Best Hot Cocoa mix Recipe Ever! (Without Dry Powdered Milk)
This is the best homemade hot cocoa mix you will ever taste. It uses a secret ingredient that makes it better than all the others. Most would never guess it was made from a mix!
If you are looking for something even more simple have a alternative version of this recipe for a just add water hot cocoa mix. I spent YEARS testing different variations of hot cocoa mix and finally landed on this winner.
One of my biggest hang ups is that I love a bitter hot chocolate and my family loves it sweet. So I now make two batches using different types of chocolate. I also give plenty of options in the recipe so you can adjust the sweetness as needed.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whole Ingredients So many store-bought hot cocoa mixes use weird ingredients with artificial and “natural” flavoring (which if you do some research you’ll find it’s not so natural after all). Mine has only four ingredients plus your own milk and it’s incredibly tasty.
- Ready in 5 minutes Measure out your ingredients and do some mixing with a food processor and its ready.
Ingredients
Milk– Whole milk is ideal. If you are dairy free you can substitute your favorite alternative. Almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk work well.
Chocolate chips– You can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate chips depending on the sweetness level you like your hot cocoa. I get my semi-sweet chips from Azure Standard.
Cocoa Powder– Use a high quality cocoa powder or cacao powder for the best taste.
Salt– It may seem weird in a sweet recipe but trust me on this one, it’s a good add on. Using a sea salt with minerals like Redmond is best. If you don’t have this but want to try it use my code SEASONALHOMESTEAD for 15% off.
Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix Without Powdered Dry Milk Video Tutorial
How to Make Hot Cocoa Mix (Super Easy!)
STEP 1: Add ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup chocolate chips (bitter or semi-sweet depending on your favorite taste), and ¼ teaspoon of salt to a food processor. Blend all the ingredients until there are no chunks of chocolate chips left and everything is incorporated evenly.
STEP 2: Pour into an airtight container and store for up to 3 months. Makes four 1 cup servings.
STEP 3: To make hot cocoa, mix a packed 1/4 cup of hot cocoa mix with 1 cup hot milk.
STEP 4: Stir the mixture or blend with an immersion blender. If you’re stirring by hand you need to stir for a while to make sure all the mix is dissolved.
STEP 5: Top with homemade marshmallows or whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.
Tips & Tricks
- Use chocolate chips that fit what kind of hot cocoa you like. For example, milk chocolate chips will make a very sweet hot cocoa. Semi-sweet chips make a normal sweetness hot cocoa. Bittersweet chips make a less sweet hot cocoa with a little bitter bite.
- I like to use bittersweet chocolate chips with 85% cacao. If you can’t find bitter chocolate chips, a bittersweet chocolate bar will work too. Chop it up in smaller pieces prior to blending it in the blender.
- You can substitute whole milk for a non dairy option. I use almond milk and it works great.
- A handheld milk frother ensures there are no clumps and makes the hot cocoa really frothy. I highly recommend it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make homemade hot chocolate without powdered milk?
Yes! To make a simple and rich hot cocoa mix without powdered milk, add 1/4 cup of the cocoa mix recipe from this page and stir with 1 cup warm milk. Top with marshmallows and enjoy!!
Is there a good non-dairy substitute for homemade hot cocoa?
Definitely. The best non-dairy milk to use for hot cocoa is oat milk. Its thick and creamy texture mimics dairy milk without overpowering the cocoa flavor. Coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, and others may also be used, but may carry different flavor profiles that vary in creaminess, texture and taste.
More REAL Ingredient Homemade Mixes
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes Mix
- Hot Cocoa Mix (Just add water)
If you made this Best Hot Cocoa Mix EVER (no dry milk) or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix (just add MILK)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup semi chocolate chips Alternatively use milk chocolate for a sweeter cocoa or bittersweet chocolate for less sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and no chunks of chocolate chips remain. Pour into an air tight container and store for up to 3 months.
To make Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Add 1/4 cup powdered cocoa mix to 1 cup of hot milk. Stir until dissolved or use an immersion blender or frother to mix.
Notes
- The sugar is VERY adjustable. I would consider the outcome of this recipe semi-sweet. It allows the addition of marshmallows without becoming cloyingly sweet. HOWEVER, You can add more or less sugar to taste. Personally, I’ve found using different types of chocolate chips makes it simple. For a bitter hot cocoa I like to use bittersweet chocolate chips with 85% cacao. If you can’t find bitter chocolate chips, a chocolate bar will work too. Chop it up in smaller pieces prior to blending it in the food processor. For a sweet hot cocoa use milk chocolate chips.
- You can substitute coconut milk or almond milk or any other favorite for a non dairy option.
- Makes 1 cup of mix and 4 cups of hot cocoa with milk.
- This recipe actually dissolves fairly easily without extra tools but if you have a frother to mix it definitely go for it!
