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Home » Recipes » Beverage Recipes

Creamy Hot Chocolate

Published: Feb 13, 2023 by Jan Nunes

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Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles with text overlay.
Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles with text overlay.
Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles with text overlay.

This rich and Creamy Hot Chocolate is the perfect sweet treat to warm you up. Simply made with just chocolate chips, cream, milk, and vanilla, smooth velvety hot chocolate never tasted so good!

Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles. A small dish of mini oreos is in the foreground.

This is not your ordinary everyday hot cocoa. This creamy, dreamy hot chocolate is loaded with semi-sweet chocolate, cream, and milk that will soothe any chocolate craving you might have.

Jump to:
  • Hot Chocolate vs. Hot Cocoa
  • Why We Love Creamy Hot Chocolate
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients to Make Creamy Hot Chocolate
  • Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Creamy Hot Chocolate
  • How to Serve Hot Chocolate
  • Times to Serve Creamy Hot Chocolate
  • My Top Tips
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • Make-Ahead & Storage
  • More Delicious Drinks
  • 📖 Recipe

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 you are making a ganache and then you thin the ganache with milk and cook it. Oh... yes! De-li-cious!

My Creamy Hot Chocolate is made the same way. You heat cream, pour it over chocolate, and make a ganache. Then you heat milk and add the ganache. Simply simmer a few minutes and there you have it, or as the French would say voilà! 

Hot Chocolate vs. Hot Cocoa

Both hot chocolate and hot cocoa contain milk, cream, and vanilla. However hot chocolate contains solid chocolate and hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder.

Cocoa powder is powdered chocolate from the cocoa bean that has the cocoa butter, a fat, and cocoa solids removed which makes a dry powder.

Hot chocolate is definitely a more flavorful and luxurious beverage and hot cocoa is a much quicker chocolate beverage to make.

Why We Love Creamy Hot Chocolate

  • Only 4 Ingredients
  • Quick and Easy to Make – a 20-Minute Recipe
  • Customizable to Your Taste
  • Scalable Recipe for Holiday Gatherings
  • This is the Only Hot Chocolate Recipe You Will Ever Need!

Why This Recipe Works

The beauty of this recipe is that you can change it easily to suit your taste. If it is too sweet, you can use bittersweet chocolate for all or part of the semi-sweet. If it is too thick, you can add a little more milk to thin it, and if you want a special flavor simply swap some of the chocolate for flavored chocolate like orange or raspberry. There is no limit to the variations you can create.

Are you ready to make the most decadently delicious hot chocolate ever?

Great!... So, let's cook!

Ingredients to Make Creamy Hot Chocolate

The ingredients, clockwise from top right: heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Here's what you need to make this creamy 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.
  • Heavy Cream - Use the very best heavy cream you can find. There is no skimping in this recipe.
  • 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.

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Creamy Hot Chocolate

Process Photo 1a - Heavy cream is being heated in a large saucepan.
Process Photo 1b - Semi-sweet chocolate chips are in a heat proof glass bowl.

In a medium saucepan bring the heavy cream to a boil. As the cream heats, place the chocolate chips into a large heat-resistant bowl.

Process Photo 2a - Pouring hot heavy cream into a bowl of chocolate chips.
Process Photo 2b- Whisking the heavy cream and the chocolate chips.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.  Let the chocolate and cream stand for 5 minutes without stirring. Then mix the chocolate and cream mixture with a whisk until it is well combined and smooth.

Process Photo 3- Adding the chocolate ganache to the hot milk.

In a large 2-quart pan, heat the whole milk to a simmer.  Carefully, add the chocolate and cream ganache to the heated milk.

Process Photo 4 - Adding vanilla extract to the hot chocolate.

Whisk the chocolate ganache and milk until it is smooth and stir in the vanilla extract. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Creamy Hot Chocolate is in a glass mug garnished with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, and a wafer cookie.

Pour the hot chocolate into cups or mugs and garnish as desired.

How to Serve 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 whipped topping, small or crushed cookies, finely crushed peppermint candies, and 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.

Times to Serve Creamy Hot Chocolate

  • Cool Nights
  • Valentine's Day
  • Christmas Eve
  • Special Brunches
  • Halloween
  • Just Because It is Soooo Good!

My Top Tips

♡ For easy preparation, beat the ganache well with a whisk and always let the milk come to a full simmer before adding the ganache.

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.
  • Flavored Chocolate - Experiment with substituting flavored chocolate for part of the chocolate chips. Good choices are orange, raspberry, or mint.
  • ADD Instant Espresso - 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.

Make-Ahead & Storage

You really can't make hot chocolate in advance. This is one of those beverages you need to serve immediately after making it.

Two dessert glasses filled with cold hot chocolate topped with a dollop of whipped topping and a sugar flower.

However, if you do have some leftover, you can make a scrumptious chocolate dessert!

Let the hot chocolate cool to room temperature. If a skin formed while it cooled, remove it with a fork, and whisk the remaining cooled hot chocolate well, and pour it into small dessert glasses. Refrigerate it and you will have a dessert that is a very soft set pudding that is delicious!

Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles. A small dish of mini oreos is in the foreground.

More Delicious Drinks

  • Irish Cream Iced Coffee Mocktail
  • Minty Kiss White Hot Chocolate
  • Mulled Red Wine
  • Tequila Hot Toddy

♡ Did you try out this recipe? Please give it a Star Rating below and tag @enchartedcook on Instagram and hashtag it #enchartedcook.

📖 Recipe

Creamy Hot Chocolate is in two small pink mugs and garnished with chocolate sprinkles. A small dish of mini oreos is in the foreground.

Creamy Hot Chocolate

5 from 1 vote
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
This rich and Creamy Hot Chocolate is the perfect sweet treat to warm you up. Just four ingredients make a smooth and velvety hot chocolate.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings (6 ounces each)
Calories 472 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream
  • 8 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 2 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan bring the heavy cream to a boil. As the cream heats, place the chocolate chips into a large heat-resistant bowl.
    1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream, 8 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips.  Let the chocolate and cream stand for 5 minutes without stirring. Then mix the chocolate and cream mixture with a whisk until it is well combined and smooth.
  • In a large 2-quart pan, heat the whole milk to a simmer.  Carefully, add the chocolate and cream ganache to the heated milk.
    2 Cups Whole Milk
  • Whisk the chocolate ganache and milk until it is smooth and stir in the vanilla extract. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
    1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Pour the hot chocolate into cups or mugs and garnish as desired.

Notes

Half Recipe - For 2 Generous Servings
4 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
My Top Tips
♡ For easy preparation, beat the ganache well with a whisk and always let the milk come to a full simmer before adding the ganache.
Substitutions & Variations
  • Bittersweet Chocolate - Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips you can use bars or bittersweet chocolate in this recipe. Use a large chef’s knife to chop the chocolate into very small ¼” chunks.
  • Flavored Chocolate - Experiment with substituting flavored chocolate for part of the chocolate chips. Good choices are orange, raspberry, or mint.
  • ADD Instant Espresso - 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.
Make-Ahead & Storage
You really can't make hot chocolate in advance. This is one of those beverages you need to serve immediately after making it.
However, chilled leftover hot chocolate will make a delicious soft-set pudding.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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