Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate {in 15 minutes or Less}
Homemade hot chocolate has never been easier! This rich and creamy hot chocolate is easily made on the stovetop and can be kept warm for hours (also, it is DELICIOUS made with almond milk in place of dairy milk)!
In a decade of blogging (can you believe my blog turns ten this month??) and almost four decades of living (yeah, I’m avoiding February), one thing has stayed the same.
And that’s my love for hot chocolate.
I love it. Fiercely.

And that’s probably no surprise, because I’ve told you that many times over the last ten years.
I’ve even posted a hot chocolate recipe or four:
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix (SO good)
Coconut Tres Leches Hot Chocolate (amazing)
Hot Chocolate Truffles (decadent)
White Peppermint Hot Chocolate
But what’s been missing is a really good, really classic, really delicious homemade hot chocolate recipe that isn’t fussy, isn’t weird, isn’t disgusting.
But that IS creamy, rich, ultra-chocolatey and perfect.
This is it.
Give yourself 10 minutes, and you’ll have a steaming mug of hot chocolate staring you in the face.
What I love about this recipe is that it is very customizable to your tastes.
Want it darker and even more decadent? Change up the brand or type of cocoa powder.
OR stir in a handful of chocolate chips at the end. No surprise that I tried that so fast.
Dairy-free? Sub the milk with almond milk or another non-dairy milk.
Want it minty? Add a smidgeon of mint extract to the finished cocoa.
Another bonus is that once you’ve whipped up the homemade hot chocolate, you can transfer the delicious nectar to a slow cooker to stay warm for hours.
Hot chocolate at your beck and call. Oh, yeah.
Perfect for all-day sledding bonanzas. Or family parties. Maybe Christmas tree trimming?
Or perhaps just because a Tuesday afternoon needs hot chocolate. That’s as good of an excuse as any.
I’m a self-professed hot chocolate snob, and I love this hot chocolate. I hope you do, too!
One Year Ago: Glazed Cranberry Lemon Cake
Two Years Ago: Holiday Pomegranate Guacamole
Three Years Ago: Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes
Four Years Ago: Fresh Cranberry Chutney {My Fave Cranberry Sauce}
Five Years Ago: Black and White Holiday Bark
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (57 g) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 ⅓ cups (283 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup water
- 6 cups milk, dairy milk or non-dairy milk, like almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Half and half or additional milk, if desired
Instructions
- In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, salt and water. Stirring constantly, bring this mixture to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, moderating heat, if needed, so it doesn’t burn.
- Stir in the milk and vanilla and heat until very warm without boiling or simmering. Serve immediately with additional half and half or milk to cool down the hot chocolate and add extra creaminess OR transfer the hot chocolate to a slow cooker and keep warm (warm or low setting) for several hours.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from this popular recipe (reduced the sugar, altered the mixing method, reduced milk)
I’ve made this many many times (in fact making it today for a Christmas party) so I need to review! Even with almond milk it is so rich and decadent, nobody can believe it isn’t made with straight cream. Magical!
Amazing! Very rich, chocolatey taste.
Would love to make it. Is it necessary to blend the white chocolate or could you just leave them whole? Looks yummy.
Hi Jean, it is really important to grind up the white chocolate – otherwise the hot chocolate isn’t as creamy when made to drink.
I loved this recipe! It also works for chocolate milk when you refrigerate it overnight. I thought that maybe it had tooa much cocoa powder, would it be gross if I did a little over 1/3 cup?
You can definitely experiment with the cocoa powder amounts!
Mine turned out very thin… I was hoping it would be thicker. Wondering what I did wrong…
I have made this recipe enough times this year that it seems neglectful not to tell you!! I always stuck to hot chocolate packets or mixes, but this is so tasty and so easy that I won’t drink a store bought mix again! My kids love it as do adults! Thank you!!
We’ve been making this with dairy milk since you first posted the recipe, but I decided to try it with almond milk and it really is so good! I made it with unsweetened almond milk and used a little less sugar, and my kids and I loved it! I think I’ll be making it this way from now on.
This was the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. Usually hot chocolate gives me a stomach ache, but this recipe looked and sounded so good, I just had to try it. I was happy I did! No tummy troubles here! My husband said he still prefers store bought mix, but my kids all agreed with me that this is the way to go! Side note, I ran out of milk, so I used 3c. Milk and 3 c. Half and half. It was very rich and creamy. So good. I really want to try it with coconut milk!
We have been making this all winter!!! I love that I always have all the ingredients on hand. I will never buy the packet mixes again!
I love this recipe! My kids do too!
Was looking for a hot chocolate recipe that I could keep warm in the crock pot to keep me company on this weekend of snow we’re supposed to have, and I knew you’d have one. Thank you!!
