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.
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.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
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Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher 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 kosher 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.
Kate
Friday 31st of March 2023
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.
Kimberly
Friday 31st of March 2023
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! :)
Jill
Thursday 2nd of February 2023
I really want to use superfine sugar, I’ll try it
John
Friday 3rd of February 2023
Sounds great, let us know how it turns out. Have a lovely day!
Paula
Wednesday 1st of February 2023
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!
Kimberly
Thursday 2nd of February 2023
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! :)
Diane
Friday 30th of December 2022
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.
Diane
Friday 30th of December 2022
@Kimberly, thank you! I’ll adjust accordingly. Best wishes for a happy new year!
Kimberly
Friday 30th of December 2022
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! :)
Leesa
Friday 23rd of December 2022
Delicious! Now I can have hot cocoa with my plant based milk and not be all clogged up! EXCELLENT Taste! A keeper!
Kimberly
Friday 23rd of December 2022
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! :)