Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

There’s nothing better than this rich and creamy homemade hot chocolate mix that can also be assembled as a gift, for one or more servings.

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Wonderfully Seasonal: Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix for Home or for Gifting

I’ve made many hot chocolate mixes in my day but nothing matches this recipe for creamy hot cocoa. It’s definitely rich and chocolatey, too.

Best of all it’s so quick and easy to assemble and make both at home or when you want to gift it to friends and family.

Hot Chocolate Made with Real Milk (Home Version)

This recipe is so simple to convert to real milk. You will, however, want to use one cup (1 cup) per serving. Once the milk is heated up on the stove in a small saucepan, mix the rest of the ingredients, sans water, dry milk and marshmallows, in the hot milk until rich and creamy. Then, when the hot chocolate is ready, pour into a mug and add your marshmallows.

So quick and easy and sweet!

Want another great idea? Use this hot chocolate mix as part of a Hot Chocolate Bar. If you do, you’ll want to check out this article for super ideas for setting up a beautiful display, along with the supplies you’ll need to host one hum dinger of a bash. It’s definitely a family favorite. Enjoy! Article Link: Best Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas

How to Make Hot Chocolate Gift Mix

But what’s different about this recipe is that it can also be made as a gift. When gifting it, you’ll want to use instant dry milk rather than real milk.

Just follow the instructions below. It comes together pretty quickly. I like to make multiple batches and give them away as stocking stuffers to my friends and family.

DID YOU KNOW? This recipe for hot chocolate is also super portable. In fact, you can take it with you on your next outdoor excursion to your favorite sledding or ski hill. Preassemble all of the ingredients in individual jars. Seal with covers. Then, bring along a thermos with boiling water. Since the cocoa mix is in it’s own decorative Ball mason jar and the recipe uses instant milk, all you have to do is add water (1/2 cup to be exact), cover the jar again tightly, shake well, and drink!

Besides, homemade gifts like this one don’t have to be time-consuming or super expensive either. As you can see, this mix only requires a handful of ingredients.

Note: I prefer to use Dutch cocoa because it’s super rich and creamy.

To Assemble:

Layer each ingredient, starting with the cocoa and ending with the mini marshmallows.

I’ve provided the ingredient amount for a single serving size in the recipe below. That way, you can easily increase the servings to meet your gifting needs.

“What sets this gift apart is that this gift is very portable. You can take it and make it in the jar itself.  Just add hot water, shake well, and drink.”

However, if you are doing a ton of gift jars, then you might want to mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, except for the marshmallows and chocolate chips (they seem to always drop to the bottom of the mix–UGH!). The marshmallows and chocolate chips, then, will be used later to top the hot chocolate mix once it’s in the jar.

Note: Use an 8 ounce jar for a 1/2 cup of mix. 

Finally, it’s totally up to you how to decorate the jars. Here you can see that I’ve used a festive cloth covering, a gift tag with mixing instructions, and a jingle bell.

Note: To easily attach the tag and bell (because I’m not that dexterous), I cheat by using a rubber band to hold the cloth in place.

Once tied, the rubber band slips easily off and you’re ready for gift-giving.

The hot chocolate mix can be made in the jar or in a mug. Just add hot water and mix well. Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

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Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix and Gift

This quick and easy homemade hot chocolate mix can be used as a gift or when made with real milk, made at home. It will definitely become your perennial favorite. Make one or more servings based upon your gifting or thirsty needs. Because it's portable, you can even take the jars with you on outdoor excursions. Just add hot water.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword 5-minutes-or-less, chocolate, chocolate gift, dry mix, food gift, mix

Prep Time 1 minute

Total Time 1 minute

Servings 1 serving

Calories 146 kcal

Author Deborah L Melian

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Dutch cocoa
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk (If you want to use real milk--whole milk is best--use 1 cup per serving)
• 1 tsp semi sweet morsels See NOTE below for other variations.
• 1 tbsp mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup hot water (Omit if you use whole milk, instead.)

Instructions

For Gift Version Made with Dry Milk:

1. Layer dry ingredients in the order listed in a pint mason jar (with lid). Top with marshmallows.

2. Seal tightly. When gifting, offer these instructions on a beautiful tag tied around your mason jar.

3. When ready to drink, add hot water. (Boil water or microwave for approximately 45 seconds.)

4. Cover tightly. Shake well. Drink and Enjoy!

Home Version Made with Real Milk:

1. In a small sauce pan (if you are making a large amount, use a larger pot), add the 1 cup of whole milk. Heat just to a simmer but do not boil.

2. Next add the rest of the ingredients, except the dry milk, water, and marshmallows. 

3. Using a whisk and mix the ingredients well. 

4. Keep whisking or stirring until the hot chocolate is rich and creamy.

5. Serve your hot chocolate in a mug. Add the marshmallows. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: In place of chocolate chips, you can add M&Ms or even white chocolate morsels.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix and Gift

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 146 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g 3%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 1mg 0%

Sodium 53mg 2%

Potassium 216mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 29g 10%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 22g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 3.3%

Calcium 9.4%

Iron 5.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.