With the excitement of the holidays gone for the year, the cold and bitter days of January need a sweet little treat to help us get through the weather until Spring. That's where a smooth cup of hot chocolate comes in!
While instant cocoa in a packet with those little marshmallows will do the trick in a pinch, nothing beats a classic cup of hot chocolate made the old-fashioned way on the stove.
This versatile recipe can be tweaked to your liking by adding in a little maple syrup, a pinch of cinnamon, a little extra vanilla extract, or even a dash of coffee to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate to appease every sweet craving this season - you can even forgo the baking cocoa and melt real chocolate for an even sweeter and chocolatey treat!
Serving: 1 cup
Yields: 5 cups
Total Time: about 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 4 cups milk
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Marshmallows, whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, candy cane (optional for topping)
DIRECTIONS
1) Combine sugar, cocoa, and sea salt in saucepan over medium heat
2) Add water; bring to a boil - stir for 2 minutes
3) Stir in milk; heat to serving temperature (do not boil mixture at this time)
4) Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, whisking until frothy
5) Top with marshmallows, whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, or candy cane (optional)
6) Sip and enjoy your winter treat!