chocolat chaud

In the winter months everyone at our house can typically be found devouring hot chocolate. At breakfast, after playing in the snow, in the middle of an afternoon spent without sufficiently heating radiators, you name it: anytime is a great time to drink a mug of steaming hot chocolate. We like to stir in crushed candy canes and top them with marshmallows, and the boys like to drink theirs through a straw, but even without those additions, it's still a delicious and warmly satisfying treat.

I've long been tired of forking over the money to feed our habit, especially when my local grocery store doesn't sell it in bulk (they only stock the small, overpriced boxes of single serving Swiss Miss packets and their nasty store-brand equivalent). I never thought to try making it myself, but this year recipes for different homemade powdered hot chocolates started showing up on the recipe blogs I visit. None of them looked difficult to make, so I thought, well, why not?

I tried three different recipes. The first was far inferior, so I'm not even going to share it here. The second was really good, but the third was heavenly. Both are posted below because both have different components that I liked. The chocolate pudding in the second recipe was a tasty idea that thickened it up in just the right way. And the white chocolate chips in the third recipe added a rich creaminess that is divine.

So without further ado, here are the two homemade powdered hot chocolate recipes you'll find us enjoying at our house.


Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
(a.k.a. The One with Chocolate Pudding)
original recipe source

4 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer (Next time I might try a flavored one. Because hazelnut hot chocolate? Yes, please!)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (4 oz) package instant chocolate pudding

Place all ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Store in an airtight container. To prepare a cup of hot cocoa: add 1/3 cup of mix to 8 oz of hot water. Stir until well blended.


The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
(a.k.a. The One with White Chocolate Chips)
original recipe source

3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Working in small batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Store the dry mix in an airtight container for up to three months. To prepare a cup of hot cocoa: put 1/3 cup powdered mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk or water.