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Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe {and how to set up a hot chocolate bar}

Dec 21, 2020 · 25 Comments

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Warm up during winter by making this hot chocolate mix recipe (it’s a great thing to have on hand for when guests come over) and I’m going to show you how to set up a hot chocolate bar which is a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy!

Hands holding a white coffee mug with a red and white straw this image

I had been hearing that Grandma Rita (see here for when I made a fun snack of white chocolate peanut covered grapes with her) had the best recipe for hot chocolate. I had heard that it was a homemade hot chocolate mix where all one had to do was add water and one would have hot cocoa in minutes.

Homemade hot chocolate mix in a red and white jar

Well, I just had to try it out. I mean, who hasn’t had one of those little packets of hot chocolate only to be left unimpressed because it was a little weak and flavorless, am I right? So with a little skepticism I made the recipe and tried it, ummm yeah, it was amazing! Rich and chocolatey and perfect, this homemade chocolate is definitely a recipe to make.

Toppings to set up for a hot chocolate bar

Plus, when you make this hot chocolate mix recipe, simply put it in a cute jar, tie a ribbon on and it makes a great food gift!

Making hot chocolate

What’s cool about this recipe is that it uses dry milk (I had never even known dry milk was a thing – it was sold in the baking aisle of the grocery store by the evaporated milk) so when mixed with water it has a really nice creamy consistency-not watery.

Putting toppings into a mug of hot chocolate

As I was enjoying my cup of hot chocolate I thought of all the fun toppings that one could put on hot cocoa and the idea of a hot chocolate bar was born. Last year I shared how to make a mimosa bar, so I just couldn’t resist putting this one together. Customizable bars are always so fun, especially around the holidays, everyone can make unique flavor combinations.

Putting caramel into a mug of coco and drinking it with a straw

For a hot cocoa bar you want a combination of toppings and mix-ins, here is what I all included:

  • 1 canister of hot chocolate mix (I store it in a Santa canister, like this one)
  • A small bowl filled with mini marshmallow bits (I got these ones, they were dried mini marshmallows and were super popular!)
  • A small bowl filled with mini chocolate chips
  • A small bowl filled with chopped up peppermint bark (I used 1 bar of Ghirardelli limited edition peppermint bar, it was so good that I’m going to buy a bag of squares.)
  • Fresh whipped cream (or a can of whipping cream)
  • A glass bottle filled with caramel sauce (I buy bulk flip cap bottles like these and then use them for syrups and dressings throughout the year)
  • A glass bottle filled with chocolate syrup
  • Green and red colored straws (like these red and these green ones)
  • A little something for the adults – peppermint schnapps and baileys
  • And of course you need mugs and hot water

Toppings on top of a mug of hot chocolate

What would you put in your hot chocolate? Here are some different flavor combination ideas:

  • Caramel hot chocolate – hot cocoa mix, water, whipped cream, caramel sauce
  • Triple chocolate hot chocolate – hot cocoa mix, water, mini chocolate chips, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, chocolate syrup
  • Minty hot chocolate – hot cocoa mix, water, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, peppermint bark bits (for adults add some schnapps)
  • Baileys hot chocolate – hot cocoa mix, water, a dash of baileys, mini marshmallows
  • Everything hot chocolate – hot cocoa mix, water, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, chocolate syrup and caramel syrup

Other recipes you might enjoy:

  • Cinnamon Hot Cocoa {made with Pure Via}
  • Back of the Bag Ghirardelli Brownies Recipe
  • Recipes For A Delicious Christmas Morning
Hands holding a white coffee mug with a red and white straw

Hot Chocolate Recipe {and how to set up a hot chocolate bar}

Warm up this winter by making this hot chocolate mix recipe (it’s a great thing to have on hand for when guests come) and I’m going to show you how to set up a hot chocolate bar which is a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy!
4.65 from 17 votes
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 16 people

Equipment

  • Flip Cap Bottles
  • Santa Storage Container
  • Red Striped Straws
  • Green Striped Straws

Ingredients

  • 2 cups instant dry milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
  • Store in an air tight canister or in a ziplock bag.
  • Add 1⁄4 cup of this mixture to 1 cup of boiling water.

Notes

You can put the ingredients through a sieve to make sure all the lumps are out of milk and cocoa (all my ingredients were brand new and had no lumps so I didn't need to do this step.  I've been told to only add this mix to hot water, it does not taste right when added to milk.
The nutrition information presented on this site should be considered an estimate as the calculations will change based on the exact products you use in your own kitchen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 1mg

Pouring into a mug and holding it with a red and white straw

Disclaimer: some of the above links are affiliate links, if you purchase amazon products through the links at no cost to you, I will earn a few pennies. As always, thank you for supporting the brands and products I love that make the Sweetphi blog possible. 

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Blog Posts, Christmas, Dessert, Drinks, Five Ingredient Fridays, Gluten-Free, Holidays, Party, Recipes, Winter Favorites, Winter holiday recipes homemade hot chocolate mix, hot chocolate bar, hot chocolate mix, hot chocolate recipe, hot cocoa, hot cocoa bar, hot cocoa mix, how to set up a hot chocolate bar

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. linda says

    July 7, 2022 at 2:35 pm

    I must say this was very helpful and easy to understand.

