You can never go wrong with a good cup of hot cocoa on a breezy winter day with the rest of your family. For me, it is always a magical experience to sit by the fireplace with a warm cup of hot cocoa freshly made from your kitchen.
But winter doesn’t just call for hot cocoa recipes.
It can be hard to perfect your hot cocoa recipe while you have all the additional chores you will be working on in winter.
Therefore, before the horrors of bad hot cocoa on a long day creeps in, prepare yourself a hot cocoa mix recipe in bulk to take over all the burden off your shoulders.
Here’s a complete, rich, and creamy hot cocoa mix recipe to aid anxiety during winters.
Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup sugar (granulated or powdered)
1/2 cups powdered milk
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
2/3 cup baking cocoa
Method
- In a bowl, add all your ingredients – cocoa powder, dry milk, powdered sugar, spices (optional). If you prefer to have a thicker consistency, feel free to add cornstarch to the hot cocoa mix.
- Later, you can combine all the ingredients using a whisk until you have covered all the white parts of sugar and milk. You don’t have to worry about milk going bad in the refrigerator as you are using powdered milk.
- Store the mixture in a cool, dry place and use it to make hot cocoa whenever, wherever. This mixture can also be a great way to give and fill their life with sweetness. I recommend grabbing cute mason jars from Amazon and top it with marshmallows to make a complete set.
Single Serving
Now that you have your hot cocoa mix stored, it’s time to start using it in your piping hot cocoa drinks. Here’s how you can make your drink with hot cocoa mix.
Bring your milk to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix that you just created. If you want to add a variety of flavors to your drink, you can go ahead with orange zest or almond shivers that can activate a whole new experience with your drink.
To go the extra mile, top your hot cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows that will melt in your mouth.
Nutritional Benefits of Hot Cocoa Mix
Now that you are all ready to rock your hot cocoa mix, it’s time to cut the guilt we all feel while indulging in our favorite chocolate beverages. Here, not only is hot cocoa a blessing to your taste buds, but it is actually packed with nutrients to make it an essential part of your day. Here are some of the perks you can expect from a good cup of hot cocoa.
Improved Cognitive Health
There are extraordinary properties in cocoa powder that help boost cognitive health. This means an ideal choice for people to incorporate a hot cocoa mix into their diet and improve attention, general cognition, and memory with time. Besides that, research has shown a drastic improvement in sleep for people who drink hot cocoa regularly.
Another reason why it can aid cognitive health is using neurovascular coupling. This is when your brain requires more energy and blood flow to work more efficiently. Researchers have also shown hot cocoa boosting brain activity in certain regions of the brain called the dentate gyrus, which can eventually improve our cognitive functioning.
As a result, you can expect to have better memory and a more relaxed mind.
Stronger Immune System
Need something to ward off all the vial viruses and keep you strong? Well, drinking a cup of hot cocoa will do the trick. The minerals present like iron, zinc, and selenium are well-known properties to give you an immunity boost.
That’s not it, as dental cavities and gum disease is linked to immune-stimulating properties, it can also show great results at improving your dental health as well. It can also be because of its antibacterial and anti-enzymatic properties to show incredible oral health effects.
Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack
In general, cocoa powder is riced in flavanol, which helps to regulate the nitric oxide in your blood and offers a wide range of benefits at once. The most common one includes reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
It does this by dilating and relaxing your arteries to improve blood flow, which, in turn, can prevent high inflammation and bad LDL cholesterol. This is why people with high blood sugar levels and pressure tend to use cocoa powder in their regular diet.
Don’t believe me? Let science speak for itself. Two Swedish studies found that people who take chocolate have a lower rate of heart failure than people who don’t.
Polyphenols That Improve Other Health Conditioning
Not only is cocoa great for heart health, but it has proven to do wonders for the rest of your body as well. Here, polyphenols, a naturally occurring ingredient found in many other fruits and vegetables, can control blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and offer better blood flow.
However, there is a little grey area here.
As coca gets processed and heated before being delivered to our kitchens, not all of them offer the same benefits. In fact, during this process, you can expect 60% of the flavonol to vanish off to cut down the bitterness from the cocoa. Therefore, look for organic chocolate or cocoa powder that has preserved the natural benefits of cocoa.
Control Weight to a Great Extent
Cocoa powder works by reducing appetite and improving the process of burning fat. This is how you get to see incredible changes in your BMI and maintain a healthy diet. But that’s not it; a recent study on chocolate consumption showed that 1.5 inches of 81% cocoa chocolate have the potential to lose weight faster than your regular diet.
