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Posted by Aimee 18 comments
Published: Feb 05, 2021 Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023
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The best Homemade Hot Chocolate to warm you from head to toe! A dollop of peppermint whipped cream adds the finishing touch to the creamy hot cocoa.
If you love hot chocolate, take that same flavor and make a batch of Hot Cocoa Muddy Buddies. Such a fun treat! Top off your hot cocoa with some homemade peppermint marshmallows for a minty treat.
Why Make Homemade Cocoa
The arrival of winter means one thing: hot chocolate!
This perfect homemade cocoa recipe beats the store bought mixes by a mile.
When it’s so easy to grab a packet of powdered mix from the supermarket, why bother making hot chocolate from scratch?
- It tastes SO. MUCH. BETTER. Creamy and sweet with rich cocoa flavor from real chocolate, this cocoa recipe is worth the teensy bit of extra effort.
- It’s simple to make and requires only a few ingredients. The difference in flavor between this cocoa and the watery stuff made from a packet is astounding.
- Another benefit of homemade hot chocolate? You can adjust it to your liking! Once you learn how to make hot chocolate from scratch, you can adjust the amount of sugar or cocoa to your taste.
Top your hot cocoa with whipped cream or homemade marshmallows for a delicious treat!
Ingredient Notes
- Sweetened condensed milk. This is the secret for the ultimate creamy hot cocoa.
- Vanilla extract. Store bought is great and Homemade Vanilla Extract is even better.
- Milk. The higher fat content of milk you use, results in a creamier cocoa. Whole milk would be delicious, 2% is amazing…it gets less creamy the lower fat you choose.
- Cocoa Powder. Choose your favorite UNSWEETENED cocoa powder for this hot chocolate recipe.
Easy Instructions
Make the hot cocoa.
- Whisk the condensed milk and cocoa powder in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the salt, whole milk and vanilla.
- Whisk in water and continue heating until thoroughly warmed. Be careful not to let the mixture boil.
Serving.
- Pour the hot cocoa into mugs. Use round cookie cutter to slice the frozen whipped cream into pieces.
- Top each mug of cocoa with the a peppermint marshmallow or whipped cream.
- The whipped cream will melt into the cocoa as you sip, for an amazing contrast of warm and cool flavors and temperatures.
Tips and Tricks
- To keep the cocoa warm, transfer it to a slow cooker. Leave it on the “keep warm” setting until ready to serve. This is a great idea for serving at parties!
- Substitute vanilla extract for the peppermint to make a classic vanilla whipped cream if you prefer.
- Be careful to NOT let the cocoa come to a boil. Keep an eye on it as you whisk and adjust the heat lower as needed.
- Try our Instant Pot Hot Chocolate recipe next! Same rich and creamy taste!
- Serve with homemade marshmallows for a decadent treat.
Recipe FAQs
What kind of cocoa powder is best for hot chocolate?
Any unsweetened cocoa powder will work. I use regular Dutch processed cocoa (the same kind I use for baking). Do not use the powders labeled drinking chocolate as those are usually sweetened.
Can you use evaporated milk instead of condensed milk in this cocoa?
No, evaporated milk should not be used. Condensed milk contains added sugars boiled into the milk, which is necessary for this hot chocolate recipe.
Why do you freeze the whipped cream?
Freezing the whipped cream adds a lovely dimension to the hot cocoa. It will melt more slowly into the hot chocolate than regular whipped cream, so the creamy peppermint flavor seeps into every sip.
More Chocolate Recipes
- Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Birthday Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Chocolate Eclair Cake
- No Bake Chocolate Cookies
- Rocky Road Fudge
- Brownie Recipe
SavePinPrint
Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe
By: Aimee
Rich homemade hot chocolate with a sweet peppermint whipped cream topping!
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours hours
Total Time: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Cocoa:
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 cups water
Instructions
For the hot cocoa, whisk together the condensed milk and cocoa powder over medium heat.
Slowly whisk in the vanilla, salt and whole milk. Heat until warm, but do not boil.
Whisk in water and continue to heat over medium heat until desired temperature. DO NOT BOIL.
When ready to serve, pour cocoa in a mug with a couple dollops of whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep your hot chocolate warm in the slow cooker on low or warm setting.
- What kind of cocoa powder is best for hot chocolate? Any unsweetened cocoa powder will work. I use regular Dutch processed cocoa (the same kind I use for baking). Do not use the powders labeled “drinking chocolate” as those are usually sweetened.
- Can you use evaporated milk instead of condensed milk in this cocoa? No, evaporated milk should not be used. Condensed milk contains added sugars boiled into the milk, which is necessary for this hot chocolate recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 257kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 178mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!
Say goodbye to powdered hot cocoa mixes and hello to the best cocoa you’ve ever tasted! This Homemade Hot Chocolate recipe with peppermint whipped cream is simply unbeatable.
About Aimee
Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.
Learn more about Aimee.
Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**
Categories: Drinks
Posted on February 5, 2021
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This recipe was so good. Will make it again for sure!Reply
Homemade hot chocolate is the best!! The peppermint whipped cream adds a delicious, cozy flavor.Reply
Oh my goodness! My kids are definitely going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try especially since we’ve been getting snow here!
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Looks so good! Can’t wait to try this one with my family.Reply
THIS….genius idea!…I’m already thinking of making coffee drinks with cut-out whipped-cream shapes using a bit of cinnamon & almond extract (or Amaretto)…or nutmeg & Frangelico…Thanks for such an amazing tip on what to do with left-over whipped cream!
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Oh My this sounds absolutely delicious!!! Definitely bookmarking this recipe and when I move back to freezing Utah in March I am so making this!!!
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Great idea. Cold weather is supposed to hit us later this week. Right now it’s 65 degrees though. Anyway, I found your blog last week, and have been stalking it mercilessly for recipes. Thank you. Great blog.
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I love the idea of cutting out the frozen shapes. Thanks for the inspiration! I started a link party at my blog and I’d love for you to link this up. If you’re interested it’s http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com/ Have a lovely day, Maria
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Goodness, how cute is this!! Not to mention yummy! I love the heart whipped cream idea SO much, too. 🙂
Blessings,
LeslieReply
I have never made hot chocolate from scratch either, but I should. I normally stick to my Swiss Miss, it’s quick easy and oh so good!
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Delicious…Totally Yummy..
Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/Reply
I would love to have a bag full of frozen whipped yumminess lurking in my freezer!!! What a fun treat to prepare while the kids are outside playing in the snow!!!
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I would love to have this hot chocolate, it’s really cold in here
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Well, who could resist this treat???
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Oh yum. That looks terrific! I would definitely add the peppermint too! Come visit. We have a wonderful chili recipe today!
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I love the idea of the peppermint whipped cream! I think your pictures are nice. Many thanks for sharing.
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I’ve been seeing tutorials for this frozen whipped cream around the Internet, but have yet to try it for myself. I love your peppermint version!
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Frozen whipped cream is such a cool idea 🙂 For myself, I would omit the peppermint, bu this sounds fantastic otherwise! 🙂
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