Rich & Creamy Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix (Best DIY Gift Idea)
Make this easy homemade hot cocoa mix with pantry staples for a rich, creamy chocolate drink. This big batch recipe is perfect for keeping on hand or packaging as a thoughtful gift in a jar.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: About 3 cups of mix (16 servings) 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
- 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional, omit for milk-free mix)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, for depth)
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, to deepen chocolate flavor)
Instructions
- Gather all your dry ingredients: powdered sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk (if using), salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder (if using).
- Place all ingredients into a large bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together thoroughly for at least one minute. You must mix well to break up any clumps in the cocoa powder and sugar to create a uniform hot cocoa mix.
- If you are making a very large batch, you can pulse the mixture in a food processor a few times to ensure everything is fully combined, but be careful not to over-process.
- Transfer the finished hot cocoa mix to an airtight container for storage.
- To prepare one serving, combine 3 tablespoons of the dry mix with 1 cup of hot milk or water. Whisk until smooth and enjoy.
Notes
- For a creamy texture, use whole milk or half-and-half when preparing the drink. For a lighter drink, use water or a milk alternative.
- To make this a ‘Hot Chocolate Mix without Milk Powder,’ simply omit the powdered milk from the ingredient list. The flavor remains rich.
- For gifting, layer the dry ingredients in a clean mason jar. Attach a tag with the mixing instructions (3 tablespoons mix per 1 cup hot liquid). This makes a great homemade gift food idea.
- Store your dry hot cocoa mix in an airtight container in a cool, dark pantry for up to one year.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tbsp dry mix
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg