For those who live in cities with cold winters like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC, I’m sure many of us, like myself, have never encountered a single year of our lives thus far without snow.
And do you know what else we can always count on during the chilliest months of the year?
Aside from the biggest and puffiest winter jackets you’ve ever seen, – we’re channeling you, Randy Parker – we always have hot cocoa.
Warm, creamy, comforting hot cocoa!
You would think that after aaaaaalllllll the years spent:
- Begrudgingly shoveling our parents’ driveway with cranky siblings at six in the morning to clear a path, using old shovels Mom or Dad promised every year they would replace – which they never did – that would give us calluses and even crankier attitudes. Or…
- Trudging by foot through city sidewalks piled high with plowed snow to get to school – HOW was it not canceled?! Like, ever?! Or…
- White-knuckling the steering wheel and driving 5 miles an hour late at night, caught in an unexpected icy blizzard, just begging and praying to any and all forms of mythical creatures, gods, goddesses, even Kris Kringle himself, to make it home without crashing…
That we would want to move somewhere… warmer? Hotter? Tropical? ANYWHERE that would make winter seem like a distant bad dream?
Talk to any seasoned Citizen of Winter, myself included, and we’ll tell you with a shrug of the shoulders and a calm, knowing expression on our frostbitten faces that the trials and tribulations of winter inevitably come with the season.
But most of us will also always tell you that we love winter, no matter what.
And where there’s winter, there’s hot cocoa. And we adore hot cocoa.
With a drink as warm and sweet and chocolatey as this comforting beverage, the frustration over a few weather-related inconveniences melts away with the first steamy sip taken from our mug.
This soothing recipe is the quintessential drink of the season, and it’s so quick to make when you need a fast pick-me-up after sledding, snowball-fighting, shoveling, snowman-building, caroling, hiking, and more.
An effortless mix of milk, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract, my easy version is a simple recipe that involves nothing more than whisking and heating the ingredients together on the stovetop.
Making it is destined to become a winter tradition!
No matter if you live in sunny Florida or chilly Maine – this recipe is yours to cherish whenever and wherever you need it.
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The Best Homemade Hot Cocoa
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
The quintessential winter beverage, basic homemade hot cocoa is an easy recipe to share and enjoy with family and friends, from kids to adults.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Marshmallows or whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the whole milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Continue whisking constantly until the sugar and any lumps of cocoa powder are completely dissolved and the mixture is hot and smooth, for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and distribute between 4 mugs. Serve hot, topped with marshmallows or whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Hot Chocolate
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Beverage
Keywords: hot cocoa
Cooking by the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep and Measure
Set out a medium saucepan, a whisk, a ladle, and 4 mugs.
Measure out the whole milk, half-and-half, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
Set out the marshmallows and whipped cream, if you are serving the drinks with toppings.
Step 2 – Heat the Dairy
Pour the milk and half-and-half into the saucepan and warm over low heat until the liquid starts to gently simmer without coming to a boil. This will take about 5 minutes.
To prevent scorching, whisk the liquid occasionally and watch it carefully so it does not boil. Adjust the heat level as needed.
Step 3 – Mix and Heat the Remaining Ingredients
Add the sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla to the saucepan.
Continue to whisk over low heat, stirring constantly to help the dry ingredients dissolve evenly with no lumps. This will take about 5 minutes.
Step 4 – Serve
Remove the pan from the heat, and ladle into the four mugs.
Serve immediately with marshmallows or whipped cream, if using. Enjoy every sip!
Never Too Old for Hot Cocoa
Whether you’re a happily exhausted kid coming back inside after a day spent sledding in the backyard, or an adult who’s finally able to relax on the couch after salting the steps, brushing snow off of the car, and wrapping the last of the holiday presents, you can never be too old for a big mug of something sweet and warm.
And this simple recipe is here to bring comfort and joy to people of all ages!
You’ll enjoy it for many winter seasons yet to come. And it’s heartwarming to imagine that this could become a drinkable tradition passed around from your family to friends, kids, acquaintances, coworkers, and others who could use a cozy cupful.
Spread the enjoyment wherever and whenever possible!
Make a pot of this warm drink after a delicious dinner shared at home with the family, bring a thermos and extra cups with you to share with the neighbors when you go caroling from door to door, or serve it at your child’s end-of-the year holiday party at school.
You can easily double or triple the recipe – and it probably won’t come as any surprise to you when someone asks for seconds!
Do you have any favorite memories revolving around this wintry recipe? Do you like using cocoa powder or chocolate bars in your own homemade batch? Leave a comment below.
All I want for Christmas is an endless supply of chocolate recipes! Without seeming too greedy, here are a few more warm and tasty beverages to try next:
Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Ashley Martell on December 20, 2014. Last updated on January 3, 2023.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
