Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate

Why This Is The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate

Imagine you are in Paris in the early spring. The chestnut trees have begun to bud, and the weather is cool with a bite of winter still in the air. You find a cafe and decide to watch the world go by with a hot drink so you order a "Le Chocolat Chaud," the French version of hot chocolate or "drinking chocolate."

It is the creamiest, richest, and most satisfying hot chocolate you have ever had. I've had it... once in one of those cafes. And Starbucks tried it some 20-odd years ago in their shops. But, sadly it never caught on. It wasn't quite creamy enough, and it was much sweeter than the French drink. because... well, we Americans do like sweets that are very sweet.

Le Chocolat Chaud is typically made with dark chocolate, half milk, half cream, and a vanilla bean that has been split. You make it like making a ganache, thin it with milk, and cook it. Oh... yes! De-li-cious!

This homemade hot chocolate recipe is made the same way. You heat cream, pour it over real chocolate, and make a ganache. Then you heat milk and add the ganache. Simmer a few minutes, and there you have it, or as the French would say voilà! You've just made the easiest recipe for the creamiest hot chocolate.

So, let's cook!

Ingredient Notes

Here's what you need to make this Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate:

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - I chose chocolate chips in this recipe because they are readily available and easy to use. But you can use any chocolate you like to eat in this recipe. Consider using bittersweet, dark, milk, or a combination of chocolate types. However, it does need to have some sweetening. So, unsweetened baking chocolate would not be tasty.
• Heavy Cream - Use the very best heavy cream you can find. There is no skimping in this recipe. Various brands at the grocery store may label it as "Heavy Cream", "Whipping Cream", or "Heavy Whipping Cream". 
• Whole Milk - You will need fresh whole milk. Do not substitute any other kind.
• Vanilla Extract - I use vanilla extract for convenience. But a vanilla pod, halved, and simmered in the milk is the real deal.

Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

• Bittersweet Chocolate - Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips you can use bars of bittersweet chocolate in this recipe. Use a large chef's knife to chop the chocolate into very small ¼" chunks.
• Milk Chocolate - Use milk chocolate instead of some or all of the semi-sweet chocolate.
• Flavored Chocolate - Experiment with substituting flavored chocolate for part of the chocolate chips. Good choices are orange, raspberry, or mint.
• ADD Instant Espresso Powder - Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate and will very slightly reduce the sweetness. Add one teaspoon of instant espresso to the milk as it heats.
• ADD Spice - Mexican-style hot chocolate contains cinnamon. Other spices that are added often are chiles for a traditional Aztec version or chai spices for a modern twist.

How to Serve Homemade Hot Chocolate

This creamy hot chocolate is so rich and flavorful that you will definitely enjoy sipping it on its own without any garnish. But for extra flare and an over-the-top experience, you can top it with your favorite toppings like whipped cream, small or crushed cookies, finely crushed peppermint candies, or mini marshmallows.

For a tipsy version, just for adults, you can add peppermint schnapps, coffee liqueur, hazelnut liqueur, amaretto, Irish cream, or any other liqueur flavor that goes well with chocolate. Add about one shot per 8 ounces of hot chocolate.