Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe (made with Chocolate Chips)

Satisfy urgent hot chocolate cravings with this Easy Hot Chocolate Recipe (with Chocolate Chips)! It's the perfect cup of instant cozy with a super decadent velvet texture that's simple to make.

If you were like me, you grew up on those little packet mixes of hot cocoa. They were all I knew of hot chocolate as a kid and I thought they were divine! Well, we all have epiphanies as adults, and one of mine includes the realization that the best cup of hot cocoa is made simply on the stove top with only a few ingredients, none of which have dehydrated marshmallows in it (though no hate on those, I used to love them!).

This Easy Hot Chocolate recipe is my go-to, and one I've been making in some fashion for about ten years. I know that number because the first time I made it for myself was when I was in the post-partum period after my first baby; I was ravenous, and it was also winter, and I was craving warm, sweet things, and this hit the spot. It tastes a bit like a melted candy bar, but is nicely balanced with salt (and moderation). You won't want multiple cups of this; just one is enough! Whether you top it with marshmallows or marshmallow fluff (we are new Englanders through and through, and you can guess what we choose) is a personal choice.

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card.

• milk (use whole milk or reduced fat, with the understanding that less fat means less velvety texture)
• heavy cream (just a touch to bring flavor and smoothness, but not so much to overwhelm the drink)
• high-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips (see more on this important ingredient below)
• coarse kosher salt (this is an extremely important ingredient, along with the type of chocolate used, as it adds balance to the drink–I always use Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt…If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume, or use the same amount by weight)
• vanilla extract
• marshmallows or fluff, for topping (optional, but not really if you’ve got kids)

The Type of Chocolate Used Matters

This recipe is basically all about the chocolate, so make sure it's a good one. The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, which can have a wide range but shoot for a cacao percentage of 54% and 70%. Basically, use a chocolate that you like the taste of, and a higher quality brand that doesn't have a ton of additives.

In an ideal world, when making a recipe that requires the melting of chocolate, it is best to use a pure chocolate bar. A pure chocolate or baking bar doesn't contain the additives that chocolate chips do, since a chocolate chip is designed to keep it's shape. But let's be real, chopping chocolate is annoying.

For this reason, I'm a big believer in buying couverture chocolate. This is likely a new word for most people here (I didn't know it until I went to culinary school) but it's basically premium chocolate with a high cocoa butter content. I like it because it is easily sold in "wafer" form, aka chocolate chips. So it serves double purpose in my home as both baking chocolate and chocolate chips. I have been buying this bag of semi-sweet callets from Callebaut, but there are other brands out there as well. This bag usually lasts me a few months, but will likely last the average baker longer.

Otherwise, use high-quality chocolate chips for the best result--By high-quality, I mean I don't recommend making this with something like Nestle, and ideally something above the store-brand like Ghirardelli, Guittard or Callebaut.

You'll notice this recipe does not have any added sugar. A semi sweet chocolate should provide all the sweetness you need for this recipe. If you use a very dark chocolate, you might find it needs a little bit of sugar to balance it out. Start with 2 tablespoons and balance it out from there. But be sure to taste it when it is warm, as when liquids are warmer, it enhances the perception of sweetness on our taste buds.

Step-By-Step Recipe Overview

This recipe is so simple I almost shouldn't have to show you step-by-step photos. But I did anyway, so you can visualize how easy it is.

Storing Leftover Hot Cocoa

This Hot Chocolate keeps well in the refrigerator. In our home, we've even been known to thin out the cold hold chocolate with a bit more milk and voila, amazing chocolate milk. It needs to be thinned out with more milk when cold since the chilled hot cocoa has a much thicker viscosity than the warm hot cocoa.

To reheat leftover hot cocoa, warm it the exact way you made it: on the stove over medium-low heat.

It will keep for several days, if not longer.

More Kid-Friendly Sweet Recipes

Making the recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!

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