As winter approaches, you might dread the incoming cold, ice, and snow, but one thing to look forward to is a mug of classic hot cocoa, made from scratch. There is nothing like curling up on the couch on a chilly evening with a warm throw and a mug of silky smooth hot cocoa!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- 5 ingredients or less
- Delicious chocolate flavor
- Easy to make
- Vegetarian
- Recipe can be doubled or quadrupled to serve more people

The difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate
Although we use the terms interchangeably, hot cocoa uses cocoa powder, while hot chocolate uses… solid chocolate! Both are incredibly delicious, but I will say that hot cocoa is definitely easier and less time consuming to prepare.
Hot cocoa made from scratch is super easy to put together. It is simply cocoa powder mixed with milk, cream, and sugar. Store bought varieties are premixed versions of this, but often with additional filler ingredients, trans fats, and preservatives. When brewed with water, they also may not be as flavorful.
Hot cocoa made at home also allows you to control the amount of chocolatey-ness, sweetness, and creaminess ideal for your perfect mug. My favorite mixture is one part milk with one part heavy cream. Depending on my mood, I will top the hot cocoa with homemade Whipped Cream or marshmallows.
MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS
Sujeonggwa (Korean Cinnamon Tea)
Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate
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Classic Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (100ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp (30g) cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp (45g) cane sugar
- optional: whipped cream or marshmallows
Instructions
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Place all of the ingredients except for the whipped cream in a small sauce pan and heat on medium heat.
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Stir frequently and gently with a whisk until the hot cocoa begins to steam at the surface.
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Use a sieve to strain out any large bits and pour the hot cocoa into a mug.
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Add whipped cream or marshmallows if desired.
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