However, bear in mind that milk chocolate may not contain all of these benefits. Therefore, whether it is simply eating dark chocolate every day or incorporating it into your beverage, try to incorporate a decent amount of cocoa into your diet.
This will keep your stomach full and prevent all those midnight sugar cravings that are making it hard to stick to your fitness schedule. Somewhat paradoxically, cocoa intake, even in the form of chocolate, may help you control your weight.
Good for Coughs
Ever wondered why you crave chocolate when you are stuck? A little-known fact about cocoa is that it is packed with theobromine. This is the component used to aid cough phlegm. However, there is very little study proving this point. But as long as it is safe to eat, you can always count on hot cocoa to fill you up with everything you need to fight viruses and colds.
Cocoa Makes You Happy
Chocolate has the key to your happiness, and there is no denying that. But what is it that makes it so special?
Let me break down some science here.
Cocoa releases certain neurotransmitters that can make you feel more positive and reduce pain. The energy-boosting caffeine and the mood-lightening serotonin front he unsweetened cocoa powder can give you the only weapon to fight off winter blues (trust me, we all have been there).
The best part? As it is completely natural, you can have a guilt-free treat to help you make the most out of your hot drinks! Therefore, the next time you are feeling down, try taking a cup of hot cocoa and notice how your mood shifts instead of sleeping it off. This is definitely my favorite hack to get off my emotional rollercoasters!
Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe: Things to Consider Before Making Hot Cocoa Mix
Now that you are all ready to make your hot cocoa mix, there are a few things you need to consider to get professional-like out of the package cocoa mix that will remind you of the nostalgic days you spent at your grandma’s.
Use unsweetened Cocoa powder
If you are starting with sweetened coo powder, it will mess up the sugar quantity of your hot cocoa mix. Sweetened cocoa powders often compromise with the health benefits that cocoa is known for. So instead of drawing yourself in guilt, it is best to stick to healthier options and begin with unsweetened cocoa powder that gives you all the freedom to personalize your own recipe.
Storage
Although storage isn’t really the problem with hot cocoa mix, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 6 to 8 months effortlessly. This gives you enough space to make the recipe in bulk and save it for later.
Substitutes
One of the main reasons why hot cocoa is my all-time favorite recipe is because of its outstanding versatility. If you are away from home or can’t access these ingredients, there are a few substitutes that work just fine. For example, if you don’t have regular sugar right now, use confectioners sugar that makes your hot cocoa a bit sweeter.
Another concern that many people have with this recipe is the dry milk powder. Here, if you don’t have access to milk powder, coffee creamy can work just as fine. Although it may not make your drink any creamier, it will do the trick.
Besides that, you can also mix and match different recipe styles to create something that works best for you.
For example, add vanilla extract, orange/lemon zest, or salt to personalize the taste.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
My hot chocolate mix has caked up or become hard
It happens when you let moisture into the powder. Remember, it is not just the atmosphere I am talking about. Any moisture from the container or spoon can lock humidity in the container and cause your powder to cake up in no time. Now, I recommend you invite your friends for a cup of hot cocoa by the bonfire and enjoy your winters!
Is this hot chocolate better with milk or water?
This question depends on your preferences. If you prefer a creamier texture, then milk can be your best bet to go. You can also go for low-fat or vegan options to switch up the taste every time. As for water, it is used to amplify the true flavors of hot cocoa and give unique characteristics.
Can I use hot chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder?
No, you can’t! The great thing about hot cocoa mix is that it can be used in other baked goods like chocolate cake to switch up its original taste. And chocolate powder isn’t as versatile as cocoa powder. Here, chocolate powder comes with added sugar which can ruin the rest of your recipes.
Therefore, I suggest you stick to pure cocoa powder that can help you customize your baked goods and hot cocoa to suit your needs.
So, What’s Next?
As you have already seen, making your own hot cocoa mix is probably the easiest yet delicious thing you can do to keep yourself and your family happy. There is nothing that can beat a good ol’ winter night with hot cocoa, chilling breezes, and a good movie with your loved ones.
Now that you have mastered hot cocoa, it’s time to go creative with your toppings. If you have customized your hot cocoa with specific flavors like peppermint or orange, feel free to sprinkle a little as toppings. If you are going for the classic, then whipped cream and mini marshmallows can do the trick.
Besides that, chocolate chips can also be an excellent addition to amp up an ordinary cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the chips as you drink.
So go ahead, read this complete guide on how to make hot cocoa, *insert link here* and tell me how it goes!
Good luck!
