Homemade Hot Chocolate – Easy Creamy Winter Drink

Okay, so I’m gonna be honest with you—I thought making hot chocolate from scratch was one of those pretentious things people do to feel fancy. Like, why bother when you can just rip open a packet and add hot water, right?

Wrong. SO wrong.

Last month, my sister came over and made this for my kids, and I literally stopped mid-sentence because the smell coming from my kitchen was INSANE. Now I make this almost every weekend because store-bought hot chocolate tastes like sad brown water in comparison. And my 6-year-old? The one who complains about everything? He asks for this by name now.

But here’s the thing… I messed this up the first time I tried making it alone. Burned the milk. Whole kitchen smelled like a dairy farm fire. Not cute.

Why Homemade Hot Chocolate Changes Everything :

Look, I get it. You’re busy. Opening a packet is faster. But once you taste real hot chocolate—the kind that coats your spoon and makes you feel like you’re drinking a liquid hug—you can’t go back. It’s like the difference between grocery store cookies and your grandma’s recipe. There’s just no comparison.

Plus, this literally takes 10 minutes. That’s less time than waiting in the Starbucks drive-thru line. (Trust me on this one.)

The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients already. I did, and I never consider myself prepared for anything.

What You’ll Need for Hot Chocolate :

Shopping for this is super easy. Actually, you might not even need to go shopping at all.

For the hot chocolate base:

• 2 cups whole milk (I’ve tried skim—don’t do it, just don’t)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (the unsweetened kind, not the hot chocolate mix)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (more if you like it sweeter, which my husband definitely does)
• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark, whatever you’ve got)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff if possible)
• Tiny pinch of salt (sounds weird but it makes the chocolate taste more chocolate-y)

Optional but amazing additions:

• Whipped cream (homemade or the spray can, I won’t judge)
• Marshmallows (the big fluffy ones, not those tiny sad ones)
• A pinch of cinnamon or cayenne pepper if you’re feeling adventurous

Now, about that milk. Whole milk is non-negotiable for me. I tried making this with almond milk once because I was out of regular milk, and while it worked, it just wasn’t as creamy. My neighbor swears by oat milk though, says it’s even better than dairy. Haven’t tried that yet—let me know if you do!

The cocoa powder thing tripped me up initially. I accidentally bought Dutch-processed cocoa once, and it was SO much better than regular cocoa powder. Richer, smoother, less acidic. But regular works fine too. Whatever you can find.

How to Make the Creamiest Hot Chocolate :

Okay, here’s where I almost messed up that first time. Pay attention to step 2 because that’s where disaster struck in my kitchen.

Step 1: Start with your cocoa mixture

In a small bowl, mix your cocoa powder, sugar, and that pinch of salt together. This seems like an extra step (why can’t we just dump everything in the pan?), but it prevents lumps. Learned that the hard way when I served my kids hot chocolate with weird grainy bits floating around. They were NOT impressed.

Step 2: Heat your milk (SLOWLY)

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan over MEDIUM heat. Not high. Medium. This is where I burned it the first time because I was impatient and cranked up the heat while answering a work email. The milk got this weird skin on top and smelled funky. Had to start over.

Just be patient. It takes about 4-5 minutes for the milk to get hot enough. You’ll know it’s ready when you see little bubbles forming around the edges—not a full boil, just gentle bubbles.

Step 3: Create your chocolate base

Once the milk is warm, add about 1/4 cup of it to your cocoa mixture and whisk it into a paste. This is another one of those annoying-but-necessary steps. It keeps everything smooth and prevents chocolate lumps.

I use a fork for this because I’m too lazy to wash a whisk. Works perfectly fine.

Step 4: Combine everything

Pour your chocolate paste back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot milk. Whisk it together—actually, scratch that, just stir it with a spoon. I know recipes always say whisk, but a spoon works totally fine and is way easier to clean.

Step 5: Add the good stuff

Toss in your chocolate chips and stir until they melt completely. This should take about 2 minutes. The hot chocolate will get thicker and glossier. It’s kind of mesmerizing to watch, honestly.

Then add your vanilla extract and give it one final stir.

Step 6: Serve it up

Pour into your favorite mug. This makes about 2 servings, but I’ve been known to drink both cups myself while pretending to “taste test” for quality control.

Hot Chocolate Tips I Wish Someone Told Me :

After making this probably 30 times now (yeah, we’re obsessed), here’s what I’ve figured out:

The chocolate chip trick: Using chocolate chips IN ADDITION to cocoa powder makes this taste like drinking melted chocolate bars. It’s that extra richness that makes people go “wait, what’s in this?”

