Description
Learn how to make homemade hot chocolate with just a few pantry-friendly ingredients. It’s rich, creamy, and the perfect way to warm up on a cold day.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup milk (I like unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet chocolate)
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract (or peppermint extract)
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- A pinch of sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the milk, cocoa powder, and maple syrup. Whisk the mixture constantly over medium heat until everything is well combined and warmed through. DO NOT let the mixture come to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and add the chocolate chips to the warm milk, whisking constantly until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is super smooth.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and add a pinch of salt (if using). Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings if desired.
Notes
- TIP: For a super smooth hot chocolate, add the milk, cocoa powder, and maple syrup to a high-speed blender. Blend on high speed for 3 minutes until it becomes light and frothy. Then add the mixture to a saucepan over medium heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla extract until it’s silky smooth.
- Stir or whisk constantly. You don’t want the milk or chocolate to burn, so it’s important to stir or whisk the hot chocolate frequently over medium or medium-low heat. The act of whisking or stirring the hot chocolate also helps to make it extra creamy and smooth.
- Adjust the sweetness level based on the chocolate you use. I like using semi-sweet chocolate for the best balance of sweetness.
- If you use milk chocolate, you may need to use less maple syrup. If you use dark chocolate, you may need to add more maple syrup or sugar.
- Use the right type of milk. For a thick and creamy hot chocolate, use whole milk. For a dairy-free option, use 1 can of light coconut milk.
- If you want a thinner consistency, use 1% milk or unsweetened almond milk.
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on using nonfat milk.
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 32.5g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 6.2g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38.4g
- Fiber: 2.6g
- Protein: 9.96g
- Cholesterol: 6mg