The Creamiest Homemade Hot Cocoa
This homemade hot cocoa is made with real dark chocolate, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of salt for the perfect balance. Rich, smooth, and ready in minutes, it's the ultimate cold-weather treat and so much better than anything from the store.
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- whipped cream or marshmallows for serving
Instructions
- Combine milk, cocoa powder, and brown sugar in a medium sauce pot on the stove. Whisk together well.
- Heat over medium heat, whisking often, until the mixture is steaming and tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Do not boil.
- Turn the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until melted completely.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and salt. Serve immediately with whipped cream and/or marshmallows, if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute oat milk and vegan chocolate for a dairy free version of this hot chocolate.
- For a sweeter hot chocolate, substitute milk chocolate for the dark chocolate and/or increase the brown sugar by a tablespoon or two.