I’m always a little disappointed in hot chocolate….. until NOW! I made this and it is delish!! Just the right chocolatey flavor and sweetness. Thank you! I have found my go to recipe
I don’t usually love the finished product when I substitute almond milk for dairy my milk, but this actually turned out pretty well. I used unsweetened almond milk with a natural and dutched blend of cocoa from The Saco Pantry. (This blend is also AWESOME for rich chocolate frosting.)
Can this recipe be tripled or quadrupled? I need to make cocoa for a crowd. :). Thanks!
Yes! As long as you have a big enough pot!
Perfect!
I love your recipes! I saw this one and then looked at the site and thought, oh, it’s Mel! This cocoa is creamy and chocolatey… It also can be cut in half very well. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!
I made this three times in one week, as my kids have been out of school for snow for ten days (incl. weekend)! The first two times, I used up a Ghirardelli sweetened cocoa purchased by accident (reduced the sugar to 2/3 c or less). The last time I used Dutch processed cocoa, and it was divine. The best by far. I skipped the vanilla extract each time and didn’t notice a difference. Thanks Mel! My kids love it. My husband doesn’t like hot chocolate, but said “you can make this recipe anytime and I’ll drink some!”
Oh, bless you, and all the other parents dealing with TEN DAYS of school being out!!
Another wonderful recipe! I made this today for our snow day. This is a keeper for sure. Mel – I love your recipes and can’t tell you how many of them are our family favorites!
I just made this for my grandson because he is having a sore throat and we love it. So rich and creamy. I used half cocoa and half dark chocolate cocoa very very good.
Once the cocoa is made , can you transfer it to a crockpot to keep warm? We have a large crowd coming and I would like to make this. Thank you for all your great recipes and hints.
Yep!
Wonderful! So rich and tasty.
Just made this recipe tonight and absolutely loved it! First time trying to make cocoa that wasn’t from a mix and this was a huge success. Thank you so much for the recipe and great memories that were made with it.
Hi, I need to make a lot of this for a school party, I’m wondering I can use some water along with the milk, as I just realized I need to triple the recipe and don’t have enough milk?
I’ve only ever made it with milk but you could try water (will reduce the creaminess/flavor a bit).
Is this a super sugary to anyone else’s taste buds? I halved the recipe for my husband and I and used 5 oz sugar, and it was soo sweet! Any suggestions Mel? I tried adding more water but it still had such a strong sugary aftertaste. I really wanted to like this recipe!
Hi Amber – I’d just try reducing the sugar until it’s more to your liking. Did you use a natural cocoa powder or a sweetened one?
It’s way too sweet for my family too. I reduced sugar to 1 cup and still too sweet. Will try 1/2 cup next time…..I love the creaminess of this recipe and the convenience of keeping it in the fridge for a quick cup during the week.
So I made this (minus the vanilla extract because I used up all mine and the new batch isn’t quite ready yet…) and had some Tillamook white chocolate peppermint bark ice cream in the freezer. I decided to put a scoop in my ice cream. That was a very good decision!
Very good decision indeed!
I made this today for my kids after school. Winter is officially here in Columbus, Ohio, and it was the perfect treat after walking home from school. My kids responded with, “mom you got this recipe from Mel I know it!” I told them I needed to comment on the recipe, and they responded with, ” Mom you can actually talk to Mel, that’s so cool!”
That is so cute, Jodi! Thanks for sharing!
Happy 10 years!! I’ve made SO many recipes from your site and they are all so reliable. I’ve recommended your site to many!
My family and I start eating vegan 5 months ago, and I’ve missed your site. It warms my heart to see a dairy free version here! Thank you!! I made it tonight with vanilla Ripple milk. I cut the sugar back a tad, since this milk is quite sweet. It’s SO delicious!
Thanks, Amanda!
Happy 10 years!! I’ve made SO many recipes from your site and they are all so reliable. I’ve recommended your site to many!
My family and I start eating vegan 5 months ago, and I’ve missed your site. It warms my heart to see a dairy free version here! Thank you!!
Can’t wait to try this Homemade Hot Chocolate!
How long would it keep in the fridge once made?
Probably a week or two.
Would this work if I combined all the dry ingredients and just added them to heated milk and add the vanilla? Sometimes it’s nice to have all ready and just do the last step for my family.
I haven’t tried that…but you could experiment!
My family loved this! We used Vanilla Almond Milk and it was a hit! Thanks!
Oh, and I did use half Hershey’s cocoa and half Ghirardelli cocoa. Thanks for the tip!
Yay! Thanks for the report back.
My kids love hot chocolate. I will have to try this!
