Easy Hot Chocolate Mix

This is the homemade hot chocolate mix you make in big batches and parcel out into mason jars for winter holiday gifting. Four ingredients combined dry: cocoa powder, powdered milk, powdered creamer, and confectioners’ sugar. Whisk together, scoop into clean jars, tie a ribbon around the neck, and you have homemade gifts for the entire holiday list.

The recipe makes a generous amount; this is a kitchen-pantry build, not a single mug. Use a giant bowl or restock as you go. Store in airtight containers, and the mix keeps for 6 months in a cool, dry pantry.

Each mug uses ⅓ cup of mix dissolved in a cup of boiling water. Whisk vigorously to break up clumps; the cocoa wants to float and the milk wants to settle.

Make this with good cocoa. Generic supermarket cocoa works but tastes flat; Dutch-processed cocoa or Valrhona-quality powders make hot chocolate that drinks like a Parisian cafe rather than a school-cafeteria packet.

Pro Tips

• Sift the dry ingredients together for a clump-free mix. Cocoa powder lumps stubbornly; a fine sieve before mixing prevents stubborn pockets later.
• Add a pinch of salt to the master batch (¼ teaspoon per pound of cocoa). Salt sharpens chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Stir up to a teaspoon of vanilla powder or instant espresso powder into the mix for a more complex flavor base.
• Heat milk instead of water for a richer, creamier hot chocolate. Reduce the powdered milk in the recipe by half if you go this route.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of mini marshmallow bits per pound of cocoa for an instant-marshmallow finish in every cup.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for Mexican-style hot chocolate.
• Substitute white chocolate cocoa or carob powder for a different chocolate profile.