You’d think it would be easy to find a DIY Hot Cocoa Mix that uses ingredients you already have on hand. It’s not.
Non-dairy creamer, anyone? Nope – not a coffee drinker.
White chocolate chips? Don’t always have those around.
After some unsuccessful trial and errors by myself, I finally found a recipe by Alton Brown – you might have seen him on the Food Network.
The thing I love most about this recipe is that every ingredient is probably in your pantry right now, which is super convenient! Just make sure everything is up to date and not expired before you use it. I didn’t think non-fat dry milk could expire. Trust me, it does.
So, two batches later, we have a winner.
I think the real key is to make sure you use quality cocoa powder. I like to use Dutch Process Cocoa Powder from Penzey’s Spices. It’s results in a much smoother, darker, and richer cocoa, not to mention it’s amazing in baked goods.
Then, you have the option of add-in’s, which is the fun part.
- Mini Marshmallows – traditional and kid’s love ‘em.
- Cinnamon Sticks – makes the cocoa smoother.
- Candy Canes – you probably have some leftover from Christmas, but if not, you can always put in a little bit of peppermint extract.
Keep this mix on hand for a movie night at home, snuggle time with a good book, or take it with you on the road. Hubby and I are going to pack some for our weekend getaway (which we are leaving for today!) and enjoy it at our B&B by the fire.
Here’s the recipe:
Basic Hot Cocoa Mix
Yield: 5 1/2 cups dry mix
Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients together with a whisk.
2. Place at least 3 tbsp of mix per mug, add hot water, and add more mix to suit your tastes, if needed.
Recipe altered slightly from Alton Brown
If you only want a basic mix that whips up in a jiffy, this is your go-to recipe. Plus, it’s cheaper to make than popular store brands.
I wouldn’t go as far to say it taste better than Land O’Lakes (they have some pretty awesome flavors!), but it does do a decent job at being compatible with most in store mixes.
Total Cost: $3.44 or $.19/cup
Have you ever tried making your own hot cocoa mix?
Hi! I'm Kalyn Brooke, the writer and money-saving author of Creative Savings. I'm a die hard Do-It-Yourselfer, type-A organizer, and obsessive budgeter. 
Okay…you’ve convinced me to try it!
Going to dig the dry milk out of my emergency kit since you say it actually does expire! *gasp* I didn’t not know that!
I never thought to make a mix. I use dutched baking cocoa to make hot chocolate. I like it much better than any premade mix I have tried. I just mix heat milk, andmix in about two teaspoons of cocoa and sugar to taste, sometimes I will add some vanilla or cinamon. I don’t do it because it is cheap (even though it is much cheaper than buying a mix), I do it because it has so much more chocolately flavor. But you have to use dutched cocoa.
I like the idea of making it one cup at a time – and the vanilla sounds really yummy!
I just made it & it was really good!
So happy you liked it!!!