This easy DIY hot cocoa mix is the only reason you need to ditch the store-bought stuff. Making homemade hot cocoa mix is quick and easy. Plus, it's also a good excuse to make homemade marshmallows. For your convenience, I've included two hot cocoa mix recipes in this post -- the most basic (3 ingredients only), as well as the deluxe version (with a few more tasty additions) because we understand the appeal of having both options.

a ghost marshmallow slowly melting in a homemade hot cocoa surrounded by ghost marshmallows at the base of the barista glass mug

Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate -- What's the Difference?
Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are sweet, chocolatey drinks served piping hot (sometimes with marshmallows and sometimes not). Here are the main differences.

Ingredients. Hot cocoa is made from dried, powdered ingredients like cocoa powder, dried milk powder, and powdered sugar and is usually mixed with hot water (sometimes hot milk) to make it liquid. Hot chcolate on the other hand, uses real melted chocolate and milk, cream, or water to make it liquid.
How it's sweetened. Hot cocoa needs added sugar to sweeten it and powdered sugar is preferred as it blends and dissolves better when a hot liquid is added. Wheras, hot chocolate relies on the natural sweetness in the chocolate being used making it typically a much sweeter drink than hot cocoa.
Consistency. Hot cocoa is typically pretty thin with hot chocolate being much thicker because of its use of actual melted chocolate.
Flavor. Hot cocoa (typically) is almost always sweet and mildly chocolatey, but hot chocolate tastes like a bar of chocolate mixed with milk.

Why We Love This Deluxe DIY Hot Cocoa Mix

Ready in 5 minutes
Uses higher quality ingredients than the packet kind
It's full of milky creamy (real) chocolate flavor
Great make-ahead recipe
Great recipe for kiddos to make and give as gifts (all by themselves)
It's totally customizable for any budget or time constraints

an Italian clear glass cappuccino mug filled with homemade hot chocolate and ghost marshmallow slowly melting on top

cocoa powder, powdered sugar, powdered dry milk, and a pinch of salt measured in a bowl

Easy 3-Ingredient Hot Cocoa Mix Ingredients

With just 3 ingredients it's easy to make an ok (no-frills) hot cocoa mix. Adding a pinch of salt is optional of course, but it helps balance the sugar and it tastes better. Skip on down if you're interested in how to make the Deluxe Hot Cocoa Mix.

whole milk powder (sub non-fat or skimmed milk powder)
powdered sugar
cocoa powder
salt (optional)

deluxe hot cocoa mix ingredients on a cutting board

homemade deluxe hot cocoa mix in a weck jar all blended and ready to be used

Easy Deluxe Hot Cocoa Mix Ingredients

If you're looking for a creamier, richer, and all-around tastier hot cocoa, you'll need to add just a handful of ingredients to our basic 3-Ingredient hot cocoa mix. We like to use a blend of white and dark chocolate, a little vanilla bean powder, and a hint of espresso which helps bring out the natural flavor of the chocolate.

whole milk powder (sub non-fat or skimmed milk powder)
dark chocolate
white chocolate
powdered sugar
cocoa powder
vanilla bean powder
espresso powder or instant coffee
salt

a measuring scoop about to get a spoonful of hot cocoa mix

two tablespoons of hot cocoa mix in a clear glass Italian cappuccino mug

a paste made with just a little hot liquid and hot cocoa mix

hot cocoa in a clear glass Italian cappuccino mug with a homemade ghost marshmallow floating and slowly melting on top

How to Make Easy Deluxe Hot Cocoa Mix

If you're using our 3-Ingredient (no-frills) hot cocoa recipe, you just need to measure the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. And if you're making the deluxe hot cocoa, you'll need a food processor (or you can grate the chocolate into the dry mix to incorporate it).

