This hot chocolate is the most decadent you could possibly imagine. It is thick, but not overly so, making it glide down and coat your throat with chocolate. The Italians know how to take hot chocolate to the next level. Whether you’re cozying up on a cold day or treating yourself to an indulgent dessert drink, this recipe delivers pure bliss in every sip.
For another indulgent drink, you should try making your own homemade eggnog.
Why Our Recipe
- Luxuriously thick and dreamy, with an easy adjustment for those who like it ultra-thick.
- Rich, chocolatey goodness from melting real chocolate to make every sip pure bliss.
- Sweet tooth? Add more sugar. Prefer less? You’ve got options!
Did anyone else grow up watching Willy Wonka, coveting a swim in his chocolate river? Fret over Augustus getting stuck in the pipe and being turned into fudge? Well friends, imagine yourselves gliding through that river of chocolate, taking large gulps along the way, with no fear of being sent to the fudge room. This here is your personal chocolate river.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Both salted and unsalted butter work for this recipe. Salt does enhance the flavor of chocolate so go with what you’ve got on hand.
- Cornstarch: This is the magic that gives your hot chocolate its signature thickness. Want it ultra-thick, like straight melted chocolate? Just double the amount.
- Milk: Whole milk gives you the dreamiest, creamiest texture, but 2% or even 1% work too. Milk alternatives also work. Go for full-fat oat milk or almond milk as they’ll still give you a luscious result.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweeten it to your liking! Use less for dark chocolate lovers or up to 4 tablespoons if you want it dessert-level sweet.
- Chocolate Chips: Use a good quality chocolate chip like Guittard or Ghiradelli. You can also use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Prefer something darker? Go for bittersweet chocolate. You can also just chop up a bar of your favorite chocolate.
Chocolate Options
Feel free to adjust the darkness of the chocolate simply by carefully choosing the type of chocolate you use. Some prefer all milk chocolate, while others prefer it to be quite dark. Personally, we like to use a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. You can go lighter, darker, or mix and match for your perfect taste. You can even use white chocolate chips for a fun twist!
Flavor Variations
Peppermint: Add 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract or garnish with crushed candy canes.
Spiced: Stir in a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even cayenne for warm vibes.
Hazelnut: Replace part of the milk with hazelnut creamer or add a splash of hazelnut syrup.
Orange Chocolate: Add 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract for the same flavor you know and love from chocolate oranges at Christmas.
Mocha: Stir in a teaspoon of instant espresso powder for a coffeehouse-inspired treat.
Tips for Heating Milk
When it comes to heating milk, gentle and slow is the way to go. If milk gets too much heat, or heats too quickly it can scorch. Yes, you can burn milk and it is pretty gross. Keep the heat low and stir constantly. Stirring constantly helps prevent scorching because it keeps the liquid flowing so that none of it should be touching the sides of the pan long enough for scorching to occur.
Serving Suggestions
Hot chocolate is a treat on its own, but the right toppings and presentation can make it truly magical. Here are a few fun ideas to serve it up in style:
Whipped Cream: A generous dollop of whipped cream makes each sip extra indulgent. Amp it up with a sprinkle of cocoa powder, cinnamon, or some elegant chocolate shavings.
Marshmallow Fun: Top your mug with mini marshmallows, go bold with jumbo ones, or toast them lightly for a gooey, golden finish.
Holiday Cheer: Crushed candy canes add the perfect holiday flair—colorful, minty, and so much fun.
DIY hot chocolate bar! Keep the hot chocolate warm in a slow cooker, then lay out bowls of toppings for guests to create their perfect cup. Whipped cream, marshmallows, and chocolate shavings are crowd favorites, but feel free to add extras like sprinkles or crushed cookies. It’s interactive, fun, and delicious!
Make-Ahead
If you want to make your hot chocolate ahead of time, simply transfer the finished hot chocolate into a slow cooker set to warm. It will last for approximately 2 hours this way.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Serve cold or hot. If desired, reheat on the stove in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Amazingly enough, this is also great cold. It might even be better, if that is possible. Be prepared to feel torn on whether to drink your whole glass while it is hot, or to save some to have cold the next morning.
More delicious hot drinks…
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I used bittersweet baking chocolate mainly to use it up and half and half, again to use it up and wowza! It turned into pudding which I’m ok with!! Also I used powdered Monkfruit instead of sugar-delicious!
I love how you say “keep the leftovers.” LOL what leftovers??
This is the perfect starter recipe to make your own! I omit the sugar, use semi sweet chocolate chips, and add 1 T of cocoa powder. Then top with lots of whipped cream, which adds the perfect touch of sweetness for my tastes.
I made this soup tonight and wow! It was delicious hot and cold! Thank you for sharing this tasty recipe that’s full of BIG salty, spicy and sweet flavors.
I used canned corn, which I noticed had added sugar, so I omitted the sugar called for in the recipe and the balance was just right.
Thanks also to those who noted/recommended blending the soup with an immersion blender. Since I was going to blend it, I just rough-chopped the onion, jalapeño and garlic, which saved time. I kept some texture by reserving about half of the corn; once the base was well-blended, I added the reserved corn, chopped cilantro and cream/milk.
I chose not to salt until the very end, especially with the varying saltiness of chicken stocks/broths. Mine was a low sodium broth and I found the recommended 2 tsp of salt to be perfect for our tastes.
I did not deseed my jalapeño and the final result was a tad spicier than we prefer, so I’ll remove some seeds next time and add them gradually if not spicy enough.
After trying two of your recipes and both being absolutely delicious and well-deserving of their 5-star reviews, I cannot wait to try more!
This is just the best holiday treat. I used all the sugar and cornstarch and contemplated adding espresso powder, but resisted. Thanks a gazillion fir this incredible recipe.
Never made this, but sure would like to try this one. I love hot chocolate.
I have dietary restrictions so I made this with Coconut milk, sugar free chocolate chips and Swerve sweetener. OMGosh! It is so decadent even with the substitutions. Thank you!
This hot chocolate is amazing. My boys loved it. It was slightly too rich for me so I added a little more milk to my cup. Will make again
Really best hot chocolate i’ve tasted ! My husband swears by it and he is usually on diet haha
Definitely not for the “ faint of heart”. Delicious . I used dark chocolate chips, 2 tsp of cornstarch, and poured out a mug full. That is on much. However my husband asked for more. He is a serious hot chocolate drinker. I believe I would cut the sugar back, maybe in half. And more than two teaspoons of cornstarch would be close to hot fudge! Which hey, that’s an idea. Anyway, delicious.