Here are 7 of the BEST homemade hot chocolate recipes that’ll give you lots of yummy choices this time of year! Most of them also make easy gifts in a jar!
7 Of The BEST Hot Chocolate Recipes!
We absolutely love hot chocolate at our house! Nothing is as wonderful while sitting in front of a cozy fire as having a nice warm cup of rich hot chocolate!
It is also a fond family tradition of ours to have hot chocolate and maybe popcorn or a sweet treat while we watch our favorite family holiday movies together like Charlie Brown Thanksgiving or Christmas specials. (Our kids absolutely love Snoopy’s popcorn and toast Thanksgiving dinner after his fight with the lawn chair!)
I also usually have some prepared hot chocolate ready for my husband and the kids after they come in from an afternoon of sledding out in the cold. They are usually worn out and partially frozen, but between mom’s kisses and a nice cup of hot chocolate, they warm right up!
In this post, I’ll share my “standard” hot chocolate mix recipe, along with some other tasty variations like hot strawberry drink, red velvet hot chocolate, gingerbread hot chocolate and a variety of white chocolate hot drinks!
Whether you prefer regular hot chocolate or you’re feeling a little more adventurous, one of these tasty hot chocolate recipes will be sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe
This homemade hot chocolate mix recipe is easy to make with ingredients you already have at home and saves money. It also includes jar mix instructions to make it perfect for gift giving! I love to make this hot chocolate mix and keep it on hand so it is handy to make hot chocolate when we’re watching a family movie. The kids also love to make it for themselves.
Ingredients
8 cups dry milk
4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 3/4 cups Nestle’s Quik
1 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer
1 sm. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
Instructions
- Sift the ingredients into a large bowl.
- Place the mix into an airtight container.
You can make this for your family or as a jar mix gift. If you are making it for a gift:
Attach this to the jar:
Hot Chocolate
5 Tbsp. (1/3 cup) Hot Chocolate Mix
1 cup hot water (not boiling)
marshmallows or whipped cream
Place the Hot Chocolate Mix into a mug. Add water. Stir until Hot Chocolate mix is dissolved. Garnish as desired with marshmallows or whipped cream. Serves 1.
Hot chocolate is a yummy drink to warm you on a cold day, especially during the holidays! Here’s an easy jar mix recipe for hot chocolate or hot strawberry!
There is nothing to warm you on a cold day like the old stand-by, hot chocolate! If you like to try something new every once in a while or if you have family or friends who don’t like chocolate (Is there such a person? : ) ) on your gift list, here is something different– Strawberry hot chocolate. Try dipping the rim of the glass in some melted white chocolate chips for a more festive look.
Take your favorite hot chocolate mix or use the one I have included below and replace the chocolate Nestle Quik with Strawberry Quik and the chocolate pudding with vanilla pudding. Serve hot with whipped cream or marshmallows, topping it all with red sugar or sprinkles for a really festive look.
PrintHot Chocolate Or Hot Strawberry Mix Recipe
Ingredients
10 2/3 cups dry milk
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 lb. (2 cups) Nestle Quik (chocolate or strawberry)*
1 1/2 cups non-dairy creamer
2 small packages instant chocolate (or vanilla) pudding mix**
1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Sift the ingredients into a large bowl.
- Place the mix in airtight containers.
You can make this for your family or as a jar mix gift. If you are making it for a gift:
Attach this to the jar:
Hot Chocolate
5 Tbsp. (1/3 cup) Hot Chocolate Mix
1 cup hot water (not boiling)
marshmallows or whipped cream
Place the Hot Chocolate Mix into a mug. Add water. Stir until Hot Chocolate mix is dissolved. Garnish as desired with marshmallows or whipped cream. Serves 1.
Notes
*I am so picky about hot chocolate made with water because, even in the best recipes, it still doesn’t have that made with milk taste so I add an extra 2 cups of Nestle Quik to my recipe on top of what is written above for the perfect taste.
