Single Serving Hot Cocoa

Single Serving Hot Cocoa made in one cup with just 3 ingredients is not only easy to make anytime you want to drink a cup of hot creamy cocoa with ingredients from your pantry or cupboard, but it’s a rich and delicious dark chocolate sweet treat.

It’s the perfect homemade hot chocolate recipe for one when you’re craving a cup of sweetness for yourself!

We appreciate your support

Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Recipe development

I first came up with this recipe because I had run out of cocoa mix, and I really wanted a nice creamy hot cocoa.

So, I grabbed some ingredients from the cupboard, ones I always have in there, and started mixing.

You know, I almost hesitate to call this a recipe because it’s so easy.

It’s a mixture or a mix, but a recipe? Well, I guess it is. It’s a simple and quick recipe with just 3 common ingredients.

And I don’t have to store yet another mix in my cupboard.

Rich and delicious Hot Cocoa

Since coming up with this recipe I’ve made it many times. It’s so good.

Rich and delicious, and not as sweet as those packaged mixes.

I recently decided to go back and try a couple different store-bought mixes, and they totally pale in comparison to my hot cocoa mix. I found the store-bought ones to be flat and overly sweet.

So, I’m keeping my recipe as my favorite hot cocoa. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cocoa Powder

You’ll really need to make sure you have special dark cocoa for this hot drink.

And no, this isn’t a sponsored post. I just have a real love for this cocoa, and feel like it belongs in everything! Especially this comforting hot cocoa.

Special dark 100% cacao is a dark chocolate Dutched cocoa processed with alkali.

When we’re talking about cocoa, the lighter the cocoa’s color, the stronger the flavor. And the darker the color, the mellower the flavor.

Dutch-process will give you a darker color and more mellow (less acidic) flavor than natural cocoa.

You know those cookies, the best-selling chocolate sandwich ones with white filling, and how dark they are. That’s due to the ultra-Dutched cocoa that they use.

And that mellow flavor is why they are the best selling cookies!

Want to read more about cocoa? Take a look at my post about cocoa and its uses.

What kind of milk should I use in this?

I’ve used just about every milk in my hot cocoa, and they’re all delicious!

My favorites are whole dairy milk, oat milk, and almond milk. Vegan plant-based milks are great in this drink.

The one thing I‘ve noticed about using oat milk is that some brands tend to boil over as they heat in the microwave, so be sure to keep an eye on it as it heats up.

If you see it bubbling up to the rim, simply stop the microwave and give the cocoa a stir. Pop it back in, and heat again, repeating as necessary.

Other great hot drinks you’ll love

I’m a big fan of a warm cozy cup of comfort! If you are too, you’ll want to check out my recipes for Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea, Healing Evergreen Tea, Chai Tea Concentrate, Mexican Mocha, Honey Lemon Cold & Flu Remedy, and Hot Toddy.

How to make Single Serving Hot Cocoa

The full printable recipe ingredients and instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips and tricks in the post.

Use a mug, about 12 ounces in size, a little more or a little less won’t make much of a difference, but a huge mug… you’ll want to make a double batch in that case.

This difference in mug size is why I suggest 1 to 1&½ cups of milk in the recipe card. Basically, you’re just filling the mug with the milk.

Place the cocoa and the powdered sugar in the bottom of the mug.

Mix the sugar and cocoa together thoroughly.

I prefer to use cold milk and heat the whole thing up in the microwave after everything is all mixed together.

If you have a mug that can’t go in the microwave, you can place the milk in a separate container and add the hot milk to the powder.

But since this makes multiple dishes to wash, I prefer the single mug method.

Add a little bit of the milk and stir to make a paste. Be sure to get all the powder incorporated into the milk.

Stir in the remainder of the milk until the mug is full.

Heat the mixture in a microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes (remember, microwave times will vary based on the power levels).

Remove from the microwave and carefully stir the hot cocoa again.

Serve, topped with whipped cream if desired.

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