HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE

Fun fact: the number of times people searched the internet for hot chocolate in December was twice that of previous years. Why? Probably because we all needed that extra comfort after a hard year. I don’t know about you, but I still need the creamy, cozy comfort of a mug full of hot chocolate. Thankfully, homemade hot cocoa is super fast to make, you can make one mug at a time or in a big batch, and I’ve got a bunch of fun ideas for add-ins so you can make a new flavor every time. Keep scrolling for delicious, chocolatey goodness!

WHAT MAKES THIS HOT CHOCOLATE EXTRA GOOD

I went all out with this hot chocolate. To make it extra creamy and extra chocolatey I used a 50/50 mix of milk and half and half, semi-sweet chocolate, and unsweetened cocoa powder for a one-two chocolate punch. I added just enough sugar to keep it sweet, but not so much that it’s hard to finish your mug (you can always add more to taste). The result is a perfectly balanced rich, sweet, and chocolatey mug that will give you all the warm and fuzzy cozy winter vibes.

WHAT TYPE OF CHOCOLATE TO USE

I used Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate because that’s what I had on hand, but you can definitely use semi-sweet chocolate chips to make this hot chocolate more affordable. You can also experiment with using either milk chocolate or dark chocolate depending on how sweet or bitter you like your hot cocoa. Semi-sweet is right in the middle, which fits my flavor preferences.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MILK?

Technically, you can use different types of milk or non-dairy milk substitutes for your hot chocolate, just keep in mind that the type of milk you use will directly impact the creaminess and sweetness of your hot chocolate. The recipe below is designed for a combination of whole milk and half and half, which I found to be rich and creamy without being too heavy.

Half and half is a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream, so if you don’t have half and half you can change the ingredients below to be 3 cups whole milk and one cup heavy cream for the same result.

WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD TO HOT CHOCOLATE?

This is where homemade hot chocolate gets fun. There are so many extra ingredients that you can add to make new flavors. Here are a few things you can add to hot chocolate to give it more flavor:

• Instant coffee or espresso powder
• Almond extract
• Peppermint extract
• Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Cayenne pepper (see my Spicy Hot Cocoa )
• Nutella
• Caramel sauce
• Malted milk powder
• Maple syrup
• Almond butter
• White chocolate