Best hot chocolate recipe to make for a decadent, luscious, rich, creamy and best hot chocolate this holiday season. It is easy, ready in just a few minutes and you need only four ingredients to make hot chocolate recipe at home. Dairy-free, vegan options included.
The Christmas season is here and it is all about indulging. So what's better than a buttery creamy cup of frothy hot chocolate on a chilly winter morning?
Make this perfect cup of rich and creamy hot chocolate for serving your sweet tooth this Christmas season.
Since it's the holiday season, and everyone wants to enjoy the richness of creamy indulgence, I have come up with the simplest method to make the perfect hot chocolate and the best part is, it requires only four staple kitchen ingredients and you're good to go.
Anyone can try out this recipe without any hassle because it's so easy to make. So say goodbye to buying packets of preservatives packed with pre-made hot chocolate and say hello to making your own in under fifteen minutes
Jump to:
- Why We Love This Hot Chocolate Recipe?
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Substitutions
- Hot Chocolate Toppings Variations
- Recipe Notes
- Difference Between Cocao powder and Cocoa Powder
- Difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa
- The Best Chocolate for Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Storage
- Top tip
- SERVING SUGGESTION
- More Such Recipes
- More Chocolate Recipes
- Watch Video
- 📖 Recipe
Why We Love This Hot Chocolate Recipe?
- It is both vegan and gluten-free.
- Highly adaptable because if you like to make it with regular milk you can easily switch non dairy milk with dairy milk.
- This hot chocolate recipe is made without cornflour.
- It makes a perfectly thick rich and creamy chocolate drink.
Ingredients
- Milk - Any dairy or non-dairy milk can be used with this recipe. I have used oats milk and sometimes I use almond milk.
- Chocolate- Your hot chocolate depends on the kind of chocolate you use, whatever you choose make sure to finely chop it. I have used semi bitter chocolate. Ideally a brand with 50%-60% cocoa is best to make hot chocolate.
- Cacao Powder- I have used cacao powder which has more healthy properties than cocoa powder. But if it is cocoa powder that you have you can use that.
- Maple Syrup- You can substitute it with honey/coconut sugar/corn syrup
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Chop semi sweet chocolate and keep it aside.
In a pan add milk and cacao powder and combine them using a hand blender. Switch on the heat and keep it stirring until no clumps remain.
Add chopped chocolate Now whisk for about 5 minutes to ensure that all of the ingredients are well combined.
At this point chocolate is melted hot and bubbling. Switch off the heat.
Pour the hot chocolate into cups and serve it as it, or top it off with whipped cream or pieces of marshmallows if you'd like.
Sprinkle the cup with a pinch of cacao powder and there you go!! A rich and creamy blend of milk and chocolate which keeps you wanting more and more.
Substitutions
Vegan Option: For milk, you can use a variety of options ranging from full cream dairy milk for the luscious rich and creamy experience to nut milk like oatmilk, almond milk, soy milk to cut down on the extra calories. If you're looking for a vegan option, then nut milk is the perfect substitute for dairy milk.
Gluten-free: if you're worried about the gluten content, then don't be because the recipe is absolutely gluten-free. Cacao powder naturally contains no gluten content so put your stress away.
Hot Chocolate Toppings Variations
While the authentic hot chocolate holds its crown, there are a plethora of ways to spice it up if you so choose. Here are a few entertaining and delectable suggestion
Whipped Cream- top it with a dollop of whipped cream and add a dash of salted caramel to make it creamier than ever
Marshmallows- make your hot chocolate even better with pisces of marshmallows and top it off with cacao powder.
Sprinkles: You can add colourful sprinkles or you can use dark chocolate sprinkles over it.
Recipe Notes
Chopping and stirring is the key to making the perfect blend of mouth-watering hot chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is finely chopped and stirred or it might end up sticking to the bottom.
Choose your milk wisely. Hot chocolates taste the best when made in smooth and creamy full-fat milk. However, if you're looking to make it less creamy and healthier, you can use nut- milk.
Difference Between Cocao powder and Cocoa Powder
The sole difference between cocoa powder and cacao powder is that cocoa is processed at a considerably higher temperature (and typically packaged cocoa has additional sugar and dairy). Cacao, on the other hand, is rich in flavonoids. These nutrients have been demonstrated to help decrease blood pressure, increase brain and heart blood flow, and avoid blood clots.
Difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa
There is a difference between powdered hot cocoa mix and hot chocolate. Main difference is the texture and consistency. The texture of hot cocoa is slightly grainy and powdery whereas hot chocolate is much smoother and creamy.
For a truly delicious and creamy chocolate drink, a good quality chocolate is a must. I have explained below which chocolate is best for hot chocolate
The Best Chocolate for Homemade Hot Chocolate
To make good hot chocolate you need a good quality chocolate. You can use either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate.
Bittersweet chocolate has very little sugar added to it, it will make the chocolate taste more prominent. Or, you can use semi-sweet chocolate that has more sugar than bitter chocolate.
I usually prefer 50%-60% cocao chocolate for making hot chocolate drinks.
I suggest avoiding any Milk chocolate because it also contains milk solids. And usually a low cacao percentage which will not make it adequate chocolaty.
Storage
- For storing your hot chocolate, pour the leftovers into an airtight glass container and put in the refrigerator. Stays good for 3-5 days.
- For next use, reheat it over a saucepan and don't forget to stir until evenly mixed.
Top tip
The key to this recipe is the choice of chocolate. When dark chocolate is whisked with milk, it creates a distinct rich flavour. And after the chocolate has been coarsely chopped, it will melt into the most luscious, velvety texture. If the bitterness is something you're worried about, you can always go for other non dark chocolates.
SERVING SUGGESTION
- Spice it up with a dash of cinnamon if you enjoy the Mexican delve.
- Add a dollop of delicious whipped cream and sprinkle with cacao powder.
More Such Recipes
More Chocolate Recipes
- Eggless Chocolate Mousse
- Eggless chocolate chip cookies
- Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Walnut Fudge
- Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe
Watch Video
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📖 Recipe
Hot Chocolate Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Milk Oats Milk for Dairy-Free Option
- 50 grams Semi sweet Chocolate
- 2 tablespoon Cacao Powder
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
Instructions
Prep The Chocolate
- Chop semi sweet chocolate and keep it aside.
Prepare the Drink
- In a pan add milk and cacao powder and combine them using a hand blender. Switch on the heat and keep it stirring until no clumps remain.
- Add chopped chocolate Now whisk for about 5 minutes to ensure that all of the ingredients are well combined.
- At this point chocolate is melted hot and bubbling. Switch off the heat.
Serve it
- Pour the hot chocolate into cups and serve it as it, or top it off with whipped cream or pieces of marshmallows if you'd like.
- Sprinkle the cup with a pinch of cacao powder and there you go!! A rich and creamy blend of milk and chocolate which keeps you wanting more and more.
Video
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Chopping and stirring is the key to making the perfect blend of mouth-watering hot chocolate.
- Make sure the chocolate is finely chopped and stirred or it might end up sticking to the bottom.
- Choose your milk wisely. Hot chocolates taste the best when made in smooth and creamy full-fat milk. However, if you're looking to make it less creamy and healthier, you can use nut- milk.
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