Are the days getting colder in your area?? Here in Missouri we are in full winter. We even got our first snow! Although it didn’t last. During these months we drink a lot of hot cocoa. Which means I needed to find a kid approved hot cocoa mix recipe.
There is nothing better than to wake up in the morning and my sleepy eyed little girls waltz into the kitchen asking for a nice cup of hot cocoa to go with their breakfast by the fire.
Did I paint you a pretty picture? Now before you start thinking, man those mornings sound pretty perfect, let me assure you….. our mornings don’t always look so picture perfect.
Nevertheless these chilly mornings are perfect for a warm mug of hot chocolate!
But one quick look at the back of the store bought hot cocoa mixes and I knew that wasn’t going to work. Artificial flavors and loads of added sugar, no thank you. I knew I needed to make my own homemade hot chocolate mix for those cozy mornings.
The problem was every time I tried to make my own, they didn’t like it.
So with some searching and tweaking of a combination of recipes, I came up with the perfect kid approved hot cocoa mix. My girls like this simple recipe BETTER than anything I can buy at the store. Always music to my ears.
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Can I use this mix for chocolate milk?
Now this powder mix does not dissolve well in cold milk or water because of the cocoa powder and sugar.
It will mix very nicely when heated up, so I would not recommend using it as chocolate milk only as hot chocolate. The cocoa powder and sugar need the heat to dissolve properly.
What’s the best sugar to use?
Now let’s talk about the different kinds of sugars for a moment. I typically don’t make this mix with cane sugar, powdered sugar, or brown sugar. Although it works just fine doing it with those. In my house I try and substitute for healthier sugars when I can, and this recipe is the perfect time to play around with different sugars!
Here are some options you can try:
- brown sugar
- cane sugar
- powdered sugar
- maple sugar (NOT maple syrup)
- coconut sugar
- sucanat
Our favorite is coconut sugar in this mix but feel free to try all kinds of different sweeteners and leave a comment below on what you have tried and how you liked it! I love to learn from others as well.
Just make sure whatever you are substituting as your sweetener it is not in a liquid form. It needs to be a dry sugar.
Can I use cacao powder in place of cocoa powder?
I just love taking a recipe and being able to switch out ingredients to a healthier version. This recipe is no different!
Not only can you try out different sweeteners in this recipe you can also change the cocoa powder out for cacao powder. Cacao powder has so many added vitamins and minerals that will make your kid approved hot cocoa mix that much healthier.
Benefits of using cacao powder.
Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar. The only difference is how the beans are processed.
Both come from the beans of a cacao plant. The process is what makes one more nutrient dense than the other. Cocoa powder comes from the beans being roasted at a high temperature. Often times cocoa powder has additives put in to reduce the bitterness of the cacao beans. Typically there is a high alkalizing chemical solution or sugars added to help with this. You can find cocoa powders that don’t have these additives.
Cacao beans are processed and roasted at a much lower temperature, which means they hold their nutritional value.
Cacao powder is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Iron, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and flavanols are just a few of the big ones.
Unsweetened cocoa powder and raw cacao powder can be used interchangeable with minimal differences in taste. Since we are adding sugar to the mix, using cacao powder to get all the health benefits and the taste will be the same.
You could even do a combination of cocoa powder and cacao powder. You won’t be able to tell the difference.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar of choice (evaporated cane sugar juice, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or pure maple sugar are some choices)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
- 1 1/2 cup dry milk powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cornstarch
How to make Kid Approved Hot Cocoa Mix:
- Add all dry ingredients into a quart size mason jar with a lid and ring.
- Cap the jar with the lid and ring. Shake well to mix all the ingredients. Store jar on a pantry shelf out of direct sunlight.
- To make hot cocoa, you can use any type of milk but we like to use whole milk. Whatever you’re using, add it to a small saucepan. Put in the desired amount of hot cocoa mix and turn the stove onto medium heat.
- Use a whisk to mix the hot cocoa powder mix into the milk.
- Once heated to your desired temperature, enjoy!
Can this be made dairy free?
It certainly can! You can either omit the dry milk powder all together to the mix or use a dry coconut milk powder.
When you are ready to make up a cup of hot cocoa, heat up any non-dairy milk. Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or even just hot water on your stove top are all great choices. Add in some of your hot cocoa powder mix. Whisk together and enjoy a nice hot cup of dairy free cocoa.
If you have tried other homemade hot chocolate mixes before and they were busts, I urge you to try this one. This recipe is INCREDIBLY easy and so rich in chocolatey flavor! The best part is it easily doubles or triples. So you can make a big batch of it and have hot cocoa mix on your shelf for many months.
Plus, you know exactly what is in your mix and can feel confident giving it to your children and family. A healthy hot chocolate recipe that actually tastes good is hard to come by.
Take some heavy cream and whip it in a stand mixer with some pure maple syrup until you have whipped cream. Lay out some of your favorite toppings to go with the hot cocoa. Now you are ready to curl up by the fire, pour your family a hot cup of cocoa and enjoy the savory richness of every sip!
Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
Materials
- 2 cups sugar you can use brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or maple sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 1.5 cups dry milk powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients into a quart size mason jar with a lid and ring.
- Cap the jar with the lid and ring. Shake well to mix all the ingredients. Store jar on a pantry shelf out of direct sunlight.
- To make hot cocoa, you can use any type of milk but we like to use whole milk. Whatever you're using, add it to a small saucepan. Put in the desired amount of hot cocoa mix and turn the stove onto medium heat.
- Use a whisk to mix the hot cocoa powder mix into the milk.
- Once heated to your desired temperature, enjoy!
If you are a coffee drinker instead, try out these 3 homemade coffee creamers. They are delicious and uses real whole ingredients!
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