Homemade Hot Chocolate

Here’s the very best homemade hot chocolate recipe: full of rich chocolaty flavor and easy to whip up in 5 minutes. Never buy the mix again!

Sure, you can buy the premade packets with pictures of snow covered ski chalets. But did you know the absolute best hot chocolate is homemade in just 5 minutes? After years of tinkering, we’ve got a master recipe for you. Here’s our very best homemade hot chocolate recipe: it’s creamy, rich, chocolaty, and tastes like a dream. All you need are a few ingredients, and you might already have them on hand. And if you’ve got chocolate chips…well, they make all the difference.

Hot cocoa vs hot chocolate

First though: what’s the difference between these two similar terms? Is there even a difference?

Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are commonly used as synonyms, especially in the US. So you’ll find people using them interchangeably.
The technical definitions are hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, milk and sugar: it has a thinner consistency and is very sweet. Hot chocolate is made with real chocolate, and may be thicker and less sweet.

Either way, you can generally use these two as synonyms. So this recipe is both a homemade hot chocolate recipe and a hot cocoa recipe! Score.

Ingredients for the best hot chocolate recipe

There’s a bit of a debate in the culinary community about what makes the best homemade hot chocolate recipe. Some claim it’s chopped melted chocolate. Others claim cocoa powder is the way to go. After numerous tests, we found cocoa powder plus real chocolate is the real winner. But you can omit the chocolate if you don’t have it on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:

Cocoa powder
2% milk (or oat milk)
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional but recommended)

How to make homemade hot chocolate: a few tips

There’s not much to a homemade recipe: it’s pretty much dump and whisk! But we’ve got a couple tips before you scroll down to the recipe:

First, whisk a little milk with the cocoa powder. This helps to make a paste and dissolve most of the powder, which can get lumpy.
A pinch of cinnamon adds complexity. You can add even more if you’d like a stronger flavor.
Real chocolate adds richness, body, and depth in flavor. You can make it with just cocoa powder, but the real chocolate takes it to a whole new level.

Add toppings to serve

This homemade hot chocolate recipe tastes absolutely amazing as is. Honestly, we rarely add anything else. But if you’d like, add toppings to make it next level cozy! You can use it as part of a hot chocolate bar and let guests top their drinks as desired. Try these toppings:

Homemade whipped cream
Shaved chocolate
Cocoa powder
Marshmallows (homemade or purchased)
Peppermint candies, crushed
Chocolate sauce

Variations on hot chocolate

There are so many ways to vary this hot chocolate recipe! Add flavors or mix it up by spiking it with booze. Or, go for a healthier spin with less sugar and richness. Here are the best variations on this cozy drink (add the quantities to the 2 serving recipe below):

Peppermint: Add ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract to the 2 serving recipe below. Or go to Peppermint Hot Chocolate or Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate.
Vegan: Use oat milk and dairy-free chocolate chips. Go to Vegan Hot Chocolate.
Healthy: Skip the chocolate and reduce the sugar slightly. Go to Healthy Hot Chocolate.
Spiked: Add 2 ounces aged or dark rum or bourbon to the 2 serving recipe below. Go to Spiked Hot Chocolate.
Kahlua or Baileys: Go to Kahlua Hot Chocolate or Baileys Hot Chocolate.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Vegan Hot Chocolate

Spiked Hot Chocolate

Baileys Hot Chocolate

More hot drinks

Once the weather gets a chill, it’s time to cup your hands around a cozy mug. Outside of this homemade hot cocoa, here are some other hot beverages to take off the chill:

Try deliciously fragrant Mulled Cider
Mix up a brilliant batch of Mulled Wine
Opt for cozy Hot Buttered Rum
Go for a Classic Irish Coffee, or this tasty Christmas Coffee with gingerbread syrup
Make a seriously cozy London Fog tea latte
Whip up a spiced Chai Tea Latte

This hot cocoa recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. For dairy free and vegan, use oat milk and dairy-free chocolate (or omit).