Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

The best gifts are homemade. This Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix proves it and you can adjust it to make it perfect for individual tastes!

How To Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

To make your own hot cocoa mix, there’s just a few ingredients you need. For the chocolate flavor, use cocoa powder. I like to look for Dutch-processed, but whether you choose regular cocoa powder or dark chocolate is up to you. 

You also want dried powdered milk, whole milk powder is best but you can use a low-fat if you’d like. And of course, you need to sweeten up that cocoa with sugar! Powdered or confectioners’ sugar dissolves quicker when you mix, so that’s the best choice there. 

I think a pinch of salt brings out the chocolate taste, but it’s optional. Speaking of optional, if you want to get creative, pick an add-in from below to make your mix extra delicious!

Combine your ingredients by whisking them together, sifting them if needed to get rid of clumps. You can put your mix in an airtight container to store for months, or divide it into a couple jars to give as gifts!

Flavor Boosting Add-Ins

Earlier I told you about making spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Powder as a gift to take to a friend over the holidays. That got me thinking about other easy flavored hot cocoas that you could put into jars and then place into your friend’s hands. Try adding different ingredients to your homemade hot chocolate mix for a delicious festive treat.

• Mini marshmallows 
• Chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips
• Dried spices like cinnamon
• Espresso powder
• Crushed candy canes

Candy cane hot chocolate was my favorite idea in the end because I love how the bits of candy cane look through the glass of the jar. It’s really easy to make too. You mix together your usual hot chocolate powder suspects (or even scoop some store-bought hot chocolate mix!) and then add some broken up candy canes. Done!

Making Homemade Hot Cocoa

To use your mix, scoop about 1/2 cup of your homemade hot chocolate mix into a mug and pour in a cup of hot water or milk. You may prefer a bit more or less per mug of cocoa depending on how rich you like yours. 

The best thing about making your own is being able to adjust this recipe so that you get the perfect amount of chocolate and sweetness for your personal taste!

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This post originally appeared in December 2015 and was revised and republished in December 2022.