Favorite Hot Chocolate
Warm up with this delicious hot chocolate recipe! It's made with cocoa powder, real chocolate, your milk of choice and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Whatโs better than a mug of hot chocolate on a snow day? Iโve been working on my own hot chocolate recipe for a while, and itโs finally time to share it.
This hot chocolate recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients and tastes more grown-up than the packets of hot chocolate I loved as a kid. Itโs rich and complex but not so decadent that I canโt finish the cup. Our three-year-old daughter loves this gourmet hot chocolate.
Whether youโre warming up on the couch or hosting a hot chocolate bar for your friends (check out the variations offered below), I think youโll love it. As a bonus, this creamy hot chocolate recipe is easy to make dairy-free or vegan, if desired.
My favorite hot chocolate is a hybrid between โhot cocoaโ (made with cocoa powder, which yields a lighter result since the rich cocoa butter has been removed from the cacao beans) and โhot chocolateโ (which is richer since itโs made with chocolate bars, containing cocoa, sugar and rich cocoa butter).
The combination of the two produces a seriously delicious hot chocolate with deep chocolate flavor. You can control the intensity of the chocolate flavor by your choice of cocoa powder and, more importantly, your choice of chocolate. I love dark chocolate so thatโs what I used.
Hot Chocolate Ingredients
Youโll only need five simple ingredients to make a great cup of hot chocolate:
1) Milk of choice
You can use traditional cowsโ milk (whole milk) or plant-based milk (cashew milk, etc.). This will come as no surprise but thicker, creamier milks produce thicker, creamier hot chocolate. Youโll find more notes on milk options under the recipe.
2) Cocoa powder
This is the base of your chocolate flavor. Use a good one! I used Trader Joeโs but you can get fancier if youโd like (I love Lake Champlain). Dutch-processed cocoa powder will produce a smoother, less acidic result, but regular cocoa powder works as well.
3) Maple syrup
I like to sweeten my hot chocolate with real maple syrup instead of sugar. Since itโs in liquid form already, it whisks right in. It adds a very subtle layer of extra flavor, too. While there is regular sugar in chocolate bars or chips (more or less depending on your chocolate strength), I like using a natural sweetener to make up the difference.
4) Chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
This doubles the chocolate flavor and makes the drink more creamy, thanks to the cocoa butter content. Choose milk chocolate or dark chocolate, depending on the intensity desired.
I love dark chocolate so I used Theoโs 70% dark chocolate baking barย (bought at Whole Foods). You can also use chocolate chips; I recommend using a quality brand for best results (Ghirardelli is better than Nestle, for example).
5) Vanilla extract
Vanilla adds greater depth of flavor. A small amount goes a long way.
Optional toppings
Enjoy your hot chocolate on its own, or make it even more decadent by adding a dollop of real whipped cream or a couple of marshmallows.
Hot to Make Hot Chocolate
Itโs easy! Youโll find the recipe below, but hereโs the gist:
- In a saucepan, youโll stir together the maple syrup and cocoa powder until combined.
- Add the milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Donโt let it come to a full boil, or you could scald the milk.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) and vanilla extract.
- Enjoy!
Hot Chocolate Variations
Enjoy a cup of classic hot chocolate with whipped cream or a marshmallow, or try any of these fun variations:
- Peanut butter hot chocolate: Swirl in 1 tablespoon peanut butter per cup. (Almond butter works, too, but I didnโt love it.)
- Mexican hot chocolate: Stir a pinch of ground cinnamon into your cup. Cinnamon stick garnish optional.
- Peppermint hot chocolate: Add a drop (really, just one drop) of peppermint flavor (affiliate link) into your cup.
- Spike it: A splash of bourbon or spiced rum would be quite nice.
- Or top it with a scoop of ice cream: For extra creaminess and flavor, try adding a small scoop of peppermint ice cream, cappuccino chocolate chip, hazelnut, vanillaโฆ
Craving more warm drinks?
Warm up with one of these:
Please let me know how you like this hot chocolate in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Favorite Hot Chocolate
Warm up with this delicious hot chocolate recipe! Itโs made with cocoa powder, real chocolate, your milk of choice and a drizzle of maple syrup. Recipe yields 2 cups; divide or multiply as desired.
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk of choice*
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder**
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste
- 2 ounces quality chocolate, chopped (or ยผ cup chocolate chips)
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Topping of choice (optional): Whipped cream, marshmallows, shaved chocolate, or any of the options provided within post
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon maple syrup until the cocoa powder is mostly incorporated. Whisk in the milk.
- Warm the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a gentle simmer, about 4 to 7 minutes (donโt let it come to a rolling boil).
- Remove the hot chocolate from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract until well blended. Taste (careful, itโs hot), and add more maple syrup if youโd like a sweeter cup. Pour the hot chocolate into two mugs, top with any desired garnishes, and serve while hot.
