Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate

A heavenly Homemade Hot Chocolate that takes only 10 minutes to make, and just a few ingredients. Perfect for cozy fall and winter days, holidays, Christmas morning, and any time.

A big batch of creamy Hot Chocolate is perfect on a chilly winter day, during the holidays, or after a day of skiing, sledding, tobogganing, and being outside in the snow. It only takes minutes to make, uses a few ingredients, is and so much better than the mix–you won’t regret making a batch for your family and friends!

This recipe is SO yummy–perfect for all of those cozy evenings and holiday parties with family and friends. Make it in minutes, really! For our family it’s part of our holiday celebrations–every time they come in after playing in the snow, when we make Christmas cookies, after a Christmas outing, at parties, on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and any other excuse we get.  It’s also a tradition to serve it on the day we put up the tree! But it’s not just for the holidays…it’s a staple all through the winter season.  

It doesn’t take long at all to make, and everyone you serve it to will think you are seriously a superstar. Best of all, it really comes together in 10 minutes or less, and that’s a huge win in my book. It doesn’t take much longer than boiling water for packet hot chocolate, or hot cocoa mix, and it tastes SO much better!

Ingredients

• Chocolate chips
• Evaporated milk
• Whole milk
• Half and half or heavy cream
• Vanilla

The recipe uses good chocolate chips to make it really creamy and delicious. It’s always a debate as to how chocolate-y the the chocolate chips should be.  I prefer milk chocolate chips, but if you love dark chocolate, you can certainly use semi-sweet, or even a mix of the two.

You can also use a lesser fat milk instead of the whole milk, but it won’t be quite as rich or creamy. I highly suggest using whole milk! This is the BEST hot chocolate you’ll ever have! Heavy cream is also going to be creamier and more rich than half and half, depending on what you use. You can really use a combination of any of those ingredients, as long as they add up to the total amount of milk in the recipe.

Equipment

• Large pot or stockpot

How to make

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips with the can of evaporated milk. Once they’re melted, stir in the four cups of milk and heat through. Use a whisk to make sure it’s nice and smooth. No need to boil it–you just want to heat it through.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract and the tiniest pinch of salt. Serve with Peppermint Cream if desired, and other toppings.

Who can resist peppermint and chocolate?  I created a peppermint whipped cream that I like to make to go on top of the hot chocolate. Regular whipped cream is always yummy, but this is just a different version that makes such a difference.

TIP: Make sure to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream–they both have over 36% fat, so they’ll whip up beautifully and hold their shape.  Whipping cream has 30-35% fat, and while you can whip it into cream, it will be lighter and not hold its shape as long or as well.  

I love adding the peppermint cream –it’s the perfect complement. If you don’t like peppermint, you can always use plain whipped cream with a little sprinkle of cinnamon & sugar (add it to the hot chocolate, and on top of the whipped cream both), with marshmallows, or plain. It’s delicious any way you serve it!

Peppermint Cream

In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until it’s just beginning to form soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar (you can do more or less to taste), and beat until incorporated. Add the peppermint extract and crushed candy canes, then beat again until the right consistency. I like to spoon the cream into a sandwich bag, push it down into one corner, snip the corner off of the bag, then pipe it onto the top of the hot chocolate. Sprinkle a few more bits of candy cane on top, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• You can easily double or even triple this recipe if needed…just user a larger pot! When I’m making it for a crowd, I’ll put it in a large stockpot, or a crockpot.  That’s another reason I love this recipe…it’s simple to either make less or more, depending on the number of people you have. If it’s just your family, or a small group, one batch is probably enough. I’ve made it for large groups many times, and it has always worked.

If you need to serve over a period of time, or serving a crowd, try making Crockpot Hot Chocolate–it’s this recipe adapted for a slow cooker or crockpot. So easy, and incredibly rich and creamy.

• To keep a skin from forming on the top of the hot chocolate while it’s sitting on the stove, just add a lid cover, and story every once in awhile.

FAQ

Hot chocolate bar topping ideas

One of my favorite holiday events is an annual hot chocolate party that I love to host for my friends.  It’s so fun! We have yummy food too, but the highlight is the hot chocolate. I serve it in mugs with all the toppings as a hot chocolate bar. This is a great way to serve something warm, festive, and delightfully delicious to your guests. Try these topping ideas:

• Chocolate chips
• Mini marshmallows
• Crushed peppermint
• Candy cane marshmallow dippers (stirring sticks)
• Chocolate dipped candy canes
• Peppermint whipped cream or regular whipped cream
• Whipped Cream Cubes
• Caramel sauce
• Shredded coconut
• Coconut milk
• Chocolate shavings
• Chocolate syrup
• Cinnamon & sugar
• Chopped Reese’s PB cups

More hot chocolate recipes

• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Gift Idea & Tag
• Whipped Cream Cubes for Hot Chocolate
• Chocolate Dipped Candy Canes
• Hot Chocolate Mug Gift

It’s a dessert and drink all in one! It’s become a tradition, and I look forward to it every year.  This is an event you can have anytime through the holidays or winter season, either on it’s own, or as part of another party or gathering.  It’s even fun on game days and football parties, like the Super Bowl in January!

So glad you stopped by! 🖤 Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for even more easy ideas and inspiration for HOME + HOLIDAY.

*Originally posted 2016.

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