The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! (2024)

By Kelly

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Published: Dec 20, 2020

Updated: Nov 08, 2023

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The thickest and creamiest Hot Chocolate recipe EVER! Think: 5 star restaurant style! Ever wonder how they do it? You’re going to love how easy it is to make your own hot cocoa. It’s a billion times better than a hot cocoa packet mixed with water. This hot chocolate is simply divine. Everyone will think you’re a genius when they taste this (honestly, it’s that good!). If you make it look fancy, you’ll get extra bonus points. I’ll show you a trick to making it look super elegant without any special skills, ingredients, or supplies needed.

Hot Chocolate

My decadent homemade hot chocolate recipe is a combination of milk, chocolate chips, condensed milk, and whipped cream. It is extra flavorful and delicious! It requires a special amount of stirring (that’s where the magic happens!).

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Ingredients:

  1. whole milk
  2. sweetened condensed milk
  3. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  4. vanilla extract
  5. whipped cream
  6. ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Star by adding milk to a medium-large pot. Then, add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the milk. Now, if you know anything about chocolate, it can be very temperamental! Chocolate is VERY sensitive and burns extremely easily. Do yourself a favor and keep your stovetop on low this entire time and stir the hot chocolate constantly. If the chocolate chips settle on the bottom of the hot pan for too long, it will burn.

Right after you add in the chocolate chips, pour in sweetened condensed milk. You can find a can of sweetened condensed milk in the baking aisle of any grocery store. This stuff is SO yummy! They come in smaller cans that are 14oz. You will want to use between 12oz and 14oz for this thick and creamy hot chocolate recipe. Next, add vanilla extract! I tend to add extra because I just love vanilla extract.

Recipe Tip

The most important part of creating thick and creamy hot cocoa is the love that goes into slowly warming it up. Keep the burner on low and stir regularly for about 30 minutes or until it gets hot. Just be sure to not try and heat it up too fast! The kitchen will start smelling like a chocolate factory and, before you know it, every kid will come out of nowhere waiting with excitement. Your kids will now know that their mom makes the BEST hot chocolate ever!

The final part is not necessary, however, I think this small detail makes a huge difference for anyone you’re serving the hot cocoa to. Homemade whipped cream requires special ingredients and tools. Instead, I like to make cups of cocoa look like elegant hot chocolate served in the fanciest restaurants. Simply put regular whipped cream in a bowl and stir it around with a spoon.

Stirring ordinary whipped cream gives it a beautiful creamy texture that you can spoon on top of the hot chocolate. Add as much or as little of the super smooth whipped cream as your heart desires. The fanciest step of all is sprinkling a line of ground cinnamon on top! You might as well serve it with a spoon at this point because this is no regular cup of hot cocoa! It deserves to be savored.

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The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! (13)

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Hot Chocolate Recipe

The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! Think: 5-star restaurant style!

Equipment

  • Medium-large pot

  • Whisk

  • Mixing bowl

  • Spoon

  • ladle

Ingredients

  • 5 cup whole milk
  • 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (at least 1 tsp, you can add more!)
  • Can of whipped cream
  • Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Pour milk into a pot over low heat

  • Keep it on low heat the entire time to prevent burning

  • Add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract to the milk

  • Stir regularly for at least 30 minutes to ensure the chocolate and milk doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pot

  • Once hot, put ordinary whipped cream into a mixing bowl and stir it with a spoon. This removes the extra bubbles making it look fancy and smooth!

  • Ladle the thick and creamy hot chocolate into a mug

  • Spoon the smooth whipped cream on top

  • Sprinkle a line of ground cinnamon across the mug

Additional Info

The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! (14)

Welcome to Smart School House! I’m so glad you are here! I’m Kelly Dixon and my website is designed to inspire your creative side. I hope you visit us here often!

Read more about me

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The THICKEST and CREAMIEST Hot Chocolate Recipe EVER! (2024)

FAQs

How to make your hot chocolate thicker? ›

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Mix a small amount with cold milk or water to create a smooth paste. Whisk this into your hot chocolate towards the end of the cooking process until it thickens. Double Cream: Stirring in a splash of double cream can instantly enrich and thicken your drink, giving it a velvety texture.

Why is hot chocolate in Europe so thick? ›

In mainland Europe (particularly Spain and Italy), hot chocolate is sometimes served very thick due to the use of a thickening agent such as cornstarch. One of the thick forms of hot chocolate served in Europe is the Italian cioccolata calda.

How to make chocolate milk thicker? ›

Want it thicker? Try adding a teaspoon for cornstarch before blending. Make it a Chocolate Milkshake by adding vanilla ice cream!

What country has thick hot chocolate? ›

Belgian Hot Chocolate

Of course Belgium has made it to a list involving decadent chocolate! Usually involving more than one kind of chocolate, Belgian hot chocolate is thick and creamy, but its rise to fame is specifically the Wittier Chocolatier recipe from Brussels.

What is the best milk for thick hot chocolate? ›

Dairy Milk: Full cream dairy milk remains a classic choice for a rich, velvety hot chocolate. Plant-Based Milks: Soy, oat, almond, and coconut milks offer delightful plant-based alternatives, each adding a unique twist.

Why add cornstarch to hot chocolate? ›

The cornstarch version thickened quickly, making the hot chocolate very thick and creamy, and in the end we decided on a combination of cornstarch and confectioner's sugar, for the ideal texture and sweetness.

Why does Mexican hot chocolate taste better? ›

The most significant difference is in the ingredients. Mexican hot chocolate uses various spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and ancho chili pepper.

What is the thick hot chocolate in Paris called? ›

But not just any chocolate: A cup of thick and rich French chocolat chaud. This exquisite blend of butter, melted chocolate, and whole milk doesn't resemble anything similar to the murky, watery hot chocolate we're used to in America.

Why is Italian hot chocolate so good? ›

You may think something this decadent is made with heavy cream, but it's not! With real chocolate, cocoa powder, 2 percent milk, and cornstarch used to thicken it, this Cioccolato Caldo is much richer, and enjoyed in smaller quantities than American-style hot cocoa.

What makes milk chocolate so creamy? ›

Ingredients of Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate and dark chocolate both use cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. But, is there milk in chocolate? Yes, milk chocolate uses milk powder to give it a creamier taste, texture, and lighter color.

How is store bought chocolate milk so thick? ›

Carrageenan, which is extracted from seaweed, is by far the most commonly used stabiliser in chocolate milk.

What is a substitute for cornstarch in hot chocolate? ›

Substitute cornstarch with plain flour.

It has the same effect, you just need to make sure you cook it for extra couple of minutes, to make sure the flour is cooked (yes, flour can be cooked). I recommend adding the flour while cooking the hot chocolate, so you have a little more control of the thickness.

What is the most popular hot chocolate in the world? ›

Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

We'd be remiss not to include Swiss Miss in our taste test because when it comes to hot chocolate mix, it's by far the most well-loved.

What is the difference between Italian hot chocolate and French hot chocolate? ›

Italy is another European country that loves its thick hot chocolate. Their version of hot chocolate uses heavy cream and milk like the French. But unlike the French, they go an extra step by adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture even more. The result is a pudding-like consistency that is still pourable.

What do Americans call hot chocolate? ›

Most people use the terms "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" interchangeably as they're both hot and chocolaty, but they're not exactly the same thing. Technically speaking, hot cocoa and hot chocolate are also two very different beverages.

How do you thicken runny chocolate? ›

A: One way to thicken your runny ganache is by adding more chocolate. Heating it up and then adding in parts of chocolate can help the ganache to thicken. You could also let it cool down and thicken naturally as it cools.

How do you fix hot chocolate that is too sweet? ›

The solution is to include pieces of dark chocolate. You can use Bittersweet Couverture Chocolate from Tulip, which has a classy and refined taste. Adding dark chocolate slices will not just make your drink less sweet, but it will also enhance your hot chocolate's quality, making it richer and more decadent!

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