Homemade Hot Chocolate
Published Jan 15, 2021•Updated Oct 11, 2024
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Do you know how easy it is to make homemade hot chocolate with chocolate chips or a chocolate bar and milk? This tried-and-true method is the way that I’ve been making hot chocolate for over a decade, and it’s always my favorite. When I teach this method at my cooking classes, kids are always amazed at the rich, creamy flavor that comes from just 2 ingredients!
If the weather is getting cooler, it’s time for hot chocolate, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or include store-bought packets. If you have milk and chocolate chips, you’ve got everything you need for the most delicious mug of hot chocolate.
And what is hot chocolate good with? Just about anything. My kids love to make this on weekend mornings where we serve them alongside whole wheat pancakes or apple cider muffins. I make a batch of this rich hot chocolate with chocolate chips almost every year when we bring home the Christmas tree. It feels so festive to be sipping on warm mugs of rich chocolate while we go through the ornaments.
Why make hot chocolate with chocolate chips
- simplicity (especially if chocolate chips and milk are things you always have on hand)
- flexibility (make it with your favorite alternative milk and any type of chocolate)
- affordability (much less expensive than store-bought hot cocoa packets)
- scalability (it’s easy to make more or less to serve any number of people)
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Pin It NowIngredients
It’s just two ingredients! And they are:
- Chocolate Chips – While semi-sweet chocolate chips are the most common chocolate that most of us have on-hand, any type of chocolate works with this method. Chocolate chips or the favorite bar chocolate that you just enjoy eating! If you use a really dark bar chocolate or dark chocolate chips, you can add a tiny bit of sugar to the hot chocolate to give it extra sweetness.
- Milk – Dairy, non-dairy, whole, skim, almond, oat – use any kind you like.
Recipe Tip
For an extra creamy hot chocolate, you can swap 1/2 cup of heavy cream for 1/2 cup of the milk.
Toppings and Mix-ins for Hot Chocolate
- Marshmallows
- Whipped Cream
- Mini Candy Canes
- Piroulines or other Wafer Cookies
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce
- Butterscotch Chips
- Nutella
- Speculoos / Cookie Butter
- Peanut Butter
For lots of other ideas, check out my post on How to Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar.
And when I want to make hot chocolate ahead, I make it in the slow cooker.
Make it Dairy-Free
It’s easy to make homemade hot chocolate dairy-free. Use your favorite dairy milk alternative and just be sure to buy dairy-free chocolate cips.
More Delicious Chocolate Recipes
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Homemade Hot Chocolate
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 cups Milk (any type of milk will work – dairy, almond, or oat milk are great)
- 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips (or 6 oz of any type of chocolate)
- Sweetener, to taste (if using a very dark chocolate, you may want to add some white or brown sugar, agave, or honey)
- Mix-ins or toppings like whipped cream, more grated chocolate, marshmallows, peppermint extract, candy canes, caramel, etc.
Instructions
- Combine 1/4 of the total milk you're using (you can just eyeball this) and the chocolate in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the milk to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally, until the chocolate is fully melted. (Note: Make sure that the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated into the milk before moving onto the next step. This will insure you get the most smooth, creamy results.)
- Pour in all of the remaining milk and heat until hot chocolate is steaming but not boiling.
- Note: If you used a very dark or bittersweet chocolate, taste the hot chocolate and stir in your favorite sweetner if needed.
- Serve with your favorite mix-ins for flavor or toppings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
