Hot Chocolate Mix
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix is a quick and easy way to make hot chocolate from scratch. Our recipe uses a handful of common pantry staples and is made without powdered milk.
Hot chocolate is one of our favorite things to make during the Fall and Winter months. We have several different recipes that we use depending on the day.
Our slow cooker hot chocolate is great for a lazy Saturday, and Instant Pot hot cocoa is perfect if you need it in a hurry.
Some of my personal favorites are Nutella hot chocolate, White Hot Chocolate, and hot chocolate with chocolate chips. We even have a recipe for hot chocolate cupcakes, and we’re working on a RumChata hot chocolate!
So, as you can see, we’re a little obsessed. It made sense to share our homemade hot chocolate mix, too.
How to Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Without Powdered Milk:
This recipe is only a couple of steps.
- Measure out your ingredients, and place them into a small bowl or glass jar with a lid.
- Whisk the ingredients (or shake the jar) to combine. Store the mix in a sealable container until ready to use.
How to do you make hot chocolate from scratch?
We recommend heating your choice of milk in the microwave or on the stove top until it’s just barely steaming. Add 1 tablespoon of hot chocolate mix for every 4 ounces of milk.
Stir until the milk and hot chocolate mix are well combined. Top with your favorite garnishes like marshmallows, whipped cream, marshmallow crème, chocolate sauce, or chocolate shavings. It’s fun to serve with some festive chocolate dipped pretzel rods!
You could even try it in place of the packaged mix in whipped hot chocolate. We haven’t done this ourselves, but just mentioning it in case you’d like to try!
Can I use water instead of milk?
We recommend using half and half or a milk alternative (soy, coconut, or almond milk) instead of milk since there is no powdered milk in the recipe.
Water will work, but the drink won’t have a rich, creamy texture.
Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar?
Yes, you can use the same amount of powdered sugar in place of the granulated sugar.
What if I want to add powdered milk to the mix?
If you’d like to add powdered milk to the mix, use equal amounts of powdered milk and cocoa powder. In this case it would be ⅔ cup for each.
If you use more or less cocoa powder, adjust the powdered milk accordingly.
We still recommend using 1 tablespoon of mix per 4 ounces of liquid. Only now, the liquid would be water instead of milk or another dairy product.
Can I adjust the amount of the ingredients?
Yes! I’ve been making different variations of this recipe since high school, and the amounts are versatile.
We like more of a “chocolatey” flavor, so I use 2/3 cup cocoa powder, but that may be too much for some people. It can easily be cut back to 1/2 cup.
Cinnamon isn’t for everyone. In fact, my son prefers his hot cocoa without cinnamon, so that ingredient is optional.
Vanilla extract is a great “add-in” after the ingredients are mixed. However, it only takes a drop when it’s being added to individual cups. 🙂
For extra creamy hot chocolate, try using half milk and half heavy cream!
How long does hot chocolate mix last?
Homemade hot chocolate mix will last about 3 months when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using) together in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a jar with a lid or another airtight container until ready to use. The mix will last about 3 months when properly stored.1 cup granulated sugar⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder½ teaspoon salt⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- To make hot chocolate, add 1 tablespoon of mix to every 4 ounces of milk. For an 8 ounce mug, use 2 tablespoons of mix. Top with marshmallows, marshmallow crème, whipped cream, or chocolate sauce.
Great recipe! I was looking for something that didn’t contain powdered milk. We have milk cows and I was so happy to find this recipe so the kids can heat up a cup of milk and add a scoop of cocoa mix. I prefer to use my own ingredients instead of buying the packets or canister at the store. It saves me a lot of money and the kids love it. Thank you for posting
Thank you Laura! That’s awesome you have your own cows. Something, I wish we could do as well. However, I don’t think our neighbors would be too happy lol! When you use your own ingredients, you know what’s going into the hot chocolate. We don’t like using the store bought stuff, too many additives and preservatives. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe! Have a lovely day 🙂
All of the other recipes called for powdered milk, and my grandma, who I am making this for, likes water, so thank you so much for making a recipe without it!
Thank you Zoey! Kim and I are glad you found the hot chocolate mix. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
This recipe is so so good
Thank you Hailey!
Mixing this mix with hot water it was a 2/10. Once I tried it with milk I was shocked at the difference haha. An easy 8/10 at that point. Thank you for this!! It was super easy to make and after finding the proper liquid to drink it with it was fantastic.
Hi Kate!
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Milk or a milk alternative is definitely preferred. It makes a creamier, richer hot chocolate. Thank you for the comment and have a great weekend! 🙂
I really want to use superfine sugar, I’ll try it
Sounds great, let us know how it turns out. Have a lovely day!
So easy! We like ours really chocolatey, so I used 1 cup of cocoa to 1 cup of powdered sugar. Great with my cashew milk and by husband’s 2%. I made it in the time it took to microwave our milk. Delicious on this cold evening. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi Paula!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the hot chocolate mix! It’s one of our favorite easy things to make during the winter months. Thank you for coming back to comment and leave a star rating. We hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
This may sound like a silly question, but which brand of Kosher salt do you use? I know there is a difference in how much you should use between Diamond Crystal and Morton. Thank you.
Hi Diane!
Not a silly question at all. We use Morton brand. Feel free to adjust the amount and start with a little less if desired. Have a great day! 🙂
@Kimberly, thank you! I’ll adjust accordingly. Best wishes for a happy new year!
You’re very welcome! Happy New Year to you, too! 🙂
Delicious! Now I can have hot cocoa with my plant based milk and not be all clogged up! EXCELLENT Taste! A keeper!
We’re so glad this hot chocolate mix worked out, Leesa! Thanks for coming back to comment and rate the recipe. Have a great evening! 🙂
This sounds delicious. Can Himalayan salt be used instead of kosher?
Thanks so much, Anne! Yes, Himalayan salt works in the recipe. Have a great day! 🙂
The cocoa is delicious! However, if I wanted to add ground cardamom to this recipe, how much would I use? Thank you!
Good morning Tina, thank you for your comment and question. When adding any new spice to a recipe, I always start small and increase or decrease the amount next tine. For example, I would only add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. of cardamom to the recipe for the desired result. Remember, you can add extra spices to a dish, but it’s almost impossible to remove the spices if it’s too much. I hope this information helps, have a lovely day 🙂
You are my hero for putting the ingredients list in the instructions!!
We’re glad the ingredients listed in the instructions is helpful. Thanks for the feedback, Jen! 🙂
Just tried the hot chocolate. Very good. Used stevia instead of regular sugar. Added peppermint extract and cinnamon.
We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the hot chocolate mix and that stevia worked well as a sugar substitute. Peppermint extract sounds like a delicious addition! Have a wonderful evening! 🙂
Best Hot Choc mix.
I’ve been using this recipe for over a year now. I’ve even made them as gifts in mini jars.
I do use a spice grinder to make the mix super fine powder like you would buy at the store.
Thank you Sunny! Using a spice grinder is an awesome idea. Thanks again for your comment, have a lovely day 🙂
Best hot cocoa mix I have tried, perfect blend of cocoa and sugar.
Thanks, James! Have a good day.
Just made this recipe today and it is a HIT with my grandkids ( who are very picky)!!!
Only changed one thing, added vanilla extract instead of cinnamon.
That’s great Maureen, thank you for sharing! Have a lovely day 🙂
If you want vanilla added I recommend using vanilla sugar. It can be found at specialty spice shops or you can make your own from one of the many recipes here on pintrest!!
Thanks so much, Amanda! Vanilla sugar is a great idea. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
@Kimberly, I made this and it was amazing. Best hot cocoa mix EVER