Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe

Name: Homemade Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 cups whole milk (or another nondairy milk); 8 ounces dark, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao, preferably); 3 teaspoons powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon salt

Hot Chocolate vs. Hot Cocoa

How is hot chocolate different from hot cocoa? Hot chocolate is basically like drinking a melted candy bar; the chopped chocolate contains cocoa butter which makes it richer and smoother. Cocoa is powdered and contains no cocoa butter and thus very little fat. It also contains dried milk, sugar, and added flavors.

This is the real stuff, and once you try it, you may never want to drink hot cocoa again! The recipe here serves four. It may not look like a lot, but believe me, it's very rich! And one cup is more than enough for a single person.

The Best Chocolate for Homemade Hot Chocolate

If you plan to make good hot chocolate, it helps to start with quality chocolate. Scharffen Berger, Guittard, and Valrhona are great choices if you can find them where you are.

I suggest using bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Bittersweet has little sugar added to it, so you'll get a purer chocolate taste. Semisweet works too, and usually has more sugar added to it than bittersweet.

What about those cacao percentages? The higher the cacao percentage (noted on the chocolate package) the more chocolate solids are in the product, and therefore, higher the intensity of chocolate flavor.

Semisweet is usually 35-40% cacao, bittersweet up to (and sometimes higher than) 75%. 100% cacao is unsweetened chocolate, which is fine for baking, but you probably don't want to use it for hot chocolate. Milk chocolate already has milk solids added to it and has a very low cacao percentage (about 20%).

Which to Use—Milk, Soy, or Water?

Whole milk lends to the creaminess and sweetness of hot chocolate, but feel free to use low-fat or nonfat milk if you prefer. For a thicker, richer hot chocolate, switch out 1/4 cup of milk for cream.

Soy milk or another non-dairy milk is an alternative if you are lactose intolerant. Use unflavored or vanilla soy milk.

Believe it or not, you can also use water instead of milk. Water allows the chocolate to show off its true flavors and unique characteristics, however, you lose the creamy feel and flavor.

Perk Up Your Hot Chocolate!

Experiment with spices and herbs to create unique flavors with your hot chocolate. Many flavors can be added to chocolate. Here are some ideas:

A classic combination of peppermint and orange
Lavender, bay leaf, or star anise
Chinese five spice for a slight kick
Chai spice blend
Add vanilla and chili peppers, like the Aztecs did
Or cinnamon, like modern-day Mexicans

Brew spices into the milk (or soy milk or water) during the initial heating process. After the milk is steamy, strain out the spices and herbs and return the hot, flavored milk back to the pan and add the chocolate as you normally would.

Spiked Hot Chocolate

A small addition of liquor is a fun way to warm the body on a cold night. About 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of liquor is the right amount per cup of liquid being used. Almost any favorite liquor will work.

Dark chocolate with a dark Guinness is a perfect combo. Cinnamon or peppermint schnapps with hot chocolate are classic companions.
Kahlua and chocolate makes for a sort of mocha-esque treat that you won't find at your local coffee shop.
A popular way to drink hot chocolate in Canada, according to some of my northern relatives, is to add a bit of whisky and (real) maple syrup.
I also like rum in my hot chocolate. Rum is good.

Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream

Regardless how you make it, I think whipped cream makes hot chocolate (or anything really) better. Feel free to use an extract such as vanilla or anise to flavor the whipped cream. Once dolloped onto your drink, a small sprinkling of nuts, cocoa powder, or ground spices is a great way to add flavor and pump up the presentation.

My best advice for creating your perfectly flavored hot chocolate is to make it as you like it. Feel free to experiment, as I doubt friends and family will mind being subjected to cup after cup of chocolate.

More Warming Winter Drinks

Can You Make Hot Chocolate for Later?

Hot chocolate is best enjoyed fresh the day it's made. If you want to do some of the prep in advance, you can finely chop the chocolate and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature.

What if you have leftover hot chocolate? I don't know how that's even possible, but let's just say you do. You can freeze it and blend it with a shot of espresso to make your own homemade frappuccino. Alternately, you can add some more milk and blend it for an instant chocolate milkshake.

The Best Way to Chop a Chunk of Chocolate

Finely chopped chocolate melts faster and more evenly. To ensure this, use a serrated knife, which bites into the chocolate and won’t slip. Shear off little shards with the knife for easy melting.

Buying Quality Chocolate for Hot Chocolate

Stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have plenty of high quality chocolates for your hot chocolate needs. But if all you have is a regular grocery store nearby, head over to the candy aisle and look for a bittersweet or semisweet chocolate with a high enough cocoa content.

You can use chocolate chips, but only do so as a last resort. Manufacturers add stabilizers to chocolate chips to keep their shape, making them not the ideal chocolate for melting.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 4 servings

8 ounces dark, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao, preferably)
4 cups whole milk (or a nondairy milk)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Chop the chocolate:

Finely chop the chocolate into small pieces. The pieces have to be able to dissolve easily in the liquid. Set aside.
Warm the milk:

Place the milk into a small, thick-bottomed pot on low heat and bring to a low simmer. Whisk once in a while to ensure that the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

If you wish, add herbs or spices to the milk, bring to a simmer then take off the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid then place back into the pot and return to a simmer.
Add the chocolate:

Add the chocolate, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt, and whisk vigorously until the chocolate has melted.
Melt the chocolate:

Heat for another 4 minutes, constantly stirring, until the chocolate is completely melted.
Serve hot topped with whipped cream:

Divide between mugs and add a splash of liquor if desired. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
469	Calories
26g	Fat
48g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	469
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g	33%
Saturated Fat 15g	75%
Cholesterol 29mg	10%
Sodium 182mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 48g	18%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 41g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 308mg	24%
Iron 5mg	26%
Potassium 641mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.