The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

There is nothing quite so nostalgic and comforting as curling up for a cozy night by the fire in your wool socks to watch a holiday movie while clutching a mug of warm homemade hot chocolate. With the sun leaving us for the day earlier and earlier each day, finding ways to keep ourselves occupied in the evening hours can be challenging, and so we tend to fall back on the traditions of childhood to keep us awake until bedtime. But this is not a post about my bedtime routine, as much as I would like to lull us all to sleep with that tale! This is a post about the unimpeachable winter drink to top all winter drinks (eggnog lovers cover your ears!) hot chocolate

Now, to be clear I’m not knocking a mug of nutmeg and nog - far from it. But hot chocolate is just on another level. The rich, creamy thick and warm liquid can have as much or as little depth of flavor as you like, depending on the chocolate used. My personal favorite is Mexican hot chocolate. We have a local chocolate company here in Massachusetts called Taza Chocolate that makes a perfectly portioned disk of chocolate with which to make yourself a mug full. At first, the experience is full of uncertainty - are you really supposed to put THIS much chocolate in one serving? But then as the chocolate melts and blends with your chosen milk and alchemy conspires to create the most spectacularly rich and thick molten treat you can imagine. This is not for the faint of heart, so you better love chocolate if you’re going to make your own. A drink this rich coats your mouth with the flavors of fermenting cacao bean, the acidity reminiscent of coffee, and the subtle sweetness of dark chocolate.

If this sounds like an experience you need to try, you can find Taza Chocolate in many health food stores or purchase online, this is not an affiliate link just love supporting local!

Hot chocolate also offers an endless array of options for flavoring and add-ins that are simple but can have a huge impact on the end result.

Add peppermint to lighten the overall flavor and add a festive touch
Add cinnamon and salt to bring out the different flavors in the cacao beans
Add caramel for the comforting sweetness of browned butter and sugar

Toppings are add-ins that compliment your hot chocolate drink, creating a full dessert experience in your mug.

I’m personally partial to the dandies vegan marshmallows for my hot chocolate garnish, but any marshmallow will do - I think hot chocolate is the only place those hard dried mini marshmallows have a chance to really shine.
Bump up the sweetness factor with a chocolate covered spoon or caramel dipped rim coated in sea salt.
Hook a candy cane over the side to keep your mug company and your breath minty.

Can you make hot chocolate with non-dairy milk?

Yes, and I do this myself as I can’t drink cow’s milk. After nearly a decade of trial and error, I can say with certainty that the best non-dairy milk to use when making homemade hot chocolate is without a doubt oat milk, since oat milk is usually richer and mimics whole milk best.

There’s no reason that vegan hot chocolate can’t be just as rich and delicious as hot chocolate made with cow’s milk. Try coconut milk, soy milk and almond milk too and see which one is your favorite.

Sourcing ethical cacao

Whether you decide to make peppermint hot chocolate, dark hot chocolate, caramel hot chocolate or plain I would urge you to consider the origins of your chocolate.

Cocoa and chocolate come from the cacao tree, which thrives in the rainforest.

According to Source Trace, on average cacao farmers earn less than $2 per day, an income much below the poverty line.

As per the latest report on cacao farming, close to two million children in the Ivory Coast and Ghana are engaged in child labor in hazardous conditions.

Also, cacao production is rising at an alarming rate – it has risen by 62% over the last two decades. This is a serious threat to Africa’s forest cover as farmers are choosing to expand their growing operations into rainforests and other patches of land. 40% of the cacao coming from the Ivory Coast can be traced back to being grown in protected lands.

The best way to tell if your cacao is ethically sourced is to buy from companies who share the origin of their cacao and practice fair or direct trade, utilizing third party verification to certify their claims. You should also look for transparency reports available on their website.

What is direct trade?

Currently, there is no industry standard for direct trade in the cacao industry. As one example, Taza created their own direct trade program which they are held accountable for by a third party company. Their program focuses on real relationships (they meet with the farmers whose cacao they are purchasing) quality (they only purchase USDA certified organic cacao) and fair wages.

