This simple hot chocolate recipe is a far cry from those sad packets you grew up on. It’s creamy and decadent and is made with real chocolate instead of cocoa for the best chocolatey flavor.
Sometimes you just need to cozy up with a toasty, comforting beverage. Just like my hot buttered rum and homemade Baileys Irish Cream, this homemade hot chocolate is so warm and satisfying and perfect on a chilly day. As a kid, I grew up on the Swiss Miss packets—cloyingly sweet, and without much chocolate flavor. These days I much prefer rich (but not too rich) chocolatey hot chocolate. That’s why I make this recipe with chocolate versus cocoa. After all, it’s hot chocolate, not hot cocoa. While I love using cocoa powder for baking, I prefer the flavor of the chocolate shining through in this particular iteration. A billowy cloud of fresh whipped cream or marshmallows on top of this rich and creamy hot chocolate is a total chef’s kiss.
In This Post
What’s in This Hot Chocolate
Since there are only a handful of ingredients in this homemade hot chocolate recipe, and chocolate is the main ingredient after all, it’s important to use good-quality chocolate here. I prefer Guittard or Scharffen Berger, but Ghirardelli would also be fine.
- Whole milk (I love the richness and creaminess whole milk lends, but you could always use 2%)
- Good-quality bittersweet chocolate—not baker’s chocolate! You can use either a bar or chocolate chips. (If you only have semisweet, you can use that instead, but you may not need as much sugar.)
- Brown sugar (light or dark, or you could use granulated)
- Sea salt
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Marshmallows, if you like (for serving)
How to Make Hot Chocolate
This hot chocolate recipe comes together so quickly and easily on the stovetop. Here’s how to make it:
- Heat the milk, sugar, and salt. Add the milk, sugar, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan, and whisk to combine. Heat over medium-low for about 3 minutes or just until the milk is hot and little bubbles start to form (but don’t let it boil).
- Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate and whisk well, simmering until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Note: If you want a more intense hot chocolate, add another ounce of bittersweet chocolate (about 2 tablespoons). For a milder chocolate flavor, substitute milk chocolate. If you want less dairy, sub water for half of the amount of milk.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Whip to soft peaks. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla and whip until you’ve reached soft peaks.
Should Hot Chocolate be Made with Milk?
This is a versatile recipe, so if you don’t care for dairy or have an intolerance, full-fat oat milk would also work great here. You could try this with soy or almond milk, or another type of dairy-free plant-based milk but know that the consistency won’t be quite as thick.
How to Serve Hot Chocolate
Divide your hot chocolate between 4 mugs (you can easily cut the recipe in half if you don’t want as many servings). I love topping my hot chocolate with fresh, homemade whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder or grated chocolate. However, I never frown upon whipped cream from a can or a few marshmallows. Here are some other ideas for serving this hot chocolate, or giving it a spin:
- Add a dash or two of amaretto, brandy, or Baileys Irish cream for a boozy version
- Omit the sugar and stir in a bit of Nutella
- Add vanilla bean or cinnamon
- Use a frother before serving, to get it extra foamy
- Add a dash of peppermint or almond extract (use a light hand because a little goes a long way!). If doing peppermint, garnish with crushed peppermint candies on top of your whipped cream.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or powdered sugar or granulated)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the milk, sugar, and salt, and whisk to combine. Heat over medium-low for about 3 minutes or so, just until the milk is hot and little bubbles start to form (but don’t let it boil). Add the chocolate and whisk well, simmering until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you could use a hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment). Whip everything on low speed. Gradually increase the speed to medium and then medium-high once the mixture thickens. Whip to soft peaks.
- To serve, pour the hot chocolate into two mugs, and top with fresh whipped cream, sifted cocoa powder, or grated chocolate.
Notes
- If you want a more intense hot chocolate, add another ounce of bittersweet chocolate (about 2 tablespoons).
- If you want less dairy, sub water for half of the milk.
Nutrition
More Chocolate Recipes to Try
- Peppermint Truffles
- The BEST Easy Fudge
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- German Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
- Classic Fat Witch Dark Chocolate Brownies
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Rate & Comment