Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe Made with Cocoa

You’ll love this super easy hot chocolate recipe! In just five minutes, you’ll have warm, delicious, homemade hot chocolate. So much better than a mix!

Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe

I love hot chocolate.  Given the opportunity, I will drink very great quantities of the stuff.  This afternoon, as I was about to head out on my run of errands, I felt in need of a pick-me-up.  I had exactly seven minutes before I had to leave, so I decided to make my quick and easy hot chocolate recipe.

Until I started writing the title of this post, I never thought about whether there was a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa.  It turns out that, technically speaking, hot chocolate is made with melted chocolate, whereas hot cocoa is made with (you guessed it) cocoa.

However, I must admit that I’ve called those little cocoa mix packets “hot chocolate” all my life, and I’ve always referred to my own recipe as hot chocolate, so it’s too late to start calling it something else now.  Plus, I’ve seen fancy packages of cocoa calling themselves “drinking chocolate,” so I’ve concluded that the whole issue is hopelessly confused and thus unworthy of debate.

So there.  I imagine it’s similar to when you grew up calling it “soda,” you’ll never start calling it “pop.”

Anyhow, here’s my own personal recipe for hot chocolate, hot cocoa, or whatever you want to call it.  Perhaps “Magical Beverage of Warmth and Happiness”?

You’ll notice that I don’t add vanilla.  I don’t add vanilla because to my taste it doesn’t need it, and because (to me) it masks the chocolate flavor too much.  You can use natural or Dutch-process cocoa.  (Learn about the difference between natural and Dutch-process cocoa if you like.)  Also, I usually use whole milk because I’m just decadent that way, but any kind will work.

Enjoy this easy hot chocolate recipe!

4.3 from 10 votes

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Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe with Cocoa

You'll love this super easy hot chocolate recipe! In just five minutes, you'll have warm, delicious, homemade hot chocolate. So much better than a mix!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 2

Calories 273 kcal

Author Katie Moseman

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk or more
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, cocoa powder, sugar, and a tiny pinch of sea salt. Whisk briskly to combine.
2. Bring almost to a boil over medium heat and whiskly briskly for a minute or two until smooth, glossy, and dark in color.

3. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of milk and whisk until frothy and slightly steamy, but do not boil. Taste, and add more milk if the hot chocolate is too strong for you.

4. Pour into mugs and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe with Cocoa

Amount Per Serving

Calories 273 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 18mg6%

Sodium 103mg4%

Potassium 460mg13%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 42g47%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 295IU6%

Calcium 225mg23%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Also try this version made with cinnamon!