by Stephanie | Dec 22, 2019 | In the Kitchen, Simple Living | 0 comments
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If you are anything like me, the winter season basically means “hot drink season”, and for my kids, that means hot chocolate.
We all love hot chocolate in my family and up until recently, that meant stocking up on packaged powdered hot chocolate. If I am feeling really fancy, I might pick up a more expensive brand than Swiss Miss but that was always our go to.
Since I have really been trying to replace store bought products with from scratch versions, I thought that hot chocolate would be an awesome one to try this winter.
In my hunt for the best hot chocolate recipe, I came across so many!
What I found is that the recipe that you use really depends on how many people you are serving and how much time you have!
I found three awesome hot chocolate recipes that I am sharing with you here. Regardless of the event or how many people you are serving, I have a recipe for you.
I am sharing a powdered mix to keep on hand, a stovetop version, for a few cups on a special evening, and a slow cooker version to prepare for a larger amount of people just perfect for your holiday party!
Whether you are serving for a large group at a party, or want to make a quick cup for your kids, there is a recipe here!
Enjoy!
1. Powdered Pantry Version
The first recipe that I am sharing is a great recipe to substitute your powdered packaged mix. With little kids, I do not want to make a large batch of stovetop hot chocolate to only hand out ½ cups of lukewarm chocolate milk.
This recipe is great to mix up at the beginning of the season and have on hand.
I originally found this from scratch recipe over at Little House Living but I feel like it is still a little bitter so you can add gradulated sugar or powdered sugar to each cup to up the sweetness if needed.
1 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
I doubled the recipe and put it in a Mason Jar for the season. Add 1-2 Tbls to a cup of warm milk and whisk until blended.
While I am not a fan of powdered sugar hot chocolate, sometime it is hard to wisk in without leaving chucks, and it is never really creamy, this recipe definitely serves the purpose of a quick hot chocolate for the kids.
It does help to sift the mix before putting it into the milk, this breaks up the powder and removes large chucks.
Powdered Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1cupUnsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2/3cupSugar
- 1/2tspSalt
Instructions
Mix together ingredients and place in mason jar.
Can stay on self for several months.
Add 1 T to 1 cup of warm milk and wisk.
To prevent clumps, sift the mixture while adding to milk.
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2) Stove top Version
Now if I want to enjoy some hot chocolate, I go for the stove top version.
This recipe is super easy and so good. If you don’t have heavy cream on hand, you can leave it out but it does give a really great creaminess to the drink.
This is not my original recipe, I found it and have been using it for awhile. I am not sure where I found it but I did make a few adjustments along the way.
2 cups milk
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar
Bring milk and heavy cream to heat, just under a boil.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave and add to the heated milk
Wisk until blended
Add vanilla
Add powdered sugar if it needs to be sweetened.
Pour into mugs and enjoy!
Stove Top Hot Cocoa
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2cupsMilk
- 1/4 cupHeavy Cream
- 1cupSemi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1tspVanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Bring milk and heavy cream to heat, just under a boil. Do not let it boil.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave and add to the heated milk.
Wisk until blended.
Add vanilla extract.
Add powdered sugar if it needs to be sweetened.
Your 1st Step to a Simple Living Lifestyle!
A great place to start with Simple Living is to start making your own cleaning and personal products!
With this FREE eBook, you can easily get started with over 10 quick but effective recipes that use ingredients you already have in your house!
3) Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
This slow cooker recipe, perfect for a party or large number of people and has been a real hit the time I have made it.
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy cream
6 c. whole milk
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and put on high for the first hour. Stir it occasionally and lower the heat if it is getting too hot.
I kind of had to monitor it a little because low did not allow it to get warm enough but putting in on high was too much after awhile.
Once chocolate is melted and it is warm, serve. Initially, it was just a tad too bitter for my taste so add some powdered sugar until the sweetness is too your liking, not too much though!
Add whipped cream, marshmallows, peppermint schnapps
Can store for a few days in the fridge.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
Cook Time 2 hours
Ingredients
- 6CupsWhole milk
- 1CupHeavy Cream
- 1/2CupSugar
- 1 1/2CupSemi-sweet Chocolate chips
- 1/4CupCocoa Powder
- 1tspVanilla extract
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a Slow Cooker and put on high for the first hour.
Stir it occasionally and lower the heat if it is getting too hot.
I had to monitor it a little because low did not allow it to get warm enough but putting in on high was too much after awhile.
Once chocolate is melted and it is warm, about two hours. Serve in mugs.
Initially, it was just a tad too bitter for my taste so add some powdered sugar until the sweetness is too your liking, not too much though!
Add whipped cream, marshmallows, peppermint schnapps, or peppermint sticks.
Can store for a few days in the fridge.
Your 1st Step to a Simple Living Lifestyle!
A great place to start with Simple Living is to start making your own cleaning and personal products!
With this FREE eBook, you can easily get started with over 10 quick but effective recipes that use ingredients you already have in your house!
Stephanie
Welcome to Wingin’ it on the Homestead! My name is Stephanie Leaf. I am a wife to a can-fix-anything husband, mother of two boys under 3, future expert gardener, lover of anything old and dusty, and inspiring homesteader. My family and I are new to this journey and loving every minute of it. Please join me in embracing a simpler life!
We participate in the Amazon Associates Program. Please assume that all Amazon links are affiliate links. Affiliate links are links to third-party products and services. If you use those links and make a purchase, we will receive a small commission. Using these links will not cost you any extra money. An affiliate relationship does not change or influence the nature of the recommendation or opinion.
