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This homemade hot chocolate is rich, creamy, and ready in about 10 minutes. Made with cocoa powder, real chocolate, and your milk of choice, it delivers a velvety, luxurious mug with deep chocolate flavor that puts any hot cocoa packet to shame!
Kristen's Keys for Homemade Hot Chocolate
When it comes to making really great hot chocolate, I have three key tips you won't want to miss paying attention to.
- Use real chocolate, not just cocoa powder. Cocoa powder alone gives you flavor, but melted chocolate gives you body and creaminess. That's the difference between thin and luxurious.
- Bloom the cocoa powder. Mixing the cocoa powder with a bit of warm milk before adding it to the pot helps it dissolve fully and boosts the chocolate flavor.
- Don't skip the salt or vanilla. A touch of salt and vanilla extract help to make the chocolate flavor pop.
How to Make Hot Chocolate
Once you learn how to make homemade hot chocolate using both chocolate and cocoa powder, you won't ever pick up a packet again!
Step One: Prepare Cocoa Powder and Chocolate
I like to start by placing the chocolate in a small bowl and sifting the cocoa powder and salt into another bowl so everything is ready once the milk is heated. Sifting is optional, but it helps prevent stubborn lumps and saves you from aggressive whisking later.
Step Two: Warm Milk of Choice
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and sweetener of your choice (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) over medium-low heat until it is just warm to the touch. To prevent the milk from scalding, don't walk away and don't stop whisking, it will just take a couple minutes for the milk to warm.
Note on milk: While any milk or non-dairy milk can be used, whole milk, half and half, or canned coconut milk if you are dairy-free will produce the richest hot chocolate.
Step Three: Bloom Cocoa Powder and Melt Chocolate
Once the milk is warmed through, ladle about 1 cup of the warm milk over the chocolate and let it sit for 1-2 minutes to gently melt and create a silky texture. While the chocolate melts, ladle ¼ cup of the warm milk over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Finally, stir the chocolate and milk mixture until completely melted and smooth.
Why this added step? It helps ensure the hot chocolate is smooth rather than grainy and enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder.
Step Four: Combine and Warm
Add the cocoa mixture and melted chocolate to the saucepan, whisking to incorporate. Continue to heat over medium-low heat until just warmed through, again using caution not to bring to a boil. Allowing it to boil, can scorch the milk and add an unpleasant burnt flavor to your hot chocolate.
Step Five: Add Vanilla and Serve
Turn off the heat, stir in the vanilla, and taste. Add more sweetener if needed, which may especially be needed if you used dark chocolate.
Then ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and top with marshmallows or whipped cream and enjoy!
Ways to Flavor Homemade Hot Chocolate
While a mug of good old-fashioned hot chocolate always hits the spot, if you are craving something a bit different, try one of these creative spins.
- Peanut Butter: Whisk in up to 3 tablespoons peanut butter after the cocoa and chocolate are combined; heat until melted.
- Peppermint: Swap vanilla for ½ teaspoon peppermint extract after removing from heat; garnish with candy canes if desired.
- Espresso: Add 1 shot of brewed espresso to each mug before serving.
- Cinnamon: Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon to the cocoa powder before whisking into the milk.
- Orange: Add a 2-inch strip of orange zest to the milk as it heats; remove before serving.
- Caramel: Skip the sugar and whisk in 3 tablespoons prepared caramel sauce.
- Cayenne: Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the cocoa powder before sifting for a subtle kick.
- Ginger: Add a ½-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger to the milk as it heats; remove before serving.
- Nutella: Omit the sugar and stir in ¼ cup Nutella when adding the chocolate.
Recipe FAQs
The better the chocolate, the better your hot chocolate. I prefer to use a good quality 70% dark chocolate, for a really rich, robust hot chocolate. That said, semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate works as well. You can opt to use chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or chocolate bars that have been cut into small chunks.
Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder and is usually thinner and sweeter. Hot chocolate is made with real melted chocolate, giving it a richer, creamier texture.
Yes. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring well before serving.
More Warming Beverages
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups whole milk, see note on other varieties
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, see note
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place ½ cup chocolate chips into a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, sift ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and ⅛ teaspoon table salt together using a fine-mesh strainer.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 4 cups whole milk with ¼ cup granulated sugar (or maple syrup) over medium-low heat until it just warms, whisking every 30 seconds or so. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat--milk scorches easily!
- Ladle about 1 cup of the warm milk over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute to gently melt. Meanwhile, ladle ¼ cup of the warm milk over the cocoa powder and whisk until fully dissolved and smooth. Pour the cocoa mixture back into the saucepan, whisking to combine. Stir the chocolate until completely melted, then whisk the melted chocolate back into the saucepan until smooth.
- Continue to heat over medium-low heat just until the mixture is fully warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more sweetener if desired, whisking to combine.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. And serve as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2016 but was updated in 2026.
Thank you so much for sharing those extra special steps as well as qualifying the difference in hot cocoa vs hot chocolate. Yesterday I made spicy using ancho chili pepper but using the chocolate chips and richer milk should really improve my drink!
Sounds delish! But please clarify, what exactly do you mean by "prepared caramel"? The ice cream topping? The caramel squares? Something else?
The ice cream topping..sorry that was unclear. ENJOY.
Perfect for a chilly day like today. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you enjoyed every sip!
I made the hot chocolate tonight with the it came out great! Definitely will make again.
Thanks for sharing! I love hearing you enjoyed this recipe, Natasha.
Looks so good! Can't wait to try this one.
Made this today after playing in the snow with my kids ...it was great!
What a fun treat for a snow day! So glad you enjoyed.
This hot chocolate is delicious and made perfect gifts for my coworkers. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh fun--I know my friends all enjoy when I serve this hot cocoa as well!
I love this recipe, it's perfect and the grand kids went nuts served with the candy canes great idea!
Oh that is so fun! I am so glad you enjoyed this as a memory with your grandkids Claudia! Thank you for sharing!