Hot Chocolate is creamy, rich, velvety smooth, slightly indulgent, and delicious. A cozy mug of this homemade hot chocolate is perfect for warming up on cold and wintery days.

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About Hot Chocolate
Difference Between Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
How To Make Hot Chocolate
Storing Suggestions
Garnishing Suggestions
Helpful Tips
More Beverages
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About Hot Chocolate

Making homemade hot chocolate is beyond easy, and it gets ready in a few minutes. This chocolatey and luxurious drink is our family favorite, and if I have to choose anything other than tea, I will go for a cup of this delicious drink!

If you like to indulge often with a mug of warm milk mixed with cocoa powder, I suggest trying this recipe. It is totally worth adding chopped chocolates to your hot simmering chocolate drink to make it creamy and luscious.

Difference Between Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate

Hot Cocoa is usually made with milk, cocoa powder, and sweetener. It is also light, thin, and sweet. Using cocoa mix gives you milk with a grainy texture, thinner consistency, and milder taste.

Hot Chocolate consists of real chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark. And thus, the drink is more profound and richer in flavor and consistency. The excellent quality chocolate makes the drink rich, creamy, and velvety smooth. Also, we need to add less sugar or no sugar because the added chocolate is already sweet.

So if you are looking for a creamy, rich, smooth, and true chocolate drink, go for a mug of hot chocolate, and do not forget to garnish with your favorite topping.

Ingredients

Milk: We can make this drink using dairy or non-dairy milk. However, it will taste better if the milk is creamier. I have used whole milk in this recipe. I have tried the recipe using cashew milk but not any other types of dairy-free milk. So any milk you choose, the creamier, the better!
Chocolate: This is the essential ingredient for this drink. You can use either a chocolate bar or chocolate chips to make hot chocolate. I have used a semi-sweet chocolate bar, but you can also use dark chocolate if you prefer. Also, it is essential to chop the chocolate finely.
Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder and chocolate make the drink extra chocolatey and delicious. I have used my favorite unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder but go with your favorite cocoa powder.
Sweetener: I have used cane sugar for this recipe. But you can add any other sweetener of choice, maple syrup, raw sugar, white sugar, or agave syrup. Also, add the sweetener to your taste.
Vanilla: It adds sweet and warm flavor to the drink. However, it is optional.

How To Make Hot Chocolate

Place the milk, cocoa powder, and sugar in a medium saucepan.
Heat the mixture over low-medium heat and stir well until there are no clumps.

Bring the mixture to the simmer (but not boiling), stirring frequently.

Then add finely chopped chocolate and whisk well.
Continue stirring and simmering the mixture for about 3-5 minutes or until chocolate melts and hot chocolate is smooth.

Stir in vanilla extract, mix well and turn off the heat.

Pour the hot chocolate into mugs, and serve immediately topped with your favorite garnishes.

Storing Suggestions

Storing: Allow the drink to cool completely (without any garnishing) and then pour it into the airtight container or glass jar. Refrigerate the container for up to 3-5 days.
Reheating: Add the refrigerated drink into the saucepan and gently reheat on low-medium heat until warmed through.

Garnishing Suggestions

Place a dollop of whipped cream on the top of hot chocolate before serving. If making whipped cream at home, have it ready and keep it at room temperature while making hot chocolate.
Top the drink with vegetarian or vegan marshmallows, and add the chopped chocolate.
Sprinkle your hot chocolate with a dash of cocoa powder.
Garnish the hot chocolate with chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
Drizzle some chocolate sauce or caramel sauce on top of the whipped cream.

Helpful Tips

Chocolate: I have used semi-sweet chocolate, but you can also use bittersweet chocolate if you prefer. Also, instead of the chopped chocolate bar, you can use chocolate chips.
Milk: Use whole milk or full-fat milk for the thick and luscious hot chocolate. For extra thick and decadent consistency, replace some of the milk with half and half. Also, make sure not to boil the milk, so keep an eye while making hot chocolate.
Sweetener: I have added cane sugar, but other choices of sweeteners can also be used, for example, maple syrup, honey, white sugar, or agave syrup.
For Thinner Hot Chocolate: If you prefer your drink thinner, swap some milk with water.
Dairy-Free Milk: I have tried the recipe using cashew milk but did not try the recipe with other types of dairy-free milk. If you use nut milk, hot chocolate will not be as thick as full-fat milk.
Scaling: The recipe can easily be halved or doubled.

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