Hot Cocoa Mix: Recipe #1

I bought some Contigo thermal mugs because I want to take hot chocolate to work every morning. Since the only Instructables I found for hot cocoa mix included non-dairy creamer, I decided to post the recipes I am working on.

As always, the recipe picture above is a 4x6 JPG file. If you download it, you can print it on 4x6 photo paper to keep in your personal recipe box.

For equipment, you will need:

1. A storage container with airtight lid (I'm using a wide-mouth pint Mason/Ball jar as I have a vacuum sealer for the lid)
2. A scale that measures in grams OR measuring cups
3. A dash (⅛ teaspoon) measuring spoon
4. A coffee scoop for serving

For ingredients, you will need:

1. 160g (1⅓ cup) sugar
2. 30g (⅔ cup) baking cocoa
3. 45g (½ cup) powdered milk
4. 1 dash (⅛ t.) salt

1. Put all of the ingredients into the storage container.
2. Put on the lid.
3. Shake the container to blend the ingredients.
4. Done!

1. Place 1 coffee scoop of the mix into a drinking vessel.
2. Pour hot water into the drinking vessel.
3. Stir to dissolve the mix.

You now have homemade hot cocoa!

Cost-wise, this mix makes 20 coffee-scoop servings. That makes each scoop 8.7¢. The cheapest generic hot cocoa mix I could find costs 20¢ per coffee-scoop serving but includes ingredients such as hydrogenated coconut oil (a saturated fat), sodium aluminosilicate (exceeds tolerable weekly intake of aluminum), and artificial flavor (is the cocoa not good enough?). That means the homemade version is a bit safer and healthier than the store-bought. Not only am I saving 11.3¢ per serving (or 22.6¢ per 16-fl.-oz. Contigo mug), but I also KNOW the ingredients I am using are less toxic and closer to natural. That alone makes this recipe worth it.

But how does it taste? The best thing I can say right now is it definitely rivals what is available at the grocery store. For all the sugar in it, it does not have a sugary taste. The cocoa comes through nicely, and it might come through better if I use a better cocoa than Kroger generic. All in all, this is a nice, chocolaty sipper. This is going to be a nice thing to have during the cold day at work tomorrow.