Make the hot cocoa mix. Measure all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to chop the chocolate. Continue processing for a few more seconds until all of the chocolate is blended completely into one cohesive mixture. *Alternatively, you may whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and grate the chocolate into the mixture if you don't have a food processor. Seal everything in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To make a cup of hot cocoa. Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix to your favorite mug and bring milk (or water) to a boil. Pour just enough milk into the mug to form a chocolate paste. Then add the rest and stir well to combine. Serve it with marshmallows and, Enjoy!

a cup of hot cocoa with a toasted ghost marshmallow on top

⇑Go Ahead and Toast Your Ghosts!⇑

Ghost marshmallow slowly melting in a homemade hot cocoa surrounded by ghost marshmallows at the base of the barista glass mug.

a Weck jar with homemade hot cocoa mix in it and one large ghost marshmallow and one mini ghost marshmallow sitting next to it

How to Store Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Seal homemade hot cocoa mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.

pumpkin bread with toasted pumpkin seeds

a slice of Apple rum cake with a golden crunchy pecan topping next to another slice on a sheet of white parchment paper in the sunlight

A whole cheesecake topped with cute fat ghost meringues that could be substituted with these homemade ghost marshmallows.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with a layer of Chestnut Graham Cracker crust in the middle and the bottom

Delicata Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crunch in a rectangular tart pan on a cutting board in the sun

a serving platter with a hot stack of pumpkin pancakes with melting butter, toasted chestnuts and covered with maple syrup and a wedge cut out to see the fluffy layers.

Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Bread with walnut slices on a pink marble serving tray

Looking For a Few Delicious Treats to Enjoy With Your Hot Cocoa Mix?

Warm up with a mug of homemade hot cocoa and any of these fall and wintertime treats.

Let's get started!

📖 Recipe

Deluxe Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix (Cozy, Creamy, Dreamy)

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Author: Kelly
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 3 ¾ Cups Hot Cocoa Mix 1x
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Making your own hot cocoa mix is super quick and easy, and it means you can cozy up to a mug full of piping hot chocolatey goodness anytime you're in the mood. For your convenience, I've included two hot cocoa mix recipes -- the most basic (3 ingredients only), as well as the deluxe version (containing a few more tasty additions) because I understand the appeal of having both options. Don't want to make a large batch? No problem! Check out the recipe notes below to make a smaller batch of Deluxe Hot Cocoa Mix.

Ingredients

Scale

Deluxe Hot Cocoa Mix Ingredients

1 ¾ cups whole milk powder (sub non-fat milk powder)
½ cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped (sub white chocolate chips)
¼ cup 70% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (sub semi-sweet chocolate chips)
¾ cup powdered sugar (see recipe notes for adding less or more sugar)
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1 teaspoon espresso grounds
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

Make the hot cocoa mix. Measure all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to chop the chocolate. Continue processing for a few more seconds until all of the chocolate is blended completely into one cohesive mixture. *Alternatively, you may whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and grate the chocolate into the mixture if you don't have a food processor. Seal everything in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To make a cup of hot cocoa. Add about 2 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix to your favorite mug and bring milk (or water) to a boil. Pour just enough milk into the mug to form a chocolate paste. Then add the rest and stir well to combine. Serve it with marshmallows and, Enjoy!

Notes

FYI, photographed in this post is a mug of hot cocoa made using hot water, but it tastes the absolute best when you use whole milk.
If you want to make the hot cocoa mix a little thicker, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the mix and blend with the other ingredients.
Adjust the sweetness of your hot cocoa mix by using the measurements below as a guide:
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar for a mildly sweet hot cocoa (my favorite)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar for a sweet (packet-style hot cocoa mix)
- 1 cup for intensely sweet hot cocoa mix

3-Ingredient No-Frills Hot Cocoa Mix Ingredients

1 ¾ cups whole milk powder (sub non-fat milk powder)
¾ cup powdered sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
a pinch or two of salt kosher salt

SMALL BATCH RECIPE (Delux Hot Cocoa Mix Ingredients)

¼ cup + 3 tablespoons whole milk powder (60g) (sub non-fat milk powder)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar (30g)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (20g)
2 tablespoons white chocolate (24g)
1 tablespoon dark chocolate (12g)
¼ teaspoon espresso (0.5g)
⅛ teaspoon vanilla bean powder (0.25g)
a pinch or two of salt kosher salt

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Category: Cocktails, Mocktails + Delicious Drinks
Method: Mix & Stir
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons dry mix

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Easy Deluxe Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix