Best Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is one of the coziest ways to warm up on a cold winter day. Whether you've spent the afternoon on the slopes, sledding at the local hill, or simply out for a walk in the snow, a cup of hot cocoa feels like a warm hug. This recipe delivers that rich, velvety texture everyone loves, but doesn't use heavy cream and all the extra calories that come with it. It's the perfect balance of comfort and decadence, made with simple ingredients and guaranteed to satisfy kids and adults alike.
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Cornstarch
- 2 cups 2% Milk
- 3 oz Chocolate dark
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract optional
- 3 tsp Sugar
Garnishes
- Whip cream and/or marshmallows
- Cocoa Powder
- Chocolate shavings or chips
- Chocolate sauce
Instructions
- In a small saucepan mix together the cocoa powder and cornstarch.
- Add a couple tablespoons (eyeballing) of milk to the saucepan. Use a whisk to mix together the cocoa and cornstarch into the liquid to form a thin paste. Keep whisking until no clumps remain.
- Pour in a little more milk (roughly 1/4 cup) and whisk to incorporate. Now add in all the milk and whisk to fully mix.
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon. After about a minute add in the chopped up chocolate or chips if using. Keep heating and stirring. You don't want the milk to boil, so stop once bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan. You should see steam beginning to release from the surface, and the hot chocolate should have slightly thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. At this point, you can taste it and determine if you want to add some sugar or not.
- Pour the hot chocolate into mugs and garnish with marshmallows and/or whipped cream. Top with a dusting of cocoa powder, chocolate curls, or mini chocolate chips. See Notes for other garnishing suggestions.