Somehow I have a gazillion packets of hot chocolate in the house. After seeing the recipe below, I think they’ll be around a bit longer as I make the real stuff! Here’s Maggie’s hot chocolate…
True story: I did not know that instant hot cocoa existed until I went away to college. Mom always made hot chocolate in a big saucepan on the stove top with milk, cocoa and sugar. We would come in from playing the snow, and it would be hot and ready. Every Christmas morning. It was rich, thick, sweet, creamy comfort in a mug.
The first time I had instant I don’t think I even finished drinking it. Gross. Watery and boring. Even making it with hot milk didn’t help much.
I rarely order it out as I know it will almost always just be mixed up with hot water. (unless you’re in Europe and get drinking chocolate which is a wholly different and amazing experience!- secret- most Starbucks baristas will make you some if you order it- and they get excited since it is not on the menu!)
Daughter #2 Miss Picky Pants wanted to make Hot Cocoa mix for our neighbors instead of baking something. I was like- hell yea, and looked for a recipe that would be respectable. Alton Brown is the winner. The cayenne won me over.
For instant mix, this was pretty good, and packaged in half pint canning jars was a fun gift to deliver.
Hot Cocoa Mix
What you need:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Hot water of hot milk (I prefer milk)
What you do:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.
Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
I like Hershey Cocoa powder, sugar, cream or Pet Milk and marshmallow for a Cup of Hot Chocolate. Mom made it with Pet Milk. I made it with Real Cream. We had gallons of cream every week from two milk cows, in the ’70’s.
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Reblogged this on Catholic Glasses and commented:
I would skip the cayenne pepper.
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I agree, homemade is better. We too had hot cocoa on the stove as a kid. Now I do like some instant chocolate mixes. It turns out better when I mix two packages into the directions. Makes it a little richer. I don’t know about the cayenne pepper, but I may just have to try this mix.
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I love a good hot chocolate recipe! My sister makes it the Haitian way and I recently posted a recipe for it. Believe it or not, you can make the boring packets much less boring, but I still agree that making it from scratch is way better.
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Homemade Hot Cocoa just feels so much more indulgent!
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You can’t go wrong with any recipe from Alton Brown! I noticed there’s some cornstarch in the recipe… what a great ‘secret ingredient’ because I bet it makes the cocoa nice and creamy. I, too, always had rich homemade cocoa made for us by our mother BUT she did break out ‘those packages’ when our family went camping. And I agree with you – it’s not the same thing!
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