Rich Hot Chocolate

Name: Rich Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 500 ml milk; 60 g dark chocolate (70–85%), finely chopped; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 1 tbsp sugar; ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional); 1 pinch salt; ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)

Vegetarian

Real dark chocolate melted into hot milk with a spoonful of cocoa for depth — thick, glossy and far better than a powdered mix.

Rich Hot Chocolate is an International hot drink, ready in about 10 minutes and made with dark chocolate (70–85%) and cocoa powder. It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking

Rich hot chocolate in a clear glass mug topped with whipped cream and cocoa. — Photo: Doğu Tuncer / Pexels · Pexels License

Prep: 3 min
Cook: 7 min
Total: 10 min
Serves: 2
Level: Beginner
Calories: 367

Ingredients

2 mugs

500 ml Milk (opens in a new tab)Swap: Soy milk; Almond milk (unsweetened) (Thinner result.)Contains milk
60 g Dark chocolate (70–85%) (opens in a new tab), finely chopped
1 tbsp (5.5 g) Cocoa powder (opens in a new tab)
1 tbsp (13 g) Sugar (opens in a new tab)Adjust to the sweetness of your chocolate.Swap: Maple syrup
¼ tsp (1 g) Vanilla extract (opens in a new tab) (optional)
1 pinch (0.5 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) Cinnamon (opens in a new tab) (optional)

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
In a saucepan (opens in a new tab), whisk (opens in a new tab) the cocoa, sugar (opens in a new tab) and salt with about 50 ml of the milk (opens in a new tab) into a smooth paste.
How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels
2
Step 2
Whisk (opens in a new tab) in the rest of the milk (opens in a new tab) and heat over medium heat until steaming and small bubbles appear at the edge. Don't let it boil.
- 4 min
- medium heat
3
Step 3
Take off the heat, add the chopped chocolate (opens in a new tab) and leave 30 seconds, then whisk (opens in a new tab) until melted and glossy.
- 1 min
- Whisk (opens in a new tab)
4
Step 4
Return to low heat for a minute to thicken slightly, stir in vanilla (opens in a new tab) and cinnamon (opens in a new tab) if using, and pour into mugs.
- 1 min
- low heat

About this dish

Origin: Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainChocolate drinks originate in Mesoamerica; this sweetened milk version is a later European-style preparation now made everywhere.
Dish: Snack · Dessert · Hot drinks
Cooking method: Simmered
Taste: rich, sweet, bitter, creamy
Diet: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-sodium
Without the optional extras: Alcohol-freeWith the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Child-friendly · Festive & celebration
Cook more with: Dark chocolate (70–85%) · Cocoa powder · Milk · Sugar
Techniques: Simmering

Allergens

Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk, dark chocolate (70–85%)
May contain: Peanutsfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)
May contain: Tree nutsfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)
May contain: Soyfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

367 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 297 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

Protein 12%
Carbohydrate 36%
Fat 52%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	367 kcal	124 kcal
Protein	11 g	3.7 g
Carbohydrate	34 g	11.4 g
Net carbohydrate	29.7 g	10 g
Sugars	26.5 g	8.9 g
Added sugars	—	—
Fibre	4.3 g	1.4 g
Fat	21.5 g	7.3 g
Saturated fat	12.4 g	4.2 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	27 mg	9 mg
Sodium	195 mg	66 mg
Salt equivalent	0.5 g	0.2 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 595 mg
Calcium: 316 mg
Iron: 4 mg
Magnesium: 107 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 119 µg
Vitamin C: —
Vitamin D: —
Vitamin B12: 1.2 µg
Folate (DFE): —

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: vanilla extract, cinnamon.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Chopping the chocolate finely means it melts in the residual heat without scorching.

Common mistakes

Boiling the milk, which can scorch on the base and form a skin.

Serve with

Top with a little whipped cream or a dusting of cocoa.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a pan, whisking, until steaming.

Variations

Mexican-style (Mexico): Add a pinch of cayenne and a cinnamon stick while the milk heats.
Spanish-style thick chocolate (Spain): Whisk 1 tsp cornflour into the cold milk for a spoon-coating drink to serve with churros.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 26 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Milk500 ml · 515 g

Used in steps 1, 2

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

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