There’s nothing better than sipping on a warm cup of homemade hot cocoa, while buried under a soft fleece blanket during the cold months of the year. This homemade hot cocoa is rich, creamy, and has the perfect amount of chocolate that is not too overpowering. If you’re looking for a quick, cozy treat to make to warm your hands from the chill of the winter air, this one is it! It only takes minutes to make.

It is officially COLD out! Which means that it is time to cozy up under the blanket with your warm mug of homemade hot cocoa. I will say, I prefer the summer months, because I love running around outside in shorts and a t-shirt. But, there is something about the cold winter months, where you more or less want to just stay inside buried under a blanket. It’s cozy, and it is a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of summer.

I never actually made hot cocoa growing up. My neighbors up the street would gift us a bag every year. The dad of the family actually worked as a food scientist for a large chocolate company, which I later happened to work for too. Any guesses!? For some reason, I always thought hot cocoa must be hard to make because he was super smart and was a very well regarded food scientist. Turns out, hot cocoa is extremely easy to make! And I love it. It’s a fun thing to make on a cold day if you need something to warm you up in just a few minutes.

The details

This homemade hot cocoa truly only takes minutes to make. I love how simple it is to mix together, but my favorite part is that this homemade hot cocoa is actually the PERFECT gift to give out to your friends, neighbors, or even family members during the holiday season. It looks elegant, and if you pair it with my Nutella Marshmallows, I guarantee you will have a gift that will impress everyone.

Ingredients

whole milk – you can’t skimp on the milk on this one. Whole milk truly makes the homemade hot cocoa rich and indulgent.
unsweetened cocoa powder – this recipe uses the standard cocoa powder you find at the store.
granulated sugar – granulated sugar is the best sweetener for homemade hot cocoa. Powdered sugar would make the hot cocoa too sweet and brown sugar would add extra flavors that aren’t typically found in hot cocoa.
semi-sweet chocolate – semi-sweet chocolate adds richness and the perfect chocolate taste to this homemade hot cocoa.

Here’s how to make it

To begin making this homemade hot cocoa, I like to chop my chocolate bar first. That way it will be ready when the milk mixture is warm enough for it.

Next, add your milk, cocoa powder and sugar to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently until the sugar is dissolved and milk is heated through.

Now, it’s time to add in the chopped chocolate. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. If it doesn’t fully melt, add it back on the stove to help finish melting the chocolate.

Serve the homemade hot cocoa immediately, with marshmallows, whipped cream, and truly any toppings you desire. Just be cautious, as the hot cocoa may be hot!

Sometimes we forget these things, like today when I grabbed a pan out of the oven. The oven was off, but I had accidentally left the pan in the oven after baking. The oven was still warm, fortunately not scorching hot. I grabbed the pan and was surprised it was as warm as it was. My hand was fine, but still! I probably should have used an oven mitt. Today is also one of those days where I am operating on very little sleep thanks to a cute little 4 month old.

Make this as a Christmas gift for your neighbors

This Homemade Hot cocoa would make such a cute Christmas gift to give to your neighbors. Since the recipe calls for 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, you could buy one 4 ounce semi-sweet chocolate bar from the store, then in a decorative zip-top bag or even one of those cellophane bags, add the sugar and cocoa powder. Tie the bag up with a ribbon and set on top of the chocolate bar. You can use a piece of double sided tape to stick the bag on top of the chocolate bar.

Here are a few other Christmas gift ideas

Let me know what you thought!

If you make this homemade hot cocoa recipe, let me know what you thought in the ratings and comments below. I love hearing your feedback and truly enjoy reading all of your comments. Make sure you snap a picture and tag me @simplebakingwithpep on instagram so I can see your wonderful creations!

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