Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Listen! Can you hear that? No need to be alarmed, it is just my excitement that Christmas is close!! I mean, you can choose to celebrate or not, but for me, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. From the purpose of the season from a religious standpoint, honoring and acknowledging the birth of Jesus (yes, I know it wasn’t actually December when he was born, but this is when we celebrate and observe, ok?!) and then the pagan celebrations with a tree and the gifts and all of it. I just love seeing families together, kids smiling and the food being set out before me on a table!

My parents allowed us to believe the whimsy of Santa delivering gifts for as long as we said we believed. Truth be told, I still say I believe because my mom still gets me 1 gift from Santa. it’s a bonus gift! Lol. I loved that Santa brought me gifts, so one of my favorite traditions when I was young was setting out cookies and hot chocolate for Santa. I would spend a lot of time thinking about the kind of cookies I was baking Santa. It was a really big deal. Somehow my dad convinced me he knew Santa personally and what kind of cookies he liked, so he’d influence my decision to what he…er, I mean…Santa, wanted. I was gullible. Now that I have a 6 year old niece, it’s our tradition to bake cookies together that we will leave out for Santa and it’s my new favorite thing!

The other half of that gift for Santa was hot chocolate. Now me personally, I drink hot chocolate all year around. I love chocolate and I only do coffee sometimes, so if given the choice, I will always go for hot chocolate. With a hefty dollop of whipped cream and if I’m feeling frisky, some marshmallows. Back in the day, I was of course drinking that out of a half paper/half aluminum package with astronautish freeze-dried marshmallows and I loved it. Now that I’ve grown up and have a little more food experience, I like to make my own mix where I can develop different flavors, like cinnamon-cayenne, winter spice, deep, dark chocolate or salted caramel! The possibilities are endless. This recipe is my basic cinnamon-cayenne “MayanHot Chocolate” mix, but as an early Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa gift, I will throw in some other combos for you to try!!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Haunukah, Kwanzaa, Nothing, Everything or something in between, I am wishing you and yours the Happiest of Holidays and the most prosperity in 2017!!!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

• Author: Monique Manning

• Servings: 18 (2 tablespoons)

• Nutrition: 65 calories, .3g fat, 12.1g net carbs, 3.8g protein

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups powdered milk

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch

• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne

METHOD

1. Measure out all ingredients into a bowl and mix together thoroughly and evenly with a whisk.

2. To serve, measure 2 tablespoons into a cup and pour in 6-8 oz of hot water or milk.

3. To store, keep in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place!

4. Enjoy!

VARIATIONS

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 1/2-3/4 cup powdered milk

• 1/2 cup powdered buttermilk

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch

• a drop of red food coloring to prepared drink if desired.

Extra Chocolately Hot Chocolate

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 1 to 1 1/4 cups powdered milk

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch

• 1 tablespoon dark chocolate chips or shaved dark chocolate per serving