Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Without Powdered Milk

You'll love this easy homemade hot chocolate mix without powdered milk! Just 3 ingredients and you'll be minutes away from a warm, comforting mug of cocoa. Load it up with all of your favorite toppings and flavorings, or package it up in a pretty jar as a gift! Here are few other ideas of gifts for basketball enthusiasts, that can go well along with this sweet package.

Only Three Ingredients!

It only takes 3 basic ingredients to make this hot chocolate milk. Many homemade cocoa mix recipes contain powdered milk, but this one is even simpler! Powdered milk is usually used so that you can get the same creamy result by mixing the cocoa with hot water, but this version lets you choose to use either water or milk.

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - use a brand that you enjoy! You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch-process. The latter will yield a smoother, less astringent chocolate flavor and is the one I personally recommend.
• Sugar - plain ol' granulated white sugar is all you need.
• Salt - just a pinch to use as a flavor intensifier.

How To Prepare The Mix

To help the mix readily dissolve in whatever hot liquid you choose, I processed the white sugar - you can use a food processor or a blender - until it had an ultra-fine and powdery texture.

If you have extra-fine sugar - also known as caster sugar - already on hand, you can use that as well.

Once you have the sugar processed with the salt, just mix it up with the cocoa powder - I also used the blender for this - and you're done!

How To Prepare The Hot Chocolate

Add a heaping tablespoon of the mix to a 6-8oz mug of hot water or milk and stir until dissolved. Add any of your favorite flavors and top with marshmallows, whipped cream, or any of the other topping ideas below.

Makes A Great Gift!

This homemade hot chocolate mix without powdered milk makes an amazing addition to gift baskets or as a last minute gift!

Ideas For How To Package Hot Cocoa Mix:

• Spoon it into a mason jar - if you can find the ones with festive colored lids, all the better!
• Tie it with twine or ribbon - use the twine to attach a handwritten gift tag for a personal touch.
• Add Toppings - attach little baggies of marshmallows or chocolate bits.
• Include Instructions - Add a pretty label with instructions for how to make the cocoa.

Other Fun Toppings

We all know about the classic whipped cream or marshmallows, but what else can you use to top off your mug?

• Flavored Marshmallows - plain marshmallows are awesome, but did you know they come in all kinds of flavors? Chocolate, fruity, minty, the list goes on. You can even find fun shapes to make your mug more festive!
• Chocolate Shavings - Once you have a pretty swirl of whipped cream, try using a knife or potato peeler to shave some chocolate off of a regular chocolate bar onto the top. So pretty!
• Sprinkles - Sprinkles always have a place in festive treats! Top your whipped cream or marshmallows with your favorite colors.

Ways To Flavor Hot Cocoa

Here are several fun ways to add a little extra fun when enjoying your hot chocolate mix!

• Chai - dunk a chai tea bag into the prepared cocoa and let it steep for a few minutes to combine two delicious drinks into one.
• Chili - add a tiny pinch of chili powder for a bit of heat.
• Coffee - instead of hot water or milk, stir the cocoa mix directly into your mug of coffee for a poor man's mocha - yum yum.
• Drizzle - try drizzling caramel, chocolate, or dulce de leche onto your whipped cream dollop or pile of marshmallows. The drizzle makes the mug very pretty and adds a bit of flavor, too.
• Peppermint - Instead of a spoon, try stirring your hot chocolate with a candy cane or peppermint stick. The peppermint will slowly melt into the cocoa and add just a bit of minty flavor.

For more cold ways to cocoa powder, visit cocoaclassics.com.

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