

Hot chocolate is one of those recipes that sounds simple to make, and it is easy, but lots of people mess it up because they don’t know all the little tricks to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate. Once you learn how to do it right, you won’t ever want to use instanthot cocoafrom a packet ever again.

Why This is the Best Recipe forHomemade Hot Chocolate

Thishot cocoarecipe is pretty straightforward and delivers the old-time hot chocolate flavor you remember from when you were a kid. It is a real crowd-pleaser and offers a solid starting point for you to add your own creativity.

Hot Cocoa Ingredients

To make this hot chocolate recipe, you will need:

• Cocoa powder
• Sugar
• Salt
• Water
• Milk

Ingredient Notes

This recipe calls for cocoa powder, but should you choose Dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder? Both will work here, and the choice is up to you.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder produces a smooth, less bitter, and darker colored hot chocolate than natural cocoa. Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powderis an excellent choice for anyone who prefers Dutch-processed cocoa powder.

But some people like the slight bitterness of raw, unprocessed cocoa powder and should use a natural cocoa powder like this one fromTrader Joe’s.

I recommend using Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa or Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Ground Cocoa.

Believe it or not, the tiny amount of salt in this recipe is necessary to bring out the chocolate’s flavor. You can use any salt in your cupboard, but sea salt flakes, likeMaldon Salt, have the ideal saltiness level for this drink.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can make this recipe vegan-friendly by swapping out the milk for a plant-based alternative. Unsweetened oat milk such asUnsweetened Barista Blend from Califia Farmsis an excellent choice.

You can use your favorite sugar-free sweetener in this recipe.Monk Fruit in the Rawis highly recommended if you are new to sugar substitutes.

How to Make Hot Chocolate

To makehomemade hot chocolateon the stovetop:

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1. Place cocoa, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.

2. Pour cold water slowly into the pan and stir or whisk until well mixed.

3. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the mixtuLet the chocolate mixture come to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer.
4. Simmer for about three minutes until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve, and the chocolate mixture thickens.

5. Pour milk into the saucepan. Heat while whisking continuously until the hot chocolate starts to steam.

6. Pour the hot chocolate into mugs.
7. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream if desired.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Video

I hope you try making homemade hot chocolate soon. You can see in this video how easy it is to make, and it tastes wonderful.

How to ServeHomemade Hot Chocolate

The sky is the limit when it comes to garnishinghot cocoa. Sure, you can go the classic whipped cream or store-bought mini-marshmallow route, but there are so many other ways for you to enjoy this beverage. Try some of the following suggestions or come up with your own!

• Some folks can’t get enough of the hot stuff, and believe it or not, chili peppers go amazingly well with chocolate. Try stirring in a small pinch of ancho chile powder to really get things warmed up, or why not add a shot of Ancho Reyes Original liqueur for a boozy version?
• A teaspoon of vanilla extract gives thishot cocoaan extra dimension of flavor. Add the vanilla with the milk so that it never boils.
• Peppermint chocolate rim. Dip the rim of the hot chocolate mug into melted chocolate and then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. It is like drinking Christmas from a cup.
• Salted caramel and hot chocolate is a fabulous pairing. Add a dollop of whipped cream to your hot chocolate and then drizzle withGhirardelli Sea Salt Caramel Sauce. Or sprinkle a few pieces ofsalted caramel pecanson top of the whipped cream instead.

How to Store Hot Chocolate

Although it is best to makehot cocoawhen you want to drink it, you can keep it overnight in the fridge. Let the hot chocolate cool entirely on the counter, and then pour it into a container with a lid. Float a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Do try to freeze this hot chocolate recipe.

How to ReheatHomemade Hot Chocolate

It is quite easy to reheat hot chocolate. Reheating on the stovetop is better, but you can also use a microwave.

To reheat on the stovetop:

1. Pour the cold hot chocolate into a small saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-low heat while constantly stirring to prevent the hot chocolate from coming to a boil.

To reheat in a microwave:

1. Pour the cold hot chocolate into an oversized mug.
2. Heat for a minute and stir. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until thehot cocoais warm enough.

What to Eat with Hot Chocolate

What Goes Well WithHot Cocoa? Chocolate treats and desserts pair up nicely with hot cocoa and give the ultimate chocolate indulgence experience!

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• Hershey Brownies
• See’s Fudge
• Texas Sheet Cake

Looking for more great beverages to warm up to when it is cold?

• Crockpot Wassail
• Hot Buttered Rum
• Instant Mexican Coffee
• Irish coffee
• London Fog Tea Latte
• Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
• Starubucks Hot Chocolate
• Swiss Miss Hot Choca Mix

Check out more of my easy drink recipes and the best winter recipes here on CopyKat!