Name: Homemade Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Powder (6-Minute Stovetop)
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 4.5 cups whole milk; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

This homemade hot chocolate is made on the stovetop with unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar and whole milk, and it’s ready in about 6 minutes without a packet in sight. The trick is cooking the cocoa and sugar with a little milk until it boils, which melts away every lump and gives you a cup that’s rich and smooth all the way to the bottom. One pot makes 6 mugs.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Old Fashioned Stovetop Hot Chocolate
Serves: 6
Main Ingredients: granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, whole milk, vanilla extract (optional)
Why You'll Love It: It takes just six minutes and three ingredients to make this rich and creamy homemade stovetop hot chocolate recipe.

How do you make hot chocolate on the stove?

In a saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa and 1/2 cup milk. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil 2 minutes. Take it off the heat, stir in the remaining 4 cups of milk, then warm it back up over medium heat with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. About 6 minutes, no mix needed.

I usually make hot chocolate without measuring a thing, so I was tickled when the folks at Domino Sugar shared this recipe and did the measuring for me. Make it a time or two and you’ll probably start eyeballing it too. On cold mornings around here the pot goes on the stove before anybody even asks, and the kids will tell you the mini marshmallows aren’t optional.

Why Cocoa Powder Beats a Packet

Packet mixes are mostly sugar and powdered milk, so they taste thin no matter how long you stir. Starting with real cocoa powder and whole milk gives you a deeper chocolate flavor, and boiling the cocoa with the sugar for 2 minutes cooks out that dusty, chalky taste. It’s the same reason old-fashioned cocoa recipes always started with a paste in the bottom of the pan.

If you’d like a mix on hand for gifts or busy nights, our homemade hot chocolate mix keeps in a jar all winter.

Ingredients for Homemade Hot Chocolate

Unsweetened cocoa powder: Regular cocoa powder works great. Dutch-process cocoa gives you a darker, mellower cup.
Whole milk: Whole milk makes it creamy. 2% works too, but the hot chocolate will taste a little thinner.
Sugar: 1/2 cup makes it sweet without being syrupy. Start with a little less if you like it darker.
Vanilla: Optional, but 1/2 teaspoon rounds out the chocolate.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Stir the whole time the cocoa mixture boils, since cocoa and sugar can scorch on the bottom of the pan.
Add the rest of the milk off the heat so the pot doesn’t boil over.
Once the milk is in, warm it until it’s steaming but don’t let it boil again.
A pinch of salt makes the chocolate taste even stronger.

How to Make Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Powder

1Add the sugar and cocoa

Add the sugar and cocoa powder to a medium saucepan.

2Pour in a little milk

Pour in 1/2 cup of the milk.

Close-up of ingredients mixed together to resemble a paste.

3Stir it smooth

Stir until it turns into a smooth chocolate paste with no dry pockets of cocoa.

4Boil for 2 minutes

Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Remove saucepot from heat and add in remaining milk.

5Add the rest of the milk

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining 4 cups of milk.

Place saucepot back on heat and add vanilla.

6Warm it back up

Set it back over medium heat, stir in the vanilla if you’re using it and keep stirring until it’s steaming hot.

7Pour and serve

Pour it into mugs and serve right away.

How to Dress Up Your Hot Chocolate

Add mini marshmallows to hot chocolate if desired.

Mini marshmallows are a must in our house, and a peppermint candy cane stir stick makes it feel like Christmas morning. You can also add a spoonful of homemade whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Set out a plate of hot chocolate cookies, Christmas cut-out cookies or eggnog fudge and you’ve got a cozy little party. A slice of Aunt Sue’s famous pound cake or a bowl of candied pecans on the side doesn’t hurt either.

More Warm Drinks for Cold Days

Homemade Hot Chocolate FAQs

Can you make hot chocolate with cocoa powder instead of a mix?

That’s exactly what this recipe does. Cooking the cocoa with sugar and a little milk first gets rid of the lumps and gives you a richer cup than a packet mix.

How do I keep cocoa powder from clumping?

Mix the cocoa with the sugar first, then stir in just 1/2 cup of milk to make a paste before it heats up. The sugar keeps the cocoa from clumping, and the 2-minute boil melts any last lumps.

Can I make hot chocolate ahead?

It’s best right off the stove, but leftovers keep in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm it on the stovetop, stirring, until it’s hot again.

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