Homemade Cinnamon Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe (2024)

Do you love delicious hot chocolate but want to avoid all of the corn syrup solids and other questionable ingredients? This homemade cinnamon hot chocolate mix recipe takes a total time of 5 minutes to make, contains no powdered milk, and it uses ingredients you probably have on hand anyway. Grab this easy homemade hot cocoa mix recipe for easy warm treat!

This homemade hot cocoa mix is one of our favorite things for cold mornings when your body just wants something warm to drink. Our homemade version comes without all of the preservatives and crunchy mini marshmallows, though we recommend topping it with your own marshmallows or even a dollop of fresh whipped cream!

Did you know the classic powdered hot cocoa mix from the grocery store is chock full of corn syrup solids, carrageenan, artificial flavor, and hydrogenated oils? That’s not super appealing to me, especially when making your own is just so easy.

And even though hot cocoa is a sweet drink, I feel much better drinking a sweetened drink I’ve made at home that uses the natural flavor of cocoa and cinnamon. This way I know exactly what went into it. And once you realize how easy hot cocoa mix is to make (5 ingredients!), you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it all along!

This post may contain affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a commission off of links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Brown Sugar in Hot Cocoa

I like to add a bit of cinnamon to our homemade hot cocoa mix. The cinnamon is subtle, so there’s no overpowering spice taste. I’ve also found that a key to rich and delicious cocoa is using brown sugar as well as white sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar gives this mix a richness that is lacking in other powdered cocoas.

So if you’ve been on the fence about making your own cocoa, dive on in and give this one a try. It mixes up in minutes, and can be stored in an airtight container for use all winter long. (If it lasts that long.)

Hot Cocoa Mix for Gift Giving

Did I mention it’s also great for gifting? The little gardeners recently received a letter from a child wesponsorin Kenya. Over the five years we’ve been sponsoring him and writing letters back and forth, he’s never asked for anything. In fact, last Christmas he wrote to tell us what he was able to purchase with the Christmas money we sent him: a sheet of metal for the roof of his family’s home, a blanket for himself, and some candy.

Y’all, I was totally blown away. I knew that his circ*mstances weren’t the best, and it’s something we have talked to our kids about, but actually seeing where he used the money we sent was humbling.

So in his last letter, he told us he had been hoping for a bike to help make traveling to and from school easier. His education is incredibly important to us. Our kids immediately jumped on board, and they came up with a way to raise the $100 a bike would cost.

They purchased supplies, crafted, and sold jars of this hot cocoa mix to amazing people in our community. The support was overwhelming, and we even had a few folks ask if we would continue to sell them throughout the season, so they could purchase more as teacher gifts. Amazing!

Just a side story I had to share! And if you’d like to gift this hot cocoa mix for any purpose, scroll to the bottom for free printable labels we created. Now, onto the recipe!

Homemade Cinnamon Hot Cocoa Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy hot chocolate recipe. Nothing fancy or overly complicated here, just pantry staples!

• 1 cup sugar (we use turbinado)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 heaping cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Whole cinnamon sticks (optional)

How to Make Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine both sugars and whisk together. Add in cocoa, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until incorporated.

2. Place mix in sealable container (glass mason jars work well) and store until ready to use.

3. To use, warm milk in a mug in the microwave or in a small pot on the stovetop. (Any milk will do: almond milk, oat milk, etc.) Use 1-2 tablespoons of mix for every 8oz cup of hot milk. (This depends on your sweet tooth.) I also add in a splash of vanilla extract after I’ve added the mix. But that’s optional.

4. Top with marshmallows if desired and enjoy!

For a family-sized batch, heat your favorite milk in a large saucepan and whisk in the cinnamon hot chocolate mix. Use a ladle to distribute and serve!

Share this homemade hot cocoa mix with family and friends on Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings. It’s easy to whip up with your favorite milk or non-dairy beverage.

Top with marshmallows or whipped cream and an extra dusting of cinnamon. Have a great week, and click the image below for the free printable Cinnamon Hot Cocoa Mix gift tags:

More Homemade Gift Ideas:

• Orange Spice Stovetop Potpourri
• Zucchini Ginger Preserves
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Hydro Dipped Terra Cotta Planter

Related