Notes
*Milk suggestions: Thicker, richer milks produce better hot chocolate. Whole milk is fantastic. Good plant-based options include homemade cashew milk or store-bought cashew milk (I like Forager brand). Three Trees and Malk make creamy almond milk. Light coconut milk would be nice. Homemade oat milk thickens too much when heated, so I donโt recommend it.
Cocoa powder notes: Regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder will work well. Dutch-processed offers less acidic chocolate flavor, so if you have them both to choose from, Iโd pick Dutch.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Use plant-based milk (see suggestions above) and choose dairy-free/vegan-friendly toppings.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
In the โHot Chocolate Ingredientsโ section you say that Dutch processed cocoa will make the drink smoother but in your ingredients list in the recipe you say not to use Dutch processed. I just wanted to note that discrepancy because this looks yummy. :) Do you think this could be made in a slow cooker for a crowd? I really like Guittardโs (the other San Francisco chocolate company) dark chocolate chips. Their drinking chocolate is really good too. :P
Oops! Thank you for pointing that out, Giselle. Iโve edited the post. I initially suggested regular only because thatโs what I used, but after further investigation Dutch might even be a better choice. I bet Guittard would be awesome. I want to say this would work in a slow cooker, but I havenโt tried to be sureโIโm not sure if prolonged heat would effect the chocolate or not. Please report back if you try it!
I agree with Giselle โ Guittard has excellent products โ Fair Trade too! Trader Joeโs cacao powder is Fair Trade as well โ would that work in this recipe?
I had *no* idea there was a difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate! Mind blown! This recipe looks great (your photos are lovely!)โฆ canโt wait to try it out!
Right! Let me know what you think!
I love the idea of adding melted chocolate and peanut butter too!! :)
Itโs delicious!
Wow! I will Be making this today. . All I have on hand is unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Do you think that would work? Loving your recipes. Stay warm today. Thanks.
Yes, that will work! It wonโt be as thick as it could be (not a deal breaker) and you might not want to add the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup since itโs already sweetened.
You might want to adjust your vanilla since it already has it in it. Let me know what you think, Traci!
My wife, Ofelia, is from Philippines. She makes a hot chocolate from beans grown in that country. It is so rich and yummy โฆ. but this looks, delish. and shall show Ofelia later to compare.
Let me know what you think!
I just made this hot chocolate in a mason jar. I put the mason jar in the pot of water. It acts as a double broiler. I put all the ingredients in the mason jar and stir until it reach 155 degree F. Once it is done, I transferred the hot chocolate in a mug. It was very delicious.
Great to hear, Celina! Iโm glad you loved it.
Sounds delicious but I would up the anti with a healthier option of real cacoa powder or paste.
Thanks for sharing!
Delicious! Would use less maple syrup next time!
Thanks for sharing, Jamie!
I love homemade hot chocolate! Looks delicious and comforting โฅ
Let me know what you think, Natalie!
Iโve never thought of adding maple syrup to hot chocolate before; it sounds delicious!
It really is!
What are the proportions of the ingredients per one serving? Did o miss this?
The ingredient list equals two cups. :)
Never mind! I see the proportions now when I clicked on the actual recipe. Sorry, new to your blog!
No worries! Welcome, Carol. :)
I made this vegan with almond milk and some chocolate I already had, I can imagine it is even more delicious with milk. I opted for the extra maple syrup since Iโm used to nestle hot chocolate sweetness. Will definitely make again and maybe try with milk and better chocolate!
Lovely, Stacey! Thanks for sharing.
I canโt speak for smoothness of Dutch (processed w alkali) cocoa, but I would always choose raw cacao for all the health benefits that it offers. Big difference btw cocoa vs. cacao :)
Thanks for sharing!
Mhmmm, hot chocolate is the best this time of year (even though thereโs no snow in Cali)!
Oh sunny California!
Great recipe! Here in Germany my favorite alternative to doing it all myself is the Swiss classic Caotina, made of cocoa and real Swiss chocolate. Itโs like your recipe, but pre-mixed ;-)
Thanks for sharing!
Canโt wait to try this. I recently bought all the ingredients to make โFrench-styleโ hot chocolate but it was sooo rich that I couldnโt finish it. I also love that you added milk options, as Iโm lactose intolerant. Unfortunately, I only have oat milk at home right now, or Iโd try this recipe right away. :)
Youโre welcome! Let me know what you think, Luana!
Simple but fabulous! It makes my day :) Hot chocolate is perfect drink for this cold weather.
The perfect for cold weather! Thanks for your review, Ethel.
This was sooo good, Kate! I think the chopped baking chocolate really โmakes itโ.
The thick, creamy texture is wonderful. (I used whole milk).
My 3 kids are enjoying a cup now after playing outside in the snow. This is the second batch Iโve made in 2 days, so Iโd say itโs a hit. :)
I would say itโs a hit! Snow and hot chocolate. I love it, Amy!
