Homemade Hot Chocolate vs. Store-Bought Packets
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Homemade Hot Chocolate vs. Store-Bought Packets
by Mrs. Katie of Heritage Ways
March 2025
A winter staple in our family of six children has always been homemade Hot Chocolate. There is a big stainless flip-lid container in our pantry labeled clearly for those needing a warm, chocolatey beverage on a cold winter’s day, or anytime a comforting drink is required. I grew up with my Mama making homemade beverage mixes like Russian Spiced Tea and Hot Chocolate mix. She not only offered those to us kids for winter warm-ups but would package those mixes as Christmas gifts for neighbors, friends, church members and family.
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Save Money and Waste
Those little envelopes of drink mixes are very expensive especially when compared to the homemade versions. Not to mention, why generate all the waste of boxes and envelopes when you can store homemade mix in attractive, labeled containers? My favorite for years is this stainless, locking lid with a clear lid to see when it is time to refill. We have used this container over 20 years. It has traveled with us to camp-outs, in full-time RV living and from home to home as we’ve moved. The locking lid keeps out moisture which is very important. If moisture invades any mix, the product will begin to mold and must be discarded.
We might take into consideration the money saved by consuming healthier foods and drinks. Doing so can avoid health issues in the future which could be costly in more ways than one. I’ve heard it said, “pay now or pay later” when it comes to our health.
Taste and texture of store-bought vs. homemade hot chocolate
One valid complaint of some of my children is that the homemade mix doesn’t taste or mix-up the same as the store-bought mixes. I will concede that this is true and there are reasons for the differences. Taking a look at the ingredients will give us quick insight.
Homemade mix recipes vary but the majority are basically the following ingredients:
sugar
cocoa powder
dry/powdered milk
salt
Some may call for malt powder, cornstarch and more but my basic recipe is the above four ingredients. These may be purchased in a price range from high-end, organic to lower quality, cheapest versions. The quality of the ingredients, as with any dish, will be reflected in the final product. Each of these ingredients is easy-to-find, to pronounce and to use.
Ingredients in the processed hot chocolate/cocoa mixes are listed clearly on the manufacturers’ websites but might not be so easy to identify or pronounce. These are the average listed ingredients in the store-bought products.
Source for ingredient list: SwissMiss.com
*sugar (beet or cane)
*corn syrup (“Corn syrup is a sugar syrup made from corn. It is high in maltose and other sugars like fructose and glucose.”)
*modified whey (“Whey is a class of milk proteins that do not clump together when exposed to acids (as in cheese making). Modifying whey is a process that allows for the proteins to be more functional in food, particularly providing better texture.”)
*cocoa processed with alkali (“Cocoa processed with alkali is cocoa that has been treated to be only slightly acidic and less bitter.”)
*hydrogenated coconut oil (“Coconut oil is the oil extracted from coconuts. Hydrogenation is a process that alters the melting point of oils making them solid at higher temperatures.”)
*nonfat milk
*salt
*dipotassium phosphate (“Dipotassium Phosphate is a salt commonly used as an emulsifier to improve the texture of food products.”)
*mono- and diglycerides (“Mono- and diglycerides are emulsifiers that are naturally present in seed oils. They can also be produced from other oils/fats and are mostly used in food to keep oils from separating out of the product.”)
natural flavor
Notice the terms “modified,” “processed,” “treated,” “seed oils.” Various lab-processes and ingredients are the explanation to why the store-bought mixes have the flavor that they have and why they “mix-up” easier. They are tested and produced to provide the perfect mouth feel and smooth experience. We can get around the mixing a bit with a helpful tool. A hand frother is handy when incorporating homemade mix into hot water.
Homemade mixes use purer ingredients that have not been processed. The Diligent Homemaker may find any degree of low- to high-processed sugar, cocoa powder, dry/powdered milk and salt. Remember, the quality of the ingredients will directly impact the overall product.
The typical ingredients I use
Cane sugar, the standard bagged sugar, can be used. I prefer to use this brand as it is not bleached using bones, as is standard cane sugar. It is all-natural, non-GMO.
Cocoa powder. Use what you like or can afford but this Wild Foods Organic Cocoa Powder checks all the healthy boxes.
Dry/powdered milk. Typically, I have used what I could afford. This is usually the big bag from the grocery store. Most recently, I began using the powdered milk from Thrive Life. We have noticed such a difference when using this product, which honestly is a bit surprising. I am not an affiliate but here is my customer sharing link. You may receive a discount when using that link.
Salt. I only use one salt for every purpose in my home. The taste and health benefits from Redmond Real Salt cannot be beaten, in my opinion. It is mined in the US and may be purchased in bulk, which is what we do. Salt should taste good and be good for the body. This salt checks those boxes! Note: Due to the mineral content in this salt, it may not completely dissolve. That is normal.
Printable Recipes
Three more recipes for Hot Chocolate are found in my most popular cookbook, From Katie’s Kitchen, Vol. One. These crowd-loving recipes are Mocha Party Punchbowl, Creamy Restaurant-Style Hot Chocolate, Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate. If you don’t have my big book, you’ll want to certainly add it to your kitchen. It is full of 200 family-favorites, time-honored hosting tips, real-life menus, stories and all my love for cooking and family meals. Grab that book HERE at Heritage Ways General Store.
Watch me make Bulk Hot Chocolate Mix HERE.
Don’t forget to count your blessings and know you are loved, ❤️Mrs. Katie
Copyright © 2025 Heritage Ways, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Mrs. Katie of Heritage Ways educates and encourages Diligent Homemakers by sharing her family’s homemaking and homesteading traditions and knowledge. A mother of six and a grandma, her favorite thing to do is cook for a table full of hungry folks. Find Mrs. Katie teaching at homemaking and homesteading events as well as online at Heritage Ways.com, @heritagewayskatie Instagram and YouTube. She’ll be the one wearing an apron and counting her blessings.
