You will not believe how easy it is to make your own Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix! Great for gifts or just for keeping on hand all winter long, this makes a cup of hot chocolate that is smooth and rich with the perfect amount of chocolate!

If you love to warm up with a mug of hot chocolate, you can also try this Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Homemade hot chocolate mix in a jar with a measuring cup.

My kids are hot chocolate fiends. We have it on hand at all times, all winter long.

So I knew I needed to be a bit picky when it came to making my own mix. I needed something that would not only taste better than their favorite store bought versions, but one that would also be creamier and better all together.

I tried keeping things really simple, with just powdered milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. But there wasn’t enough good chocolate flavor. And it was more watery and not creamy. And I knew I didn’t want to rely on powdered creamers, because those always taste so artificial to me.

Go figure that I realized that the best way to get great flavor and a creamy consistency is to use actual chocolate! And the mixture of bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate makes this hot chocolate mix so creamy and delicious. This is definitely elevated hot chocolate mix!

Ingredients

Powdered Milk: You can use either full fat or low fat. I prefer full fat, but I know it’s sometimes harder to find.
Powdered Sugar: Most of the sweetness will come from the powdered sugar.
Cocoa Powder: You need unsweetened cocoa powder.
Bittersweet Chocolate: The flavor of this chocolate will really come through, so make sure you are using one that is good. You could use chocolate chips in a pinch, but the chocolate bars will break down a lot easier and then melt into your hot chocolate better.
White Chocolate: The same as the bittersweet chocolate – I prefer the bars to chocolate chips. Both of these chocolates will make the creamiest hot chocolate!
Cornstarch: The cornstarch will not only prevent caking, but it also contributes to the creaminess of the hot chocolate.
Salt: A little salt is necessary to balance out the sweet.

Making homemade hot chocolate mix in a food processor.

How to Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

It doesn’t get any easier than this hot chocolate mix! Simply place all of your ingredients in a food processor and process until it is uniform.

Pouring milk into a mug with homemade hot chocolate mix.

How to Make a Cup of Hot Chocolate

Using this homemade hot chocolate mix is a bit of personal preference, but you will need about 1/3 cup of the mix for every 8 ounces of liquid. You can use hot water, but I do prefer hot milk when making my hot chocolate. But feel free to play around with it!

Measuring cup filled with homemade hot chocolate mix.

Tips and Tricks

You will want to store this in an airtight container. I don’t get fancy – just stick it in a wide mouthed mason jar. (I keep them on hand for storing lots of things – they are my favorite!)

If you store this in a cool, dark place, (I keep it in the pantry), it should be good for about 3 months.

If you want a sweeter hot chocolate, you can add more powdered sugar.

This is great for gift giving! Simply place in jars with a label telling how to prepare it.

Hot chocolate made with Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix topped with marshmallows.

Elevate Your Hot Chocolate!

Don’t get me wrong – this is delicious as it is and makes a mean cup of hot chocolate. But if you are wanting to make it extra special, try one of these suggestions:

Add in some vanilla powder to your mix.
Crush up some candy canes to add. If you stir the crushed candy canes into the mix, you’ll want to use it sooner than later so that the candy canes don’t get sticky.
Don’t forget the marshmallows! Pile them on top for a classic hot chocolate.
Add a little spice with some cinnamon, or make it a Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon and a pinch of chili powder.
Serve it up with your favorite syrups. Hazelnut is my favorite!
Top your hot chocolate with whipped cream to make it extra decadent.

Mug filled with hot chocolate made with homemade hot cocoa mix.

More Warm Drinks

Wassail Recipe
Hot Apple Cider
Pumpkin Steamer
Cashew Coconut Hot Chocolate