Homemade Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate or hot cocoa. Now matter what you call it, it goes with winter like rosy cheeks and a runny nose!

As a kid, I remember playing in the snow with my brothers. After being sufficiently frozen, we would head inside to thaw out. But the snow is like a siren song for kids. Usually, we were inside only long enough to dry our gloves and scarf down a cup of homemade hot chocolate. Ahhh, those were the days!

These days, however, I prefer to enjoy winter while sitting in front of my fireplace with a hot cup of goodness in my hand. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the fields covered in sparkling snow crystals. There’s a certain beauty to behold when everything is covered in a blanket of white. But as for playing in it…I’ll leave that to the younger generation!

Mom knew how to warm us up!

Once inside, mom would make us a cup of homemade hot chocolate. It was just what we needed to thaw out and get us energized for the next round of snowball fights and fort-building. Now that I think about it, I’m sure she did this for her own sanity as well. Honestly, would you like to be cooped up in a small house with a bunch of kids during the winter? I’m sure she was willing to do whatever it took to get us outside. Even bribing us with cups of steamy hot chocolate!

She knew all that fresh air and exercise would have us tuckered out by dinner time. I don’t recall ever needing to be told twice to go to bed! Yep…she knew what she was doing!

In my mind, I can still see her standing at the kitchen table, all the ingredients for homemade hot chocolate spread out before her. She would measure everything into a large dish pan. Once it was mixed together, she dumped the mixture into an empty lard bucket for storage. Yeah, we’ve come a long way since lard was a kitchen staple. But that also shows how much of this stuff she made every winter!

Growing up, we were considered “poor”. But mom sure knew how to stretch a dollar. She was never one to buy something that she could easily make herself. Now that I’m a little older and somewhat wiser, I’m embracing that same philosophy. There’s something to be said for the convenience of tearing open a packet of hot chocolate and just adding water. But do you know what else is in that packet? Preservatives, that’s what! And other words that average people can’t pronounce. Is that what you really want to put into your body? To give to your family?

 

 

That is why I’m now sharing her recipe for homemade hot chocolate with you. The ingredient list is short and pronounceable. Plus, it makes a bunch! It’s not in the quantity that she used to make but you can easily adjust it to fit your needs.

I hope that you and your family enjoy it as much as mine does!

 

 

Old Fashioned Homemade Hot Chocolate

4 c. nonfat dry milk (or 3 3-oz. envelopes)

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. cocoa powder

Add all the ingredients in a food processor* and pulse until the whole mix becomes a fine powder.

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid. A mason jar is perfect for this.

*Note: The dry milk tends to lend a grain-y texture to the liquid so don’t skip this step. It also makes the mixture dissolve better.

Add a measuring scoop, a label with instructions and you’re all set.

(This label fits Avery 2″ Round Labels perfectly)

Click here for the printer-friendly version!

To Make a Cup:

Pour 1/4 c. of cocoa mix into a mug and add boiling water. Stir well and add marshmallows or whipped cream and enjoy!

This recipe makes about 25 servings and can easily be doubled or cut in half.

Keeping it simple

I love this recipe because the ingredient list is short and I can pronounce everything on it! If you’ve read the label on cocoa mixes lately, you know what I’m talking about. I have no idea what Dipotassium Phosphate or Sodium Aluminosilicate is but I’m pretty sure I don’t want to drink it! And since I love my family, I don’t want them drinking it either!

The sad thing is that you’re going to find these questionable ingredients in just about every ready-made mix on the market today. While these mixes may be simple, that doesn’t make them healthy. It’s no wonder that a large number of people now have medical conditions that didn’t exist before processed food became a thing. Coincidence? I think not.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll pass on the processed stuff. Thank you just the same.

Another reason I love this recipe is that you can’t beat the cost of making it from scratch. It’s way cheaper per serving than buying the individual packets. Plus, you get more servings for your money. That’s a win-win in my book!

 

 

Out with the new, in with the old!

Sure, individual packets are convenient. I’m not ashamed to admit that I used to buy into that mindset. But just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s a good buy or good for you!

Now that I regularly read product labels, I find that convenience isn’t always the best bet. Getting back to basics, saving money and doing it in a healthy way is a priority for me these days. Maybe you feel the same way.

A final thought:

If you ever get tired of hot chocolate, try cooking up a crockpot full of Russian Tea. It makes a nice change of pace from hot chocolate and is loaded with vitamins that will keep you healthy during the cold weather. It stores well in the fridge and is quick to heat up in the microwave. Plus, the kids like it too!

So, gather ’round the fire with the family. Make some homemade hot chocolate and play a board game. Let the weather do what it will. These are the moments your kids will remember when they get older. Trust me on this!

Oh, and please feel free to share this with family and friends who love hot chocolate too. Remember, sharing is caring!

Enjoy and stay warm, friends!

lisa

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