I’m sorry this isn’t about the hot chocolate! But I remember making fudge for my first time last year and we loved it. My girls and their friends had so much fun each taking turns stirring 5 times and getting in line to stir again. But, I can’t find that recipe! I’m thinking it was in a weekly email but I can’t find it in my inbox. Is there anyway I can get a copy of it? It had m&m’s on the top (I think) and peanut butter chips we added that left melty strips in the fudge.
Thanks!!
Hey Julie – are you sure the recipe was from me? I don’t think I’ve sent out a fudge recipe in the weekly newsletters…
I hope this doesn’t show up 3x as I am having issues replying, but I think Julie is referring to the Creamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fudge from Newsletter #2???
Oh, I forgot about that one! Sorry Julie! I’ll resend it to you. 🙂
Hey Julie, I’m glad Kylene reminded me about that fudge recipe I sent out in the newsletter a year ago! I’ll just copy and paste it here. 🙂
Creamy Chocolate PB Marshmallow Fudge
1 stick (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces) butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (13 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
20 large marshmallows (5 ounces)
1 cup (6 ounces) peanut butter chips
Peanut Butter M&Ms for garnish
Line an 8X8-inch or 9X9-inch pan with parchment paper or butter the sides and bottom of the pan well. Set aside.
Add the butter, chocolate chips and vanilla to a large bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine.
Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until the marshmallows and sugar have melted and the mixture just starts to bubble (don’t let it boil excessively or turn dark).
Immediately pour the syrup mixture over the butter and chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
With a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula, get your biceps ready, and stir the fudge 150 times. That’s right 150 times! The chocolate chips and butter will start melting into the hot sugar mixture.
After that, as you stir, you’ll notice the fudge will go from looking a little granular to silky and shiny. Keep stirring! (Just think of all the fudge you’ll be able to justify eating after such a workout!)
Once you’ve reached 150 stirs, add the peanut butter chips and stir to combine (you can continue stirring as long as you want, assuming your arms don’t feel like limp noodles, if you want the peanut butter chips to melt into the fudge).
Immediately scrape the fudge into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly.
If using peanut butter M&M’s on top, quickly press them into the soft fudge.
Refrigerate the fudge until chilled and set, 3-4 hours, before cutting into pieces.
I found the recipe you are talking about in my email!!!
Mel, could I copy it here for her? Or else, Julie, give me your email and I can forward it to you!
Oops, for some reason the comment with the recipe didn’t load. I see it now! Yum!
Hey Deanna – did you see I copied it above a few days ago? 🙂 Thanks for your help!! You are awesome. It means a lot to me when my readers help out and go the extra mile like this.
I may just be “slightly” obsessed with your recipes……
Have you tried coconut milk? I just opened a can and am tempted to use some since I just have 1% in the fridge. Cousin is in town and I just pulled boys out of school to play—looking like we better have a Polar Express party with homemade hot chocolate!!!
And thanks for 10 years. I think I’ve been following for 8 of those! My go to on all things in the kitchen!!!
Thanks, Natalie! So glad you’ve stuck around. 🙂 I haven’t tried coconut milk, but I bet it would be yummy, especially if you love the coconut flavor anyway.
Congrats on 10 years!! Thank you so much for your one pot meals that have definitely helped this mid 20’s bachelor make some awesome meals to eat during the week!
Thanks so much for that, Travis!
Congrats on 10 years!!! So grateful for you and your work on the blog that blesses my life and my family’s!!! Thank you so much!!!
Looking forward to making this. We love hot chocolate at our house! Bless you and yours and hope you can celebrate by Not having to cook 🙂 You are truly a Rock Star Mel!!
Haha, now THAT would be a celebration. 🙂 Thanks, Jen!
Oh my goodness! Me and my kids are hot cocoa lovers. Hubby not so much. The kids are always asking for hot cocoa. This will be great to have ready as a surprise. Thank you!
Hope you love it, Brandy!
So excited to try this! Also, just made your white chicken chili. I thought I tried it before, but must have been a different version of it. SO YUMMY. obviously with your best corn bread of course. And happy 10 years Mel! What an accomplishment! Your blog has changed my life! Not even kidding. I’m known as the cook in my family. Pretty hilarious since it is not my personality at all, and it wasn’t until I was 30+ years old. Wow, that means I became a follower about 8 years ago!!!! My family thanks you from the bottom of their hearts!
Love your guts, Bri!