**You might add a package of white chocolate or cheesecake pudding for a different flavor in place of one of the vanilla pudding mixes.
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
If you don’t have time to make a red velvet cake but want something special for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion, try this Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Recipe. Red Velvet Hot Chocolate would taste extra special if you’re sipping it while curled up in front of a toasty fire, a nice finishing touch on a nice romantic evening.
Ingredients
4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
10 oz. chocolate chips
2 tsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla
Whipped topping
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until it is hot and the chocolate chips are melted.
- Pour the hot chocolate into cups and top with whipped topping.
- Serve with heart shaped sugar cookies.
Raspberry White Hot Chocolate Recipe
This easy Raspberry White Hot Chocolate Recipe is a different kind of warm and tasty drink that’s great for cool days. Fresh raspberries and white chocolate make a nice change from regular hot chocolate! Try it! I think you’ll like it!
Ingredients
12 oz. raspberries, fresh or defrosted from frozen
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped*
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Instructions
- Sprinkle the sugar on the raspberries.
- Toss to combine.
- Let sit for 10-15 minutes, until they start to soften and release their juices.
- Blend the raspberries in a blender.
- Pour the raspberry puree through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove the seeds. You should be left with about 3/4 cup of raspberry puree. If you have more, save it for another use.
- Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer— but don’t bring it to a full boil.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add the white chocolate.
- Whisk until the chocolate is melted.
- Add the berry puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix.
Serve immediately with whipped cream and fresh berries on top. It can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top.
Notes
*For the best taste and texture, do not substitute white chips for the chopped white chocolate bar. White chocolate chips tend to be hard to melt.
Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
3 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine everything but the milk in a saucepan over low heat.
- Then add the milk.
- Heat, whisking, until hot.
- Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add a gingerbread cookie on the side.
Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate Recipe
This gingerbread white hot chocolate recipe makes a delicious hot white chocolate with the taste of gingerbread cookies! If you are in the mood for white chocolate, try this instead delicious hot drink in place of regular hot chocolate!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2 tsp. molasses
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice (mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients.
- Heat either on the stove or in the microwave.
- Top with whipped topping.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
For a different twist on hot chocolate try pouring your hot chocolate over some peppermint ice cream.
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Do you have a recipe for eggnog hot chocolate?
I had seen one somewhere,but cannot find it.
Thanmks.
Tom all you need to do is to substitute eggnog for the milk in any hot chocolate recipe. Add a touch of vanilla and top with whipped cream
Saw this just now.
Thank you.
These all sound so delicious… 😋
I can’t wait to get started. I’ve never used powdered milk before. Can you suggest a good powdered milk please? And what size jars do you use?
I just recently found your YouTube channel and love what you’re doing. May God continue to watch over you and bless you and your family.
Thank you Marilyn so much. You really can use most powdered milk because there isn’t really a whole lot of difference in them. I usually get the most inexpensive from Aldi and now since I don’t have an Aldi I use Walmart’s dried milk. I will give you a hint and that is I have a sweet tooth so I sometimes add an extra pudding and powdered sugar to my hot chocolate. You can use this with just water if that is more convenient but when I am making it at home I use regular whole milk instead of water to make any hot chocolate mixes because it gives it a richer flavor.
lactose intollerent. what do i do as dry powdered mix is milk? peg
There are supplies who make lactose intolerant milk but it is expensive. You will have to check the stores in your area or google suppliers on line
When I got married many moons ago, I married into a Scandinavian family and brought my German traditions with me. The benefit? Extra days of Christmas and many different fun traditions. We always decorate our tree with Candy Canes, red ribbon bows and cranberry strings. After all, Martin Luther is rumored to have started the Christmas tree tradition. But I wanted to tell you that because we ALWAYS have a surplus of peppermint canes, we use the leftovers crushed into our cocoa, as a hot chocolate stir stick or even as a hot chocolate straw!
Thanks for the practical gift ideas and mix recipes.
Cathrine
y
You are welcome Cathrine and thanks for the tip.