The main way that direct trade is different from fair trade is that direct trade purchasers typically pay their farmers more than fair trade companies. Direct trade companies may pay a 15%-20% premium to their cacao farmers compared to similar fair trade companies. In exchange for this higher rate, these farmers are expected to produce a high quality, organic product and use production methods that lower the environmental impact of growing cacao trees.

So why should you make your homemade hot chocolate on the stovetop rather than the slow cooker? While I encourage you to utilize whatever cooking methods you need to in order to support your own body’s limitations, I consider the stovetop version to be an easy way to practice some mindfulness in my day. Warming your hot chocolate beverage on the stovetop forces you to pause and be present. Sometimes, coming off of autopilot is the best way to fully appreciate the beauty of winter in all its glory. So, pull up a chair if you need to and truly allow yourself to savor the experience - from the comforting scent of the chocolate to the invigorating scent of mint.

Of course, when you’re finished making my best hot chocolate recipe, the mug you choose to enjoy it in can be equally as important in determining how cozy of an experience you create. I like to put out an enticing array of handmade ceramic mugs for my guests to choose from, alongside a tray with add-ins like marshmallows and candy canes they can add as a garnish to their drink. Make this hot chocolate as the perfect refreshment for your cozy movie night with friends!

What’s the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?

Hot chocolate refers to a decadent dessert drink made with real melted chocolate blended into a liquid, usually milk. Hot cocoa uses cocoa powder dissolved in milk or water and is generally lighter and thinner. While both can be delicious, today I’ll be sharing with you a recipe for homemade Mexican hot chocolate.

What is Mexican chocolate?

According to The Spruce Eats, “The craft of chocolate making can be traced back to 1900 BCE in Mesoamerica and in fact, it appears the way the Aztecs prepared it is similar to how Mexicans do today. The cacao beans are typically fermented, roasted, peeled, and then ground into a paste using either a metate, which is a traditional tool for hand-grinding materials or with a molino, a mill. Sugar is then mixed in and from here, cinnamon is traditionally added…Finally, the chocolate is worked into its final shape, which is most often a disc or log. This rustic presentation works perfectly since Mexican chocolate is still made by hand in many regions.”

How to make homemade chocolate recipe:

This hot chocolate recipe is so easy, and only requires a handful of ingredients. As with most simple recipes, the best way to dress it up is in the quality of the ingredients you choose. While we can all appreciate the nostalgia of the instant hot chocolate packets you can get at any supermarket, this Mexican hot chocolate recipe is a much richer, more decadent treat to warm you all the way through. You’ll just need a saucepan, your milk of choice, and a high quality chocolate like these disks from Taza to get started. From there it’s choose-your-own-adventure to add additional flavors and garnishes.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe (modified from recipe by Taza Chocolate)

Yield: 2

Author: The Cottage Peach

Mexican Hot Chocolate

While we can all appreciate the nostalgia of the instant hot chocolate packets you can get at any supermarket, this Mexican hot chocolate recipe is a much richer, more decadent treat to warm you all the way through.

Ingredients

2.7oz dark chocolate bar (The Taza chocolate disks are the perfect size)
2 cups milk, non-dairy or cow
¼ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Roughly chop or grate the chocolate and set aside.
Heat two cups of milk in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below a simmer.
Remove the milk from heat and add a pinch of salt.
Slowly mix in the chocolate, stirring frequently until dissolved.
When the chocolate is dissolved, return the mixture to the stove and re-warm over low heat.
While the chocolate is warming, use a whisk or molinillo to froth the chocolate.
When the chocolate is hot and frothy, remove from heat and serve.

Recommended Products:

Wood Spoon

Caraway Sauce Pan

Nutrition Facts

Calories

430.78

Fat

24.13

Sat. Fat

13.91

Carbs

42.51

Fiber

4.17

Net carbs

38.34

Sugar

32.97

Protein

10.99

Sodium

121.6

Cholesterol

30.43

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @thecottagepeach on instagram and hashtag it # cottagepeachrecipes

BACKYARD GARDENING MADE SIMPLE

Recipe: Homemade Hot Chocolate