Ditch the storebought hot chocolate mix! This super easy homemade hot chocolate mix is rich, creamy, and makes some of the best hot chocolate ever!

I can honestly say that this homemade mix is easily as good or better than the kind I buy at the store for my own personal enjoyment.

I think the secret is the addition of white chocolate, of which I’m not a huge fan on it’s own, if I’m being honest.

A glass jar full of powdered hot chocolate mix.

The Reason White Chocolate Works

But white chocolate works in this homemade hot chocolate mix, because when finely ground with the other ingredients, it adds a fantastic creaminess to the hot chocolate.

A food processor with white chocolate chips and cocoa ready to be processed.

The Dry Mix is Easy to Make

Making this homemade hot chocolate mix is as easy as throwing everything into a food processor and letting it blend until well combined (and the chocolate is finely chopped).

The key is to get the white chocolate processed as finely as possible. It’s hard to do this by hand, so a food processor or high-powered blender will really help speed up the simple process.

White mug filled with hot chocolate and mini marshmallows.

How to Make a Cup of Hot Chocolate

Here’s how to use the mix:

Add 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix to a mug and pour in 1 cup of hot milk or almond milk. Whisk until well-combined and the hot chocolate mix is thoroughly dissolved. Top with whipped cream and/or marshmallows.

This mix works best with milk (dairy or non-dairy milk). Water can work in a pinch, but the hot chocolate isn’t nearly as creamy, and it lacks depth and flavor.

Glass jar filled with homemade hot chocolate powder.

This homemade hot chocolate mix, packaged in a jar or cellophane bag, continues to be one of our favorite holiday gifts to give to teachers, neighbors, and friends.

I’ve heard from so many people over the years that it makes the best hot chocolate they’ve ever had!

FAQs for Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

How many ounces of white chocolate should I use?

Its about 9 ounces of white chocolate.

How much hot chocolate does this make?

It makes 20 cups of hot chocolate give or take.

How long does this mix last?

It can stay in the freezer for several months and about 2-3 weeks at room temperature in the pantry.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

The food processor is really to grind up the white chocolate into powder, so if you have a blender to grind up the white chocolate, you can just use that.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

4.57 stars (658 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (405 g) dry nonfat or whole milk powder (see note)
  • 2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (128 g) cocoa powder, dutch-process or natural unsweetened (see note)
  • 1 ½ cups (255 g) finely chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips (see note)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Working in two (or more) batches, depending on the size of your food processor, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Store the dry mix in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (If your food processor is large enough, ditch using an extra bowl and throw all the ingredients in the food processor at once.)
  • To make hot cocoa, put 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk or almond milk (water works ok but the hot chocolate isn’t as creamy or flavorful). Top with whipped cream or miniature marshmallows, if desired.

Notes

Milk Powder: my favorite dry milk powder is a whole milk kind I get on Amazon here, but I also use nonfat dry milk powder when I’m out of whole milk powder (favorite brands are Bob’s Red Mill or Carnation). After years of making this stuff, it’s important to note that quality/taste matters with all of the ingredients.
Brands: if you are using a milk powder with a fake/strange after taste, that’s going to come through in the hot chocolate. Same with cocoa powder and white chocolate. Use a brand that you love – my favorite batches of this mix are made with part natural, unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s brand, usually) and part Dutch-process cocoa (Ghirardelli dark cocoa powder, Droste brand, Trader Joe’s brand, etc). 
White Chocolate: I do often use white chocolate chips when I don’t have white chocolate bars on hand, but they never mix quite as well in the food processor, so I recommend using the white chocolate bars, if possible (NOT almond bark or candy coating). The grocery stores in my area all carry the Ghirardelli white chocolate (here’s a visual for reference), and it blends up nicely in this mix. 
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 210kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 111mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 25g
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Recipe Source: from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Cook’s Country

white tupperware container with the lid open showing powdered hot chocolate mix