Hot Cocoa Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly blended and free of lumps.

Warm milk

Pour the whole milk into a medium saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Warm the milk until it is steaming and small bubbles form around the edges (do not let it boil), about 4–5 minutes.

Whisk in dry mix

Whisk 2–3 tablespoons of the warm milk into the cocoa-sugar mixture to make a smooth paste (this prevents clumps). Then whisk that paste back into the saucepan with the remaining milk until fully incorporated.

Add chocolate

Add the chopped semisweet chocolate (or chips) to the warmed milk and whisk constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1–2 minutes.

Finish flavoring

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt if needed. If using peppermint extract, add 1/4–1/2 tsp at a time to taste (peppermint is strong).

Serve

Ladle the hot cocoa into mugs. Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Top each mug with marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or dust a pinch of ground cinnamon or cocoa powder over the top. For a spiced variation, simmer the milk with a cinnamon stick for 5 minutes before adding dry ingredients, then remove the stick.

To make richer hot chocolate, substitute 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of heavy cream or add an extra ounce of chopped chocolate. For a lighter dairy option, use unsweetened almond or oat milk with the same method.