Chocolate. Saying the word is about all it takes to get attention from a lot of folks. My favorite way to enjoy chocolate is in a good cup of hot chocolate. It just flat-out tastes good to me. And it’s not so rich that you feel guilty with every sip that you guzzle.
Even though we have few occasions in Central Florida to crave a hot beverage to be warmed, I still enjoy hot drinks during the winter. Sometimes the temperatures do dip pretty low.
If you’re not ready with your hot beverage concoction, you’ll miss your opportunity. It might be cold today but it’s warming up tomorrow.
A drink mix is the perfect answer to our variable weather patterns. Kept in the pantry, they can be ready at a moments notice to warm you. You only need to be able to boil some water. Of course, you need to be in possession of a mug. But, that’s all it takes: drink mix, boiling water and mug.
I like to put chopped chocolate in my hot chocolate mix instead of using only powdered cocoa. I think the chopped chocolate adds a freshness to the beverage that just isn’t there with powdered cocoa. Chop the pieces so they’re no bigger than chocolate chip morsels and they’ll easily melt from boiling water.
Hazelnut coffee creamer was an accidental addition. I always add plain coffee creamer to the mix for some richness and smoothness. I pickup up hazelnut flavored coffee creamer by mistake. Well, I’ll be John Brown if it didn’t work out better than plain coffee creamer.
Think Nutella. That’s chocolate and hazelnut.
Coffee adds a flavor boost to chocolate. If you have a favorite coffee drink mix, substitute that for Cafe’ Francais.
A perfect gift is a canning jar filled with this drink mix. That just screams, “Welcome home for the holidays.”
Y’all come see us!
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
yields: approximately 15 cups of mix
1 cup Maxwell House International Cafe Francais
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Nestle Toll House Cocoa)
5 cups powdered milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces hazelnut flavored coffee creamer
8 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips may be substituted)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Chop chocolate until all pieces are no larger than a chocolate chip morsel.
Put in a VERY LARGE bowl. I use the bowl that I mix my Thanksgiving dressing up in. We’re talking BIG. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. For one cup of hot chocolate, add roughly 1/4 cup mix to a large mug. Pour in boiling water. Stir well until chocolate melts. Top with Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows.
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Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients
- Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
- yields: approximately 15 cups of mix
- 1 cup Maxwell House International Cafe Francais
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder I used Nestle Toll House Cocoa
- 5 cups powdered milk
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces hazelnut flavored coffee creamer
- 8 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate chopped (8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips may be substituted)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Chop chocolate until all pieces are no larger than a chocolate chip morsel.
- Put in a VERY LARGE bowl. I use the bowl that I mix my Thanksgiving dressing up in. We’re talking BIG. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. For one cup of hot chocolate, add roughly 1/4 cup mix to a large mug. Pour in boiling water. Stir well until chocolate melts. Top with Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows.
Mary says
This recipe sounds so good for the cold winter nights!! The homemade marshmallows look good in the mug!!! Girl, you got it on!!!!!!!
Jackie Garvin says
Mary,
I came up with a really cute idea using the hot chocolate mix, marshmallows and Southern Tea Cakes as favors for our Southern Wine and Cheese Party. I’ll be sharing that with everyone, too! 🙂
Jean says
You have HOMEMADE marshmallows to put in yours! sigh…….
Jackie Garvin says
Jean,
You and Danny need to get a stand mixer or take’s Mary’s advice and hook a beater up to a power drill. I love her idea! 🙂
Ann says
I love the hot chocolate and the spiced tea – but you are right, we have to pick our opportunities to drink them in south Florida! Looks like this is going to be one of those shirt sleeve Christmases for us – I always like it to be just a little cool but I always count my blessings that I am not snowed in somewhere! LOL So tempted to try the homemade marshmallows but I am the only one in my house that will drink hot chocolate so not sure it’s worth the trouble, then I would have to eat all the ones left too and that wouldn’t be good!!! Thanks for sharing!
Jackie Garvin says
Ann,
I can’t imagine anyone not liking hot chocolate and you have a whole houseful of folks who won’t drink it? My, oh my. 🙂
Ann says
Actually, there is no one home now but my husband and me (no children for the holidays this year) and he will not drink ANYTHING hot!! (must have been a bad childhood experience somewhere back there – LOL). Guess I could make some and send to New York but I already mailed my packages this week. I’ll get some – even if I have to buy me some!!
Jackie Garvin says
I bet your husband had a bad experience with a hot beverage that involved his uvula! 🙂
Judy says
Hot chocolate is my favorite…..you are right.. just the mention of it gets MY attention!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks for stopping by, Judy! 🙂