This creamy and chocolatey cup of Homemade Hot Chocolate is rich and decadent but so easy to make! Make the best hot chocolate at home using ingredients you already have on hand!

There is no better way to warm up on a cold winter night than with a cup of warm, decadent hot chocolate! Snuggled under a blanket with a cup of this delicious treat is seriously one of the best things about the season!

I have always been a huge fan of hot chocolate. I mean, who isn’t a fan? Most of my experience with hot chocolate is with the powdery instant form. Add the powder to a cup, warm up some milk or water and voila! Instant hot chocolate. I wouldn’t turn down a cup of it ever, but once you have tried true hot chocolate, made with actual chocolate, it just doesn’t compare!

The best hot chocolate I ever had was with actual chocolate that was melted and heated with milk. It resulted in a luxuriously creamy and ultra chocolatey drink. So good!! It is also surprisingly easy to do too. It takes just 15 minutes to make (less if you use chocolate chips instead of chopping the chocolate)! Very little time and effort and you have something soooo much better than the powdery mix!

Making things from scratch has always been important to me and my hubby and we avoid as much processed, pre-packaged food as we can. While I wouldn’t label this as healthy, per se, it is definitely better for us than a processed powder with ingredients we can’t even pronounce. That qualifies as healthy(ish) in my books!

Topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings (or both!) and you have the makings of a cozy evening!

How to make Homemade Hot Chocolate

This recipe is truly easy to do and I bet you have everything you need already on hand! To make 4 cups, you will need:

• 2 cups milk (2% or more is preferable)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or semi sweet chocolate chips)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (you can adjust the sugar to suit your taste preferences)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Toppings:

• whipped cream, for serving
• cocoa powder or chocolate shavings, for garnish
• marshmallows, for serving

Add the milk to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes (until it is beginning to warm and no longer cold).

Stir in the chopped chocolate and sugar and whisk continuously until the chocolate and sugar have dissolved and the hot chocolate is smooth and warmed through but not boiling.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Ladle into 4 mugs.
Optional: top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. You can also add marshmallows if desired.

Cozy up with your hot cup of hot chocolate and enjoy every sip!

With lots of love,

Cathy

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk (2% or more is preferable)

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or semi sweet chocolate chips)

• 2 tablespoons sugar (you can adjust the sugar to suit your taste preferences)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Optional Toppings:

• whipped cream, for serving

• cocoa powder or chocolate shavings, for garnish

• marshmallows, for serving

Directions

• Add the milk to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes (until it is beginning to warm and no longer cold).
• Stir in the chopped chocolate and sugar and whisk continuously until the chocolate and sugar have dissolved and the hot chocolate is smooth and warmed through but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Ladle into 4 mugs.
• Optional: top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings. You can also add marshmallows if desired.