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Homemade Hot Chocolate

Homemade hot chocolate is made on the stovetop with cocoa powder, whole milk, and melted semisweet chocolate. Whisk it until smooth, then serve hot while it’s steaming but not boiling.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 375
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.125 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 cup whole milk divided
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 2-quart saucepan

Method
 

  1. In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt, then whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk until smooth.
  2. Whisk in the remaining 3 1/2 cups milk and heat over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, whisking often, until hot and steaming but not boiling.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chopped chocolate, and whisk until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.
  4. Stir in the vanilla extract and serve hot.

Notes

For the smoothest result, whisk the cocoa mixture until no lumps remain before adding the rest of the milk. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-free variation, use unsweetened non-dairy milk and dairy-free semisweet chocolate.