This was delicious and so lovely on this cold wintry day, finally got the hot chocolate I craved from my favorite restaurant at home! and this tasted better. I followed the instructions as written. Thank you!
How fun! Iโm glad it was even better than your favorite restaurant quality. Thanks so much for you review!
Can this be made and then reheated later?
This is really best served immediately.
I love homemade hot chocolate, and Iโm surprised how many people are surprised when I tell them how to make it: chocolate + milk + heat. I suggest an addition of a tiny pinch of salt. My favorite flavoring is a dash of cinnamon and the tiniest shaving of whole nutmeg.
Hi
I really appreciate the way you added Choco-chips in finishing step. The way you contribute the hot chocolate its appreciated.
Thanks a lot for sharing it with us..
Youโre welcome!
What an amazing recipeโฆmy child will gonna love it..
Thank you!
This hot chocolate was so yummy! I used
the forager project cashew milk, my favorite store cashew milk! My family was spectacle about the it, so they bought a back up at the store. They were so surprised how awesome it was! I knew all along that it was going to be the best, because all your recipes are.
Iโm happy they all ended up loving it, Olivia!
Have you tried adding ginger?
I havenโt, but sounds interesting!
This was really good. Iโve been dairy-free for almost 3 years now and Iโve disliked all the vegan hot chocolate brands I tried, so I decided I needed to make my own. I used cashew milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips, and just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. It was really, really good. I would heat it a bit longer next time so itโs hotter or use a bigger saucepan because it wasnโt super hot but that was my own fault (I was trying carefully to not burn it or have it overflow).
Thanks, Kate. Iโve never been disappointed by you :)
Iโm glad you loved it, Hayley! Thanks for taking the time to review.
This is the perfect hot chocolate. Iโve made it multiple times, so easy, so good. I like adding a pinch of sea salt to it too :)
Made it and spiked It with bourbon per your rec! So easy and delicious!
Itโs a rare snow day in the PNW- perfect for trying this recipe- and it did not disappoint! SO yummy with your homemade cashew milk! Thank you so much for sharing naturally sweetened recipes with the world!
This recipe is EVERYTHING. It has been my go-to for warm chocolatey food cravings during periods cramps for a while now. Thank you!
Youโre welcome! Iโm glad itโs just what you needed.
I was looking for this recipe for a long time! I was feeling a little adventurous so I doubled the recipe and tried adding peppermint to one cup, rum to another, and rum and orange extract to mine. They were all fantastic.
I made this with almond milk and Guittard chocolate. It was so rich and thick, that my son called it chocolate mousse. Highly recommend!
Who knew homemade hot chocolate was so so good!!!!
Iโm glad you loved it, Melissa!
This is wonderful!!! Since I was only making one cup of it I did it in the microwave, taking it out every 30-60 seconds to stir. Maybe not as creamy as doing it on the stove, but no pot to wash. Thank you for this!
This is officially MY favorite hot chocolate recipe. I made it today with Nestlรฉ chips because they were sitting in the cupboard, and the rainy weather necessitates hot chocolate. Amazing taste with the hint of maple!
Hooray! This is my favorite too :) Thank you for your review, Vicki.
Hi,
When you change the recipe yields in the โingredients sectionโ, it doesnโt change the instructions to reflect the new yield.
This recipe sounds delicious.
Absolutely delicious! Such a decadent treat โบ๏ธ this will be on repeat all holiday season!
I didnโt think I was a hot chocolate person until I made this recipe. I have been using this recipe for years and I make it all the time in the winter. It really is the best! Quick and easy, super creamy, great dark chocolate flavor, and not too sweet. Itโs perfect!
Absolutely loved this recipe! The combination of cocoa powder and real chocolate creates such a rich and creamy hot chocolate. The maple syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness. Thanks for sharing such a versatile and easy-to-make recipe
one of the best Mexican hot chocolate
Have made and enjoyed this recipe in the last few bitter-cold weeks. Needed another dose today as it is bitter cold and snowing. Very delicious and feels virtuous! Today I added natural peanut butter at the end. So good! Subtle flavor. Also use just one tablespoon of maple syrup. It is not overly sweet, just warm and good.
Itโs the maple syrup that makes the hot chocolate! I use only pure maple syrup.
Is the chopped chocolate supposed to be melted before adding it to the milk mixture? Seemed odd to add chocolate chunks to a drink, unless they melt on their own . . .
Delicious!!! I have been craving a decent hot chocolate for ages! This is brilliant and so easy!!
Asked this question back in January, but no answer . . .
Is the chopped chocolate supposed to be melted before adding it to the milk mixture? Seemed odd to add chocolate chunks to a drink, unless they melt on their own . . .
I crushed my chocolate bars in a chopper and no, the chocolate does not need to be melted, it will melt on its own.
Thank you, TM!