As a fellow hot chocolate lover… and bit of a snob about it myself. I’m so excited about this recipe . I make quadruple batches of your hot chocolate mix and drink it virtually year round and I have been wondering how I could have hot chocolate more readily available for a crowd. My kids come home everyday after school and make multiple batches of hot chocolate in the cafe cocoa express. Today they are in for a big surprise .. I have this waiting in the crock pot… Thanks Mel!! I got motivated and used up the rest of the Thanksgiving Turkey in a big pot of easy chicken noodle soup and I have cinnamon rolls on deck. It’s going to be a great afternoon/evening of comfort food around here 🙂
Wow, Helen! Lucky kids! 🙂
Mel, you always post a great recipe when I am thinking about it! I’ve been thinking of trying some homemade hot cocoa. I use a Lake Champlain one I really like, but this looks so easy. Curious what percent milk you use for this? I always buy skim, but wonder if it requires a higher fat milk (the skim is good in my LC cocoa mix because it’s so rich). I guess I can always use skim and splash in some half and half like you said? PS, I just clicked on the link to the Black and White Holiday Bark. How do I not remember that post–I am making that asap!
Hey Teresa – I use 2% milk. I think your idea of using skim and adding a bit of half and half might work. Hope you love it if you try it (and that holiday bark, too!)
I just made this – I have almost no self control when it comes to hot chocolate. And truth be told, I’ve actually been known to get light hearted lectures from my husband about it. Ha! This is so rich and flavorful! I didn’t have half and half so I added a bit of whipping cream, and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing your version!
I’m so happy to hear this, Nicole! I don’t have self control with hot chocolate either, so it’s nice to meet a fellow soulmate. 🙂
Congrats on a DECADE of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe!!! (Also, any chance you’ll be putting out a gift guide for women this year? I’ve scored some good gifts for others off of those in the past!)
Thanks, Susan! And yes, I have another gift guide going up Friday – a His + Hers and a few kitchen faves. 🙂
You can also let the cocoa cool and put it in the refrigerator for later.
Stir or shake it to recombine (since the cocoa tends to settle out a bit) and then pour some in a mug. Reheat at half power. Very convenient for individual servings.
If you want some cold chocolate milk, just add a bit of cold milk to your serving. (the cocoa mixture is pretty rich).
Thanks, Anna!
LOVE hot chocolate. I’ve been looking for a good recipe that feeds a crowd – excited to try this one! Have you ever tried the hot chocolate recipe from Blendtec? That is my favorite the-kids-are-finally-in-bed-I-need-chocolate treat. It’s 2 parts milk to 1 part good chocolate chips, plus a pinch of salt and some vanilla. Push the hot cycle on your blender twice, and it comes out perfectly decadent! I’ve actually had to decrease the chocolate in the recipe because it’s a bit too rich for me. SO good, though.
I haven’t tried that, Nicki! Sounds AMAZING!
Do you think it would work to have a bin of hot chocolate dry ingredients mixed up that could make a smaller batch at a whim…..which is a lot for a hot chocolate lover like my husband. He isn’t a fan of the powered milk, but this recipe looks right up his alley. Thank you for playing an integral part of my family’s meals and beverages for the past few years. You are AMAZING!
Thanks, Laura! I haven’t tried making this into a make-ahead mix – I think it’s pretty critical to the outcome for the cocoa and sugar to boil with the water in that first step so it is ultra-creamy (and not at all gritty).
Sounds delicious! Any suggestions for making it in an instant pot? I have a big family party coming up.. there are a lot of us..I’d like to just make one big batch. Love your recipes..I’m a fan!
I think it would be just as easy to make it on the stovetop and then transfer to the IP to keep warm rather than wait for the IP to come to pressure for that first step boiling the water and cocoa. But I suppose you could try!
Do you know how could I adjust this using unsweetened almond milk? I accidentally got a multipack from Sam’s and it’s just been siting in my fridge unused and unloved. This seems like a perfect recipe for it!
Hi Sara – I think you could just use the unsweetened almond milk as a straight substitute for the milk!
For this and other recipes you have using cocoa powder, I am curious if you weigh your cocoa powder when you make them. The cocoa powders I typically use are listed as only 5 g per tablespoon, making a whole cup just shy of 3 ounces, which is very close to the weight you have listed for 2/3 cup. I want to make sure the taste and texture match the recipes you have tested! Thank you for your help!
That’s a great question! Yes, I weigh the cocoa powder for this and other recipes where I’ve given the weight measure. I have weighed and reweighed over the years and I can’t get 1/4 cup of cocoa to come out as light as what is stated on many packages,, so I use about .9 to 1 ounce of cocoa powder per 1/4 cup. For the record, I’m usually fluffing up the cocoa powder and then scooping my cup measure in and leveling off, so I might be compacting more than someone who is spooning the cocoa powder into the cup.
Love this! How many servings is this? Thank you!!
It makes about 8 cups.
Happy, Happy 10th Birthday to Mel’s Kitchen Cafe! That’s certainly something to celebrate! I’m drinking hot cocoa as I type this and will raise my glass to this happy occasion! Can’t wait to try the recipe- if there’s one thing I know, it’s that you put out a mean mug of hot cocoa! Cheers!
Ah, thanks, Amy! Hard to believe it’s really been ten years. Glad you’ve been along for the ride!