Whew! Thanksgiving whipped my butt!
And my kitchen! You should have seen it, it looked like a tornado whipped through there! Although it kind of looks like that everyday until I decide I have made enough of a mess for one day and need to clean it up ASAP! And when I clean, I really clean. Trust me, ask anyone and they will tell you not to get in my path when I am in my cleaning mode!
Aside from the mess our Thanksgiving was pretty great. The food was good, the company better and the holiday spirit was in the air! We gobbled down some deliciously moist turkey smothered in super smooth gravy with a side of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, popovers, Brussel sprouts, green beans, spaghetti squash, and cranberry sauce! Wow, that’s a lot of food!
Our holidays are always pretty chaotic, but this Thanksgiving someone brilliantly decided it would be a good idea to bring in the fresh-cut, bushy, 15 foot christmas tree we had cut down 30 minutes earlier in the midst of turkey carving, gravy making, and potato mashing! To say it was a mad house would be a major understatement! But somehow we got the tree up and the turkey on the table all within 30 minutes!
After dinner and lots of pie, ice cream, and whipped cream it was time to clean up and string on those light! And you know since it had been a good hour and half since we chowed down on pie I thought it would be good idea to make some hot cocoa. It just would not be christmas time without christmas music and the most delicious cup of hot cocoa.
OMG, guys this really is the best cup of hot cocoa! Creamy and chocolatly with just the slightest hint of mocha. So good. If this does not put you in the Christmas spirit, I do not know what will. My mom was lucky enough to get a cup she looked like she was in heaven drinking this. See Mom drinks Hot Chocolate every morning, like people drink coffee. Sometimes she will even have if after dinner for dessert. So you can imagine she has tried a lot of hot chocolate in her day. She said that hands down this was the best cup of hot chocolate she has EVER had! Now that says a lot, a whole lot!
Added bonus? It is super easy and makes a really cute Christmas gift! Just fill up a mason jar with the cocoa powder (the recipe makes about 6 cups, around 18 servings, depending on how much mix you use) write directions on how to make the perfect cup of hot cocoa and decorate the jar all nice and cute! Easy, cheap, and insanely delicious!
Creamy Hot cocoa, the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day!
Ingredients
- Hot Cocoa:
- 3 cups non-fat dry milk
- 3/4 cups Powdered sugar
- 1/4 cups White Sugar
- 1-1/2 cups (4-1/2 ounces (Dutch processed cocoa)
- 1 2/3 cups Milk Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Instant Coffee
- Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Powdered sugar
- 4 cups Milk*
Instructions
- For hot cocoa mix: Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Working in two batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the hot chocolate in finely ground.
- For whipped cream: Place you mixing bowl and whip in the freezer fo 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pour the cream into the cold bowl and whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.
- To make hot cocoa: Heat four cups milk on medium low heat until almost boiling. Be careful not to burn the milk. Stir 1 1/3 cups of of the cocoa powder into the hot milk.
- Serve with whipped cream and marshmellows.
- This make around 6 cups of cocoa powder.
Notes
*Whole milk works the best, but both 2% and skim would also work. It will not be as creamy though.
*For every 1 cup of milk add 1/3 cup cocoa powder (or more) to your taste.
All I need now is a wood burning fire and some chestnuts roasting!
Related Posts
I made my own mix but never heard of adding instant coffee. Got to try that. Thank you for the new recipe.
We may have met by chance…but we become friends by choice.
http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-german-apple-puff-pancake
This looks really delicious! I love to drink hot cocoa during the holidays. Adding the instant coffee was a great idea. We will definately be trying this:)
Let me know what you think!
Yum!!!
Oh wow! These are amazing!
Thank you!
Yuum! This looks to good, Can’t wait to try it!
Let me know how it turns out!
This looks so delicious!
Thank you! I promise it is better than i looks!
Pinned. Awesome!
Thanks for pinning! Let me know what you think!
OMG… this looks heavenly. My oldest son and I absolutely love hot cocoa in the winter, and the ingredients in your recipe sound like they’d make a delicious batch for Christmas. Thanks for sharing it on on our Holiday Cookie Recipe Swap!
It would not be Christmas without Hot Cocoa!
Sounds like a wonderful thanks giving and the hot chocolate is a perfect end of the day treat. Thanks for coming by foodie friday.
Yummmm! This looks amazing! Found you through a linky party and I am excited to be a new follower! I hope you will stop by my site if you get a chance! http://www.thetaylor-house.com
Thanks foe following!
Hello! This post could not be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
Oh man, these look ‘insanely yummy’. Do come and share ‘m at our linky party, which opens Wednesdays: http://www.FineCraftGuild.com
oops, I mean to say THANK YOU FOR sharing ‘m at our linky party… my brain glitched from looking at that over-the-top chocolate-ness.
This looks so yummy! I just want to curl up by a fire and drink it! Would love if you’d join our Countdown to Christmas link party! Hope to see you there! Have a great week!
http://dixie-n-dottie.blogspot.com/2012_11_27_archive.html
Oh I wish we had a real wood burning fireplace! That sounds so nice! I will stop by!
I bet the combination on milk and powdered milk makes it extra creamy. Looks great!
I’m not a coffee drinker, so minus that, and I think these ingredients sound like an amazing cup of cocoa!
Honestly, I do not drink any coffee and neither does my mom. But we both love this recipe the just highlight the chocolate flavor, but I am sure it will taste just as good with out it! Enjoy!
Your picture of this decadent, over-the-top delicious cup of hot chocolate popped off the page at Weekend Potluck! I love hot chocolate, but this looks wowza-good!
I also like the way you really piled big marshmallows ad whipped cream! Girlie, that’s truly a Thanksgiving worthy cup! 
Blessings,
Leslie
Thank you! It sure was delicious! Hope you enjoy it to!
This recipe sounds great! The next round of Fall Into the Holidays opens tonight, and I would love if you would link up! Each round is open from Saturday until Thursday.
http://redcrowgreencrow.wordpress.com/tag/fall-into-the-holidays/
Katie @ Horrific Knits
Thanks for the invite.
Congratulations! This post is featured over at Diana Rambles today and has been pinned in the Featured at Diana Rambles board at Pinterest. Please grab a featured button off my tabbed sidebar or at the Party Guidelines page. Thanks for sharing this awesome idea!
Thanks for featuring me! It is really good!
I’m having such a hot chocolate problem at the moment.. You are making me crave it so bad!
That is not a problem because this is soo good and is supper easy to make!!!
love the flavor combo! thanks for sharing at Foodie Friends Friday linky party!
Seriously this is the best hot chocolate! You will love it!
That is some divine looking hot cocoa if I do say so myself!!
Thank you! It is so good!
Hey there! Just stopping by through the link up from Tasty Tuesday! I have been looking for the perfect recipe for hot chocolate and this one sounds AMAZING! I cannot wait to try it! Thanks!
Glad I could help you find what you were looking for!let me know what you think!
Looks so yummy! Would be perfect with some Christmas cookies.
I like assembling useful info, this post has got me even more info!
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is very well written and I *love* all the beautiful photos, especially all those marshmallows. I made this mix today and also wanted to let you know that I blogged about it here: http://www.krazyquilts.com/blog/hot-chocolate-mix-free-printable-tags/
Thank you again for sharing this fun recipe!
Thanks so much for you kind words! I am so glad you like the cocoa! It is so yummy!
I. Officially. Love. You.
Ha. Yes!