One of the best things about the weather getting colder is the start of hot chocolate season. Hot chocolate is my absolute favorite cold-weather drink, and winter is the only time that coffee takes a back seat to chocolate for me. Nothing soothes daily stress and anxiety like a creamy mug of hot cocoa.
I have tried a variety of hot chocolate mixes (my favorite is Land o’ Lakes Supreme), but for the longest time I wanted to whip up my own homemade mix to have on hand throughout the winter. After a few misadventures and a couple disasters, I found a recipe for the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It’s thick, creamy and super chocolaty: all things a good hot chocolate should be. Perfect for topping with whipped cream or mini marshmallows, and also perfect to give as holiday treats! I always like to amp it up with homemade marshmallows and a festive jar (although most marshmallows never seem to leave my kitchen).
Whether you give this away as a gift or keep it all for yourself, it’s certainly a wonderful treat for whoever gets to enjoy it!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ cups cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred, but regular okay)
- 1½ cups white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
- Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Working in two batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To make hot cocoa, put 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk.
- Top with whipped cream or miniature marshmallows.
