Learn how to make the BEST homemade hot chocolate! Rich, creamy, and deeply chocolatey, it's the perfect cozy treat for a cold winter night.
When the weather outside is frightful, there’s no better way to warm up than with a rich, creamy cup of homemade hot chocolate. Really, take it from us – last winter was a particularly snowy one here in Chicago, and we did a lot of shoveling. When our fingers and toes would start to tingle from the cold, I’d come inside and make this hot chocolate recipe. It’s thick and comforting, the perfect fortifying treat on a chilly winter day.
With the holidays right around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to share this recipe with you. Made with a melted chocolate bar and pure maple syrup, it’s far more flavorful than any hot cocoa mix. I’ll have it on repeat all winter long, and I hope you will too.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Dark chocolate – My #1 tip for making the best hot chocolate? Use a chocolate bar instead of cocoa powder! It gives this recipe a creamy texture and an extra-rich chocolate flavor. I like to use dark chocolate – 70% is my favorite. Choose a vegan chocolate bar to make this recipe vegan!
- Almond milk – Use store-bought, or make your own.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor.
- Maple syrup – For sweetness.
- And a splash of bourbon – Totally optional, but a really fun touch for a cozy grown-up drink.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Hot Chocolate
This recipe is SO simple to make!
All you have to do is warm the almond milk over low heat, add the chopped chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon…
…and whisk until smooth and warmed through, about 15 minutes.
Pour in the maple syrup and bourbon, if using, and stir to combine. That’s it!
Serve in mugs with your favorite hot chocolate toppings. I like coconut whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings, but regular whipped cream or marshmallows would be delicious too.
More Cozy Winter Treats
If you love this recipe, try one of these cozy treats next:
- Mulled Wine
- Hot Toddy
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Lemon Shortbread Cookies
- Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cacao, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons bourbon, optional
- Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, optional, for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the almond milk over low heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon, and whisk for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and warmed through.
- Add the maple syrup and bourbon, if using, and stir to combine. Serve hot with whipped cream or chocolate shavings, if desired.
A real treat after some backyard sledding! Kids enjoyed the version sans bourbon while the parents sipped on the hot coco with an added kick!
This hot chocolate was so easy and quick to make! I liked how rich and creamy it turned out, even without the whipped cream. It paired perfectly with cookies for Santa. I agree with other reviewers that adults might enjoy this more that kids. I will try adding the bourbon or Kahlua next time!
Made this to top off our Christmas weekend – hot chocolate this rich is a simple way to make an evening feel special. I’d prefer a little more sweetness, but that’s an easy adjustment to make next time.
This was SO delicious and decadent! I used oat milk.
Easy, creamy and delicious! Nice to have a vegan hot chocolate!
I made the hot cocoa today! My husband and I both thought it was delish!
This was lovely!
I really liked this hot chocolate. It was definitely rich but not overly sweet, which I appreciated since I’ve been loading up on cookies for the holidays and needed a little bit of a balance. It was super quick and easy to make too. Will definitely make it again!
Sweet and delicious! topped with some coconut whip from Trader Joes 🙂
Very rich and delicious. I actually felt like I needed a glass of plain almond milk to wash it down.
This is the best hot chocolate recipe I’ve made! So silky and smooth and punched full of flavor.
Made this last night with dark chocolate, it was delicious! More of a grown up taste than for kids but still great
So yummy, and super easy to make!!
Super yummy!! I topped mine with a shot of Kaluhu:)
Just made this and topped it with some vegan marshmallows. So tasty!
Loved this recipe, very easy and very tasty!
The hot chocolate was delicious. Made it with the grandkids. They really enjoyed making and drinking. ?
Delicious! My husband and I loved the bourbon addition 🙂
Very decadent and did not suffer from the accidental addition of a whole teaspoon of vanilla. ?
Meant to give this 5 stars
I doubled the recipe and made this for my family on a windy, stormy night. It was a delicious treat.