I brought this recipe home to my mother when I was a first grader at Lincoln Elementary School in Huntsville, AL. Our teacher, Mrs. Menotti, let us make it in class and then printed out copies for each student to keep. Every time we even mention it now Mama always stops and says “That is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.” It is the creamiest, milkiest, chocolatiest hot chocolate mix you’ll ever taste!
It makes a bunch and is perfect for gifts. I like to put it in little mason jars and tie ribbons around the tops of them. The only thing required to make it is a large dishpan or other container, and something to stir with!
You’ll need: Powdered coffee creamer, dry milk powder (also called instant milk), Nesquik chocolate milk powder, and powdered sugar.
I don’t recommend using another brand of chocolate milk powder but I do use generic in everything else. That Nesquik is also good to get because it comes in a standard size that the recipe calls for. Keep in mind this recipe is over forty years old just with us. No telling how long it had been in my teacher’s files.
Dump all of your ingredients, in the quantities called for in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, into a large dishpan. I use my old faithful red sterlite dishpan.
Stir that all up good. A whisk is best because it will get out any lumps, but a large spoon will do.
You know, in my second cookbook, I had “stir by hand” in a lot of the recipe instructions. I had a very kind junior editor email me as she was going through the book to ask if I meant to literally use your hand to stir the batter. 😉 We changed all of those instructions to “Stir with a large spoon.”
Just get it all incorporated and you’re good to go!
I divide mine up among mason jars and put lids on them for gifting. Whatever I’m keeping for our use just goes in a sealed container to keep it dry and fresh.
These are so pretty! It would be a lovely hostess gift for Thanksgiving, too!
To make a cup, fill coffee cup about 1/3 full with mix, add hot water, and stir!
Enjoy this beloved recipe from my childhood. ❤️
Ingredients
- 1 Box Instant powdered milk Enough to make 8 quarts
- 1 6 ounce container powdered coffee creamer About a cup and a half
- 1 2.2 pound box Nestle’s Quik
- 1 pound powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in large container. Store in sealed container until ready to use.
- To make hot cocoa, fill mug 1/3 full with mix and add hot water, stir.
I originally posted this Hot Chocolate mix years ago when my kids were very little. Click here to see that post and the photos of the kids making it back then. 
Click here to see all of my quote pictures. You are welcome to download and use them.
Yum 
My mother made this when we were kids, and I am 55 years old! Also, regarding the “stir by hand” directions. ..my step-daughter and niece baked a cake when they were about 10 years old. It was one of those cakes with sprinkles mixed in the batter. I walk into the kitchen and they have their hands in the batter mixing the sprinkles into the wet cake batter. I asked why they were doing that, and they showed me on the cake box directions where it said to “stir the sprinkles in by hand.” That was nearly 29 years ago and I still joke with them about it!
Oh my goodness, I bet that was a sight to see!! Thanks for the giggle today Pam!!
I’ve been making this with my kids ever since you first posted it! We make a big batch every year now. Love the new photos.
Over the years I have changed this up a bit by adding 1 (4oz) of Instant chocolate pudding mix and / or a box of the white chocolate pudding mix adding to the ingredients you have listed.
I use 1/4 cup of coco mix and mix in about 8 oz. of hot milk or hot water.
I just turned 70 yr. old last month and I still enjoy a good cup of hot chocolate.
Your recipe says a 16 oz container of coffee creamer (about 1 and a half cups) but a 16 oz container is more than 1 and a half cups???
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! If I am making it for gifts, approximately how many Mason jars would this make?
it won’t make but about 3 quart size Mason jars. I opted for 16 oz. jars. They are squatty, but really cute.
This is extremely helpful, thank you! I usually do mine in eight ounce jars so i guess I make about twelve 🙂
Christy, I am a ‘little too sweet”. What are your thoughts about replacing the powdered sugar with Splenda OR Whey Low?
Thanks, Ruth
hey Ruth! I think splenda would be really good in this 🙂 You may want to blend it in the food processor first to get it a little more fine. You can also use sugar free nestle quik if you can find it!
Thanks, will try when the Thanksgiving rush is over! Ruth
Christy, what suggestions do you have for making a sugar-free version for us diabetics who love hot chocolate?
This sounds so yummy! I think I’ll make a batch in ball jars for my church’s Christmas bazaar. I’m sure it will go like hotcakes! And of course I’ll need a batch for home 😉
How many mason jars will the recipe make?
Your story reminds me that I also have a beloved recipe from jr high cooking class (remember Home Ec?) It’s a decadent cookie recipe and a little difficult so I’m surprised our teacher even had us do it. Probably the best ever cookies with jam in the middle and meringue on top. Oh life was so simple then and I could hardly wait to grow up. Anyway, thanks for the memories
I’m afraid I don’t know, I’d have to make it again and measure. I’d use the 8 ounce ones if you were going to gift it to a lot of people though.
Christy, please tell us, is the Nestle’s Quik used, regular or sugar free? Thank you sooooo much!!! Have a Happy Thanksgiving too!
It is regular but you can substitute sugar free if you like.
My mother used to send a gallon bucket of this cocoa mix with me to the college dorm. I made it for years for my son and his friends, even sending a package (almost like your gift photo) when he visited friends’ cabins. It is the best!
I use chocolate powder creamer to make it more chocolatety.
That is an excellent idea.
I added an 8 oz package of Ghiradellie’s unsweetened baking cocoa.
Janis Hill, did you substitute the baking cocoa for anything else in the mix or did you just add it in extra? Hoping to make this for Christmas in just a couple of days.
I make this too. We use to,always have it at church for the kids and youth on Sunday nights In the winter . And especially after caroling. I store mine in one of this big plastic cereal keeper containers and keep it right by my microwave. I mix it in there too, by layering the ingredients and then put the lid on super tight and shake it and turn and shake till it is mixed in really well.
It is by far the best hot chocolate ever.
I noticed you have a 10-quart box of powdered milk, but the recipe states “enough to make 8 quarts” – do I only use 8 of the pouches or do you use all 10 of them? Thanks!! We love your recipes!
Thank you for the gift idea…This is perfect.
I finally mixed up this mix, it’s as good as I remembered as a young wife and mom. I sure was surprised how much a 4 lb. bag of dried milk ran ($14) but it should last all winter My husband and I just enjoyed a mug Thank you for sharing it with us
Do you by any chance have a dairy free version of hot chocolate mix? I lactose intolerant and need a non-dairy. Thanks, Mari
For those wondering how many jars this will fill, I just mixed up a batch and filled 10 pint size jars. With just enough left over to make a cup to enjoy after I cleaned up!
Thank you for sharing again! This was always our go to gifts when the children were small. Keep sharing and I will keep cooking!
I really want to make this to put in my coffee in the mornings.
What a wonderful idea Lacey!!!