Tag Archives: Hot chocolate

Homemade Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix

If you like making homemade Christmas gifts, here’s a great idea I found at MyRecipes. Just about everyone loves hot cocoa, so you really can’t go wrong giving this! You can get jars like the one above at Wal-Mart, or you can use whatever kind of jars you like. This recipe makes enough to fill a 1-quart jar (12 servings; I upped the amount of the mini chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candy from the original recipe, since I had some extra room in my jar). If you want to use smaller jars, you can divide the mixture up equally between those. A ribbon tied around the neck of the jar makes this hot cocoa gift really festive, too. And you’ll need to add a tag that gives directions on how to make the cocoa (directions are included in the recipe below).

This is a rich, chocolatey cocoa mix that makes a great cup of hot cocoa! And it has a nice touch of peppermint, so it’s perfect for the holidays. If I have the time, I may just make my own hot cocoa mix from now on!

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT HOT COCOA MIX adapted from MyRecipes.com

Makes about 12 servings, enough to fill a 1-quart (32-ounce) jar

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes (I used 3/4 cup)

In a 1-quart jar, layer powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and last of all, the peppermint candy on top. Cover jar with lid, tie a pretty holiday ribbon around the neck of the jar if desired, and attach a homemade gift tag with cocoa-making instructions on the back.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BACK OF GIFT TAG: “Mix contents of jar in a large bowl. For each serving, place a slightly heaping 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Store remaining mix back in jar or another airtight container.”

NOTE: This mix will fill a 1-quart jar (about 12 servings, with each serving being a slightly heaping 1/3 cup), but if your containers are different sizes, just keep the ratio of ingredients constant.

Are you making any homemade Christmas gifts this year?

Linked to Inspire Me Monday.

Jumbo Hot Chocolate Cookies

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Lately, I’ve been in this jumbo cooking-making mode. I think it’s because jumbo cookies look so much like bakery cookies. They’re nice and thick and chewy…a cookie you can really sink your teeth into! So when I saw a recipe for Hot Chocolate Cookies at Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees, I decided to give them a try. I just used milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips, leaving out the white chocolate chips from the original recipe; but even without the white chocolate chips, these cookies are still stuffed with plenty of chocolate! The batter is very thick, too, so your arms will get a good workout when you’re stirring these up! 🙂 This recipe makes 22-24 good-sized cookies. I think they’re a great winter treat…with a big mug of hot cocoa, of course!

JUMBO HOT CHOCOLATE COOKES (adapted from Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/4 cup flour
1/2 to 2/3 cup of your favorite hot cocoa mix (don’t use sugar-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients slowly, making sure it is all incorporated. Then fold in the milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Like I mentioned earlier, this batter is really thick, so you may need to work the chocolate chips into the batter with your hands.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, place the dough on a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet (I baked 6 cookies at a time on the sheet because of their bigger size).

Bake for 11-15 minutes (the original recipe says 9-11 minutes, but my baking time was longer). Let the cookies cool slightly before removing from the pans. Cool on wire racks or eat them hot and gooey from the oven–they’re great both ways!

NOTE: If you like marshmallows in your hot cocoa, you may want to make these cookies with a hot cocoa mix that has those tiny marshmallow bits in it!

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday, Sunday Showcase, Sweet Tooth Friday, Potluck Sunday, Tasty Tuesday, Show and Tell, Sundae Scoop.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa

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This is a quick, easy treat you can enjoy on a cold day or evening during the holiday season. It’s always fun to use candy canes in recipes, too…they make everything seem more festive! This recipe is made with a packet of your favorite hot cocoa mix. Only you make it with milk instead of water, which gives you a hot cocoa that’s really rich and creamy. This recipe makes 1 mug of hot cocoa.

PEPPERMINT HOT COCOA

1 cup milk
1 packet of your favorite hot cocoa mix (I used Nestle® Rich Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa)
a drop or two of peppermint extract (you don’t need much!)
a small candy cane, for garnish

Heat milk in microwave-safe mug for about 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Remove from microwave and stir in packet of hot cocoa mix. Add a little drop or two of peppermint extract and blend well. Top with whipped cream and hook a little candy cane over the rim of your cup–you can stir the candy cane while you’re sipping the hot cocoa for some extra sweet, peppermint flavor!

Linked to Motivate Me Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Tuesdays at the Table.