The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe
This homemade hot cocoa is made with a mix of whole milk and heavy cream with plenty of chocolatey goodness for an extra decadent treat.
How to Make the Best The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa
There’s nothing quite like a steaming mug of homemade hot cocoa to warm you up on a cold day. This best homemade hot cocoa recipe is luxuriously decadent—made with a combination of whole milk and heavy cream for that extra rich, velvety texture that store-bought mixes simply can’t compete with.
What makes this recipe special is the careful balance of cocoa powder and both white and dark brown sugar, creating layers of chocolate flavor and a subtle caramel sweetness. Unlike instant hot cocoa packets, this from-scratch version allows you to control the quality of ingredients and customize the richness to your liking.
Whether you enjoy it plain or dressed up with whipped cream, marshmallows, and fresh cacao nibs, this homemade hot cocoa is the ultimate comfort beverage that tastes like a warm hug in a mug.
The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa
This homemade hot cocoa is made with a mix of whole milk and heavy cream with plenty of chocolatey goodness for an extra decadent treat.
Ingredients
Hot Cocoa
Optional Garnishes
Instructions
Prepare the Hot Cocoa
- In a saucepan over medium heat, pour in the whole milk and heavy cream. Add the white sugar, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
- Whisk the mixture until the cocoa powder smooths out.
- Heat the mixture until it warms to serving temperature, whisking frequently. The ideal serving temperature for warm drinks is 160-185 degrees. The mixture will hit this temperature range before simmering.
Serve
- If desired, rim the glasses with chocolate fudge, chopped pecans and cacao nibs and top with whipped cream or marshmallows. Pour into mugs and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- The ideal serving temperature for warm drinks is 160-185 degrees.
- Customize with your favorite alcohol or liqueur for a grown-up version.