Hot Chocolate For One

Rich and creamy hot chocolate recipe - The best tasting homemade hot chocolate! Made with milk, cocoa powder, and sugar. So easy to make!

Creamy and rich hot chocolate is perfect to enjoy on a cold winter day. You may be surprised to know that homemade hot chocolate is super easy to make and tastes so much better than that powdery packet you can find in your grocery store.

Why This Recipe Works

• It's rich and creamy: This homemade hot chocolate recipe delivers a mug of hot chocolate that is so much richer than hot chocolate that comes from the store bought packets. In fact, this single serving recipe is a scaled down version of the hot chocolate I made when my five children were living at home. I would make a big pot of hot chocolate every time the weather turned cool and I always had it simmering on the stove during the holidays.
• A single serving recipe: This recipe will make enough for 1 large mug of hot chocolate or 2 small cups.
• Easy to make: You only need a few pantry staples to make an amazing cup of hot chocolate.

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Ingredient Notes

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

• Milk and cream: Hot chocolate needs a creamy base and we love the combination of heavy cream and milk. Feel free to use any percentage of milk; whole, skim, 1 or 2% - you can also use almond or soy milk too. Keep in mind, the higher the fat content of the milk you use, the richer and creamier the hot chocolate will be. You can also use half and half instead.
• Sugar: We use 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in this recipe. You can use a sugar substitute like Swerve instead.
• Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for best flavor.
• Ground cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon adds a tremendous amount of flavor!
• Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla will make this hot chocolate taste gourmet!

How To Make This Recipe

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

1. Start by heating ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of cream in a small saucepan. You can skip the cream if you'd like and instead add 1 cup of milk but I prefer the richness of the hot chocolate when it's made with that little bit of cream. You can definitely taste a difference.

2. While the milk and cream are heating, mix together cocoa powder, sugar and a touch of cinnamon in a separate bowl. Pour the powdered mixture into the hot milk/cream and stir for about 4 minutes. As the sugar and cocoa melt into the milk, the chocolate mixture thickens and becomes darker.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and add in vanilla extract.

4. Pour the hot chocolate into a mug, top with marshmallows if you'd like, and enjoy. It's quick, easy, and incredibly delicious - like drinking a mug of pure chocolate.

Expert Tips

• You can make this hot chocolate with any type of milk, but the higher the fat content in the milk you use, the creamier the hot chocolate will taste.
• Slow, even heating ensures the milk won't scald, so whisk the hot chocolate often and don't rush the process.
• Consider adding a touch of Crème de Menthe or Bailey's Irish Cream to your hot chocolate = spectacular!

Frequently Asked Questions

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this hot chocolate recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

• Milk: Pralines, Chicken Spaghetti, Strawberry Milkshake
• Cream: Banana Cream Pie, Vanilla Ice Cream, Alfredo Sauce
• Cocoa Powder: Chocolate Rice Pudding, Chocolate Coffee Creamer, Triple Chocolate Scones

RELATED:  15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One

Other Single Serving And Small Batch Chocolate Recipes

• Chocolate Candy
• Two Ingredient Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Truffles
• Chocolate Mousse
• Chocolate Pudding
• Flourless Chocolate Cookies
• Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Mini S'mores Dip

For information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

If you’ve tried this hot chocolate or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!