Temperature matters: If your hot chocolate gets too hot, it develops this weird skin thing on top that’s… not great. Keep it just below a simmer. You want steaming, not boiling.

Sweetness levels: I’ve made this for a LOT of different people. Kids usually want more sugar (my niece literally asked me to add another tablespoon). Adults sometimes want less. Start with 1/4 cup and adjust from there. You can always add more, can’t take it away.

The salt thing: Don’t skip it. I thought my sister was crazy when she told me to add salt to hot chocolate, but it seriously enhances the chocolate flavor. It’s science or something. Just a tiny pinch though—we’re not making chocolate soup here.

Making It Your Own :

This is where it gets fun. The basic recipe is great, but here’s what I’ve experimented with:

Peppermint hot chocolate: Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Tastes exactly like those fancy coffee shop drinks but costs like 1/10th the price. My kids called this “Christmas hot chocolate” and now demand it year-round.

Mexican hot chocolate: Add a pinch of cinnamon and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper (like 1/8 teaspoon—don’t go crazy). The spice is subtle but makes it interesting. Adults love this version.

Extra thick hot chocolate: Use only 1.5 cups of milk instead of 2. It becomes almost pudding-like. Perfect for dunking cookies.

White hot chocolate: Swap the cocoa powder for white chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup). Completely different vibe but SO good. Add vanilla bean if you’re feeling fancy.

Why This Works When Others Don’t :

I’ve tried probably 15 different hot chocolate recipes from Pinterest and food blogs. Most of them were either too watery, too sweet, or had that weird powdery aftertaste.

This one works because of the combination of cocoa powder AND chocolate chips. The cocoa gives you that deep chocolate flavor, and the chips add creaminess and richness. It’s the best of both worlds.

Also, making it on the stovetop instead of just dumping powder in hot water makes the texture completely different. It’s velvety and smooth instead of gritty.

And the whole milk thing—I know everyone’s trying to cut calories or whatever, but for hot chocolate specifically, you need that milk fat for it to taste right. It’s a special treat, not an everyday health drink. Make it properly.

Storing and Reheating :

Okay, so technically you CAN refrigerate leftover hot chocolate (if that’s even a thing in your house—we never have leftovers). It’ll keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

To reheat, just warm it gently in a saucepan over low heat. Don’t microwave it—it gets weirdly separated and gross. Ask me how I know. Actually, don’t.

Some people make a big batch and store it in a mason jar in the fridge, then just heat up a mug at a time. Haven’t tried this myself because we drink it too fast, but my friend does this and swears by it.

The Toppings Situation :

This is where you can get creative or keep it simple. I usually just do marshmallows because that’s what my kids want. But when I make it for myself? Oh, I go ALL out.

Whipped cream is obvious but necessary. The spray can kind works fine, but if you have 2 minutes, make real whipped cream (heavy cream + sugar + vanilla, beat until fluffy). It’s ridiculously better.

Crushed candy canes during Christmas season. Mini chocolate chips. A drizzle of caramel sauce (sounds weird, tastes amazing). Sometimes I even add a shot of espresso to make it a mocha situation.

My sister-in-law adds a cinnamon stick to her mug and lets it sit for a minute. Looks fancy, adds subtle flavor.

Serving This to Kids :

My kids are obsessed with this hot chocolate. Like, they literally ask for it by name instead of just saying “hot chocolate.”

One thing though—it’s HOT. Obviously. I learned this when my youngest burned his tongue and cried for 10 minutes. Now I either let it cool for a few minutes or add a couple ice cubes to his mug to bring the temperature down faster.

Also, fair warning: kids will ask for this constantly once they try it. My 6-year-old wanted it for breakfast last Tuesday. Had to have a whole conversation about appropriate hot chocolate timing.

But honestly? It’s not the worst thing they could be asking for. At least I know exactly what’s in it—no weird chemicals or ingredients I can’t pronounce.

So there you have it. Homemade hot chocolate that’ll ruin store-bought versions for you forever. Sorry not sorry.

Try making this this weekend. Seriously. Put your phone down, grab a saucepan, and just do it. Then come back and tell me if you’re as obsessed as we are.

And if you burn the milk the first time like I did? Don’t stress. Just start over. We’ve all been there. 🙂

Happy sipping! (and stay cozy)