Dark Hot Chocolate Mix
This dark chocolate hot cocoa mix is the perfect gift and it is SO simple to make- no baking required.

Homemade food gifts are always treasured and thoughtful during the holidays
Nothing says, “Happy Holidays” like a homemade food gift. Something from the heart and hearth says, “you mean more to me than a quick trip to the mall.”.
Hunky Hubbie and I are at a point in our lives where “things” do not interest us much anymore. We are constantly editing our home and closets. Less stuff is truly more.
Gifts of time, food and travel are what we love to share with our family and friends.

How to Make Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix:
Just mix cocoa powder like Hersey’s, powdered milk, sea salt, corn starch and chopped up bittersweet baking chocolate. Add in a little sugar to taste- I use 3/4 cup and spoon into cute jars you can purchase here. Tie on a bow and call holiday gifting done.
Just imagine how happy your friends will be on a cold night sipping hot cocoa made by you. Add a splash of Bailey’s, Bourbon or Rum to make it boozy and bright. I made my mug with full fat oat milk and it was ultra creamy, silky and luxurious. This is the brand of OAT MILK I use.

Ingredients in Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix:
- sugar
- bittersweet dark baking chocolate (70% cacao)
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- cornstarch
- dry milk powder
- salt
- pinch of cinnamon

Ingredients needed to serve up this hot cocoa mixture:
- vanilla- Buy Pine & Palm Kitchen Vanilla here as an extra gift.
- milk of choice
- candy cane- optional
- whipped cream-optional
- Bailey’s Irish Cream- optional

Special Equipment Needed for this recipe:
- Food Processor
- large bowl
- measuring cups, spoons
- whisk
- air tight jars- buy my favorite for gifting HERE
- ribbon and labels for gifting- buy my favorites HERE

Other Holiday Food Gifts to Make:
- 7-ingredient Make ahead Citrus Olives
- Homemade Irish Cream
- 4 ingredient Homemade Limoncello
- Chunky Applesauce
- The Very Best Tipsy Cranberry Sauce
- Bourbon Peach Jam with Thyme


Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 oz 70% cacao bittersweet dark baking chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder like Hersey’s
- ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- Finely chop the chocolate baking bar.
- In the bowl of a food processor add chopped chocolate and remaining ingredients. Process until the chocolate bar is pulverized into the other ingredients. If you do not have a food processor, just chop the baking chocolate as finely as possible and mix everything in a large bowl with a wire whisk.
- Spoon into air tight jars. The mixture will last up to 2 months.
- To make hot chocolate
- Heat 1 cup of milk in a saucepan. Once bubbles form and the milk is steaming, add 1/4 cup of the cocoa mix to the milk. Do not boil the mixture or the milk.
- Whisk until frothy. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla. Buy Pine and Palm Vanilla HERE.
- Top with crushed candy cane, marshmallows or whipped cream. Add a shot of rum, bourbon or your favorite spirits for a grown up cup of cocoa.