Hot Chocolate Mix Including Printable Gift Tags

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Making your own homemade hot chocolate mix is really easy and makes great holiday gifts. My mom used to make a big batch of this mix when we were little kids before commercial cocoa mixes and packets became available. But this classic homemade hot chocolate mix recipe is much cheaper to make and I like the taste much better! I like to keep this mix on hand all winter long so I can make a delicious cup of hot chocolate to warm up on cold days. This is my kids’ favorite after school treat on cold chilly days. There’s nothing more comforting than a plate of goodies and a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Try this recipe and enjoy creamy hot chocolate flavor all winter long!

Ingredients in Hot Cocoa Mix

Powdered Milk – You can find dry milk powder at most grocery stores. I like to use whole milk powder for a creamier texture. Cocoa Powder – Use a Dutch processed powder or Hershey’s brand for the best chocolatey taste. Powdered sugar – Using Confectioners sugar makes for a super smooth texture. Powdered coffee creamer – I use Coffeemate Pinch of salt – This is optional but helps balance out the sweetness.

Single Serving Instructions

After making your bulk hot chocolate mix, it’s easy to whip up a single serving of hot chocolate. Simply add 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of mix to 8 ounces of hot water and stir until the hot chocolate mix is dissolved. For a richer hot chocolate, stir the mix into hot whole milk (or almond milk if you’d prefer). If using a spoon to mix your hot chocolate isn’t quite cutting it, you can get fancy with your preparation by using a frother or even a hot cocoa maker to mix your hot cocoa.

Hot Chocolate Mix in a Jar

For gift giving, this recipe makes about 6 cups – or three pint-size jars – of cocoa mix. Each pint size jar contains about six servings. There are multiple ways to gift this mix. I usually have extra mason jars around, so I often use them to give this mix as a gift. There are lots of fun ways to decorate the jars from fancy to simple. I usually take the simple route with just a bow and the gift tag tied on. I’ve also put the hot chocolate mix in a decorative bag and placed it in a mug with some candy canes or cocoa stirrers. My daughter made the cute gift tags to go with the mix that I am giving out this year. Print them out on card stock and tie it on the jar with ribbon or twine. Be sure to also grab the Free Printable Gift Tags.

Hot Chocolate Mix With Marshmallows

We love marshmallows in our hot chocolate and will often add a big handful of mini marshmallows when the chocolate is hot and ready to serve. However, if you are wanting to add marshmallows to the actual hot cocoa mix, we recommend getting mini dehydrated marshmallow bits. These are the same kind of teeny tiny marshmallows that can be found in the store-bought mixes. Because they are dehydrated, they won’t go stale like regular marshmallows, and they can easily be added to the mix for long-term storage or for gifts.

Christmas Gift Ideas

In addition to marshmallows, you can never go wrong serving hot cocoa with Christmas cookies like these gingerbread cookies or dipped Ritz cookies. You can also try this cocoa recipe around the holidays with some of our favorite Christmas Treats like our tasty Christmas Crunch!

Toppings and Extra Flavors for Hot Chocolate

While this hot chocolate mix is perfect as-is, you can add extra toppings and flavorings to keep things interesting!

White chocolate chips Whipped cream Nutmeg, cayenne or other spices – these can be dusted on top of your hot chocolate and whipped cream for a beautiful presentation. Shavings of bittersweet chocolate Peppermint extract – just a little bit goes a long way so just add half a teaspoon to the hot liquid to taste. Crushed Candy Cane