    Reply
  2. Rose W says

    December 17, 2021 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    About five years ago, I made this as a Christmas gift in a canister for a dear friend of mine. He said it was the best hot chocolate mix he’s ever had and because of it, it has become an annual gift that he looks forward to and frankly expects every year. Two years ago, I lost the recipe and didn’t realize it was yours. He eventually showed me the recipe I included the first year I gave it to him and when I realized it was yours, now I have it every year. A double batch is ready and waiting for him. The year he didn’t get it, I can’t even begin to tell you how much pouted and sad he was. That said, I have now started making it in a sugar free version. I make it with an artificial sweetener, erythritol, without the dry milk and I add that to some hot almond milk for a delicious sugar-free hot chocolate treat. So there you have it, the perfect Christmas present for some.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 20, 2021 at 2:53 pm

      This is the best comment ever! Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to come back and share this story. I am so so happy you found this recipe again!!

      Reply
  3. Bailie Pinion says

    January 15, 2018 at 5:44 pm

    What do you use to keep your water hot? Doing this for my sisters baby shower! Thanks

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      January 15, 2018 at 8:30 pm

      Love that you’re doing it for a baby shower!! I keep water hot in an electric water heater I actually have two because my family is big hot water drinkers, and for hot cocoa parties 🙂

      Reply
  4. Rose says

    December 20, 2017 at 9:42 am

    I made this and it’s wonderful. Thanks

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 20, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      You’re so welcome! Thanks for letting me know how you liked it – I always make a few batches in the winter to have on hand for when guests come over.

      Reply
  5. Little Cooking Tips says

    January 4, 2016 at 2:12 am

    Yummy yummy yummy! Panos really can’t wait to try this one out! He’s obsessed with anything chocolate!:)
    This hot chocolate is perfect for any cold winter afternoon, isn’t it?
    Are those sweet guys your dad and sister in the pics? 🙂
    Thank you for another delicious recipe!
    xoxo

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      January 8, 2016 at 9:13 am

      Hot chocolate is such a delicious treat in the cold winter, and this hot cocoa mix is amazing to keep on hand. In the pictures are my sisters-in-law, they all live very close and are so great with photos, I love making recipes over at my parents in laws house when everyone is there 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jess says

    December 19, 2015 at 2:59 pm

    Any thoughts on making this hot chocolate mix with Splenda or some other sugar free sweetener? My dad & mother-in-law are both diabetics, but I think this would be a neat Christmas gift if I can make it sugar-free!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 19, 2015 at 10:16 pm

      Good question! I have never tried it, but I would say you can definitely substitute sweetener for the sugar, just follow the conversions provided by the manufacturer 🙂 I’d love to know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
      • Jess says

        January 2, 2016 at 9:08 pm

        Update for you – I used Splenda for baking that measures the same as sugar. I used just shy of a cup of it (maybe a tablespoon or so less than a cup) and then increased the cocoa by approximately a tablespoon or two to cut the fake-sweet taste a bit. I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners, but I tried a test mug before I gifted the mix, and it was pretty tasty! (Though in the future I will make the real sugar kind for myself;) My dad & my MIL both seemed to appreciate the homemade mix! Thanks for the recipe!

        Reply
        • Sweetphi says

          January 8, 2016 at 9:03 am

          Thank you SO MUCH for coming back and letting me know how it turned out with Splenda, I’m sure this will be much appreciated by someone looking if substitutions work in the future 🙂

          Reply
  7. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    December 14, 2015 at 5:51 am

    My husband and I always said that if we had of gotten married in winter then we would have had a hot choocolate bar. This one looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 14, 2015 at 9:47 pm

      Thank you so much! I totally didn’t know the concepts of different food and drink ‘bars’ when we got married, otherwise I totally would have had a hot chocolate bar – warm weather or not lol! 😉

      Reply
  8. Shawnna says

    December 13, 2015 at 8:10 am

    I love hot chocolate!! With marshmallows on top!! yummy!!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 14, 2015 at 9:46 pm

      That’s my favorite too Shawnna! Just a cup of hot chocolate brimming with marshmallows- yum!

      Reply
  9. cheri says

    December 12, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    Hi Phi, I am making this later tonight as I have all the ingredients, such a great recipe and fabulous idea!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 14, 2015 at 9:45 pm

      YAY! I’d love to know what you think! I made a batch to bring to work and we’ve been enjoying it there for the past week 🙂

      Reply
  10. Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next says

    December 11, 2015 at 12:46 pm

    I love homemade hot chocolate! These look delicious – love the different flavours ideas. Also, such a brilliant idea to set up a hot chocolate bar! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      December 14, 2015 at 9:43 pm

      Thank you so much Jess. I absolutely loved trying everyone’s flavor combinations and finding which one was my favorite 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Catching up with the Kelnhofers-75 – #foodlover says:
    January 17, 2021 at 3:12 am

    […] and for us to make some fancy hot chocolates. We’ve been making my husbands’ grandma Rita’s hot chocolate mix for years and most recently Abuelita’s surprise hot […]

    Reply
  2. Catching up with the Kelnhofers-75 - Sweetphi says:
    January 16, 2021 at 2:39 pm

    […] and for us to make some fancy hot chocolates. We’ve been making my husbands’ grandma Rita’s hot chocolate mix for years and most recently Abuelita’s surprise hot […]

    Reply
  3. Recipes For A Delicious Christmas Morning - Sweetphi says:
    December 15, 2019 at 9:10 pm

    […] Hot Chocolate Bar (and Mix recipe!) – A favorite around my house – people love having a nice cup of hot cocoa in the morning. […]

    Reply
  4. How to Prepare for the Holiday Season - Everything Stay At Home Mom says:
    November 6, 2018 at 9:01 am

    […] Let every member of the family pick their movie option to keep it interesting for everyone. Make a hot chocolate bar so that everyone can create their own mug full to sip on during the movies. If everyone is on […]

    Reply

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