Homemade Hot Chocolate

A glass mug of hot chocolate topped with mini marshmallows, placed on a wooden coaster with scattered marshmallows nearby.

Rich, creamy and made from scratch, this homemade hot chocolate is pure comfort in a mug. It’s perfectly chocolatey, easy to make and so much better than anything from a packet.

Course Dessert, Non-Alcoholic Drink, Snack

Cuisine American, European

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 681kcal

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
¼ cup packed brown sugar
3½ ounces very dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
toppings such as mini marshmallows or whipped cream

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm heavy cream, milk and brown sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups whole milk, ¼ cup packed brown sugar
Stir in the chocolate. Cook, stirring often, until melted and warmed through, about 10-15 minutes. Do not boil or simmer.
3½ ounces very dark chocolate
Add the vanilla extract and salt.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
Ladle into mugs. Garnish with your favorite toppings. Serve warm.
toppings

Notes

To store leftovers, let cool completely, then transfer to a mason jar in the fridge and enjoy within 2 days. Warm gently on the stove.

Choosing a chocolate

Nearly any chocolate works here, but I like using bar chocolate because it melts smoothly. Chocolate chips are fine too, though they contain stabilizers that slow melting.

Very dark chocolate is my go-to — and I don’t say that lightly. Starting with chocolate that’s less sweet and less creamy makes it easy to adjust the sugar and dairy until the mug is exactly how you like it. (I used 85% cocoa.)

Semi-sweet and milk chocolate already bring plenty of sweetness and richness, so go easy with added sugar and cream and tweak to taste.

Nutrition

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