Hot Chocolate Mix

When I was a kid, I loved hot chocolate. Who am I kidding? I love hot chocolate now. 

But we didn’t have just any hot chocolate. Ours was homemade. We’d come in from being out in the cold and Mom would make hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows. It was always too hot (she still makes hers too hot). But the marshmallows would melt into the chocolate and by the time it was cool enough to drink, it would be the perfect mix of chocolate and melted marshmallow.

Now that I am older and more sophisticated, I like to put Cool Whip or whipped cream in my hot chocolate. Really it’s only because I am impatient and it doesn’t take as long to get all melty. Plus, with my Type-A-ness, I always had issues with the little clumps of marshmallow that never fully melted. Surprised? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

(The only way hot chocolate could be more perfect is if I could figure out how to make Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate at home and not have to pay $3 for it at Starbucks. Thanks to Pinterest, I might just be able to do it. But I digress.)

I know…some of you are purists, only making hot chocolate with real milk, heating it on the stove. And that’s awesome. That’s just more work than I am willing to put forth. Lazy? Maybe. I just think that chocolate should be readily available at all times. All. times. And putting obstacles like a pan and stovetop and constant stirring between me and my chocolate is just not a good thing.

However you like to make it, I firmly believe that when it comes to a mix, none other will do. That’s why I’m keeping the tradition alive, raising Caedmon on homemade hot chocolate mix.

It’s super easy to make. Here are the ingredients.

I usually only make half a recipe because a whole one makes a lot of mix. And I just don’t have a place to store that much. Plus, with only Caedmon and me drinking it, it lasts a long time. This time, I made the whole recipe and gave away half.

Just pour in and whisk together.

But beware: it makes a huge mess.

There’s no way you can make this without getting powdered substances everywhere. Embrace it.

I usually fudge on some of the quantities. I sometimes add a little more chocolate milk mix. Sometimes a bit more creamer…depending on how sassy I feel. I really don’t think you can have too much chocolate or creamer, so it’s all good.

Just scoop the mix into your cup.

Add marshmallows if you like, and pour hot water over the top (it helps the marshmallows melt faster), and stir.

Enjoy!

Don’t burn your tongue, though! (Caedmon blows on his whether it’s hot or not!)

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

15oz Nestle Nesquik chocolate milk mix

8oz CoffeeMate creamer, plain (You could get fancy and use the flavored kind. But the whole batch would be flavored. If that’s what you want, I say go for it!)

4 cups powdered sugar

10 1/2 cups (about 10 1-quart packets) NonFat Dry Milk Powder

Combine the ingredients and store in an airtight container. Use about 1/4 cup dry mix per cup of hot water. Adjust mix/water amounts as desired.