Making Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

We love hot cocoa and we love a good hot cocoa mix. We use it for cocoa and for adding to our coffee when we want a special treat. Like with most things, it has become harder and harder to find a healthy hot cocoa mix that is affordable. We were buying a brand for a while that was decent, but the price kept getting steeper. We tried making our own hot cocoa mix years ago, but the recipe I had called for powdered coffee creamer. Powdered creamer usually has terrible ingredients. I tried it anyway, and it was not good. I love chocolate and even I didn't like the homemade mix.

With the cooler weather upon us, we decided it was time to find a healthier hot cocoa mix recipe that tastes good. I found several online that call for powdered milk rather than powdered creamer. I saved four recipes and picked one to try. We mixed up a batch and gave it a try. It was okay, but we found it lacking in chocolate flavor. We added a bit more cocoa and tried it again. It was better, but I felt like it could be richer. I grated a small amount of baking cocoa (baker's chocolate) into the next cup I made to see if it made a difference. It turned out fabulous. I highly recommend adding grated baking cocoa to your mix if it doesn’t already call for it. 

Here is the recipe we ended up using after our modifications:


Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

2 c. powdered sugar

1 1/3 c. cocoa powder

2 1/2 c. powdered milk

2 t. tapioca starch

1 t. salt

2 1/2 squares of baker's chocolate, grated

Mix all ingredients in a bowl using a whisk. Store in an airtight container.


Hot cocoa ingredients ready to be mixed

To make cocoa, add 2 + tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of hot water. Add more cocoa mix to taste. Some of our family use two heaping teaspoons, others use two heaping tablespoons. It depends on your preference.

Some ideas we want to experiment with in the future:

  • Using powdered coconut milk for a dairy free version
  • Using monk fruit sweetener instead of powdered sugar
  • Using evaporated cane sugar instead of powdered sugar
  • Using white chocolate in place of the baker's chocolate

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