This Double Cocoa Hot Chocolate Mix is a simple gift that is perfect for friends, coworkers, or family this holiday season. Customize it or leave it plain, and include the simple instructions for heating with milk.
I love gifting things to friends over the holiday season. It truly is a great time to be thankful for the people who are wonderful to you, and show them that love with a treat!
Over the next week, I will be featuring three easy DIYs that are not time consuming once you assemble the simple ingredients. While you can spice them up by adding extra components, the basic recipe is a delicious double cocoa hot chocolate mix that you can gift in small jars for the holidays.
If you’re looking to jazz up the basic recipe, here are some ideas…
- Customize it with peanut butter chips for your peanut butter lover!
- Add a crushed candy cane for peppermint hot cocoa
- Sprinkle in a dash of cinnamon and cayenne for Mexican flavor!
- Have a coworker who loves ordering mochas at the local coffee shop? Add in some espresso powder!
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- Marshmallows to fill the jar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Optional add-ins (e.g. spices, crushed peppermint, espresso powder)
- Using a jar with a sealing lid, use a spoon to layer in the cocoa powder followed by a layer of white sugar.
- Top those layers with the chocolate chips, and add mini or normal sized marshmallows to fill the jar.
- Seal the jar and tie a cinnamon stick to the outside with ribbon or twine.
- When gifting, include a tag for the recipient: Take the marshmallows off the top and set aside. Add the jar contents and the cinnamon stick to a pan with 4 cups of milk. Stir the mixture until it is hot, and ladle into mugs. Top with marshmallows and enjoy!
I recommend these 5-ounce spice jars (affiliate), as they are what I used in the photos below for the recipe. Another option are these 5-ounce plastic jars (affiliate), or you could reuse any small glass jars you have on hand.
When gifting, don’t forget to include a tag for the recipient so they know what to do!
Recommended script: Take the marshmallows off the top and set aside. Add the the jar contents and the cinnamon stick to a pan with 4 cups of milk. Stir the mixture until it is hot and ladle into mugs. Top with marshmallows and enjoy!
Looking for more Edible DIY Gift Ideas?
- Candied Almonds: Put them into a jar and tie with ribbon or twine
- Maple Almond Butter: Delicious and nutritious nut butter, perfectly giftable
- Swirled Chocolate Bark: Use this as a base recipe for your favorite flavors, and break up into small pieces and set into a small gift box or cellophane bag with ribbon
- Spiced Pear Butter: Use seasonal pears or apples to make a delicious butter for gifting (note: this is perishable and must be refrigerated)
- Pumpkin Carrot Bread: Wrap in brown paper and tie with twine (note: this must be consumed within 4 days)
- Oatmeal Cranberry Pecan Cookies: Combine all dry ingredients in a jar with a note to add egg, butter, oil, vanilla, and hot water + baking instructions
- Homemade Hot Sauce: For the spice lover in your life – blend up a custom blend with their favorite peppers
Happy gifting!
Marisa
Jessi Even says
So genius! Need to get all crafty for the office 🙂
Uproot from Oregon says
That was exactly my thought process! Easy and simple gifts to put together without a big budget!
Laura Anna says
Questa è un’idea meravigliosa!
Uproot from Oregon says
Thank you! Grazie Laura!
Heather @ Sweet Precision says
Wonderful idea! I love making homemade gifts for my friends, and it’s always a bonus when gifts are useable!
Uproot from Oregon says
Absolutely! Hope this week gives you some inspiration!
Jen says
These look great! How many mugs do you get out of each jar?
Uproot from Oregon says
Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I recommend mixing it with 4 cups of milk, so it depends on the mug but usually 2 servings per small jar. You can easily scale it up using a pint jar for 4 generous servings (double the recipe and add 8 cups of milk).
Jen says
Perfect! Can’t wait to make a few of these for Christmas gifts. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Jewels says
Hi!
I want to double check, is the dutch processed cocoa the same as unsweetened cocoa powder?
Excited to make these!
Marisa says
Hi Jewels! You can use them mostly interchangeably (except for baking). Dutch processed cocoa had an earthier flavor, whereas natural cocoa (like Hershey’s) is a bit more acidic.
Kea says
I have used this recipe for teacher holiday gifts for the past 3 years! It’s perfect!
I also use the “Droste Dutch cocoa powder”. It’s expensive but worth it!
Marisa says
Hi Kea – I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying the recipe and have used it over and over! Thank you for sharing! I will have to check out that cocoa powder and whip some more cocoa mix up for myself.
Anna says
Delicious!!! I’m so glad I picked this recipe for the cocoa gifts I made 🙂
Marisa says
I’m so glad they turned out well for you, Anna! Thanks for letting me know!