Spiced Hot Chocolate From Scratch

Name: Spiced Hot Chocolate From Scratch
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Ingredients: 2 cups milk; 2 1/2 Tbsp raw honey; 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/8 tsp ground cardamom; 2 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

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Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom flavor this homemade spiced hot chocolate. The spices mixed with honey, vanilla, and unsweetened cocoa powder create the coziest drink. It’s perfect for chilly nights and cold winter days!

This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, podcasts, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!

freshly made mug of spiced hot chocolate

This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

In our house, we can’t get enough of this recipe! We like to whip up a few mugs for cozy nights at home while we watch a funny sitcom.

What is Spiced Hot Chocolate?

My spiced hot chocolate is a from-scratch cocoa base that’s spiced with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Think of a chocolatey chai. It’s kind of like that. You’re going to love it!

Video Tutorial

Why You’ll Love This Cozy Drink

Cozy and Warm: Spiced cocoa is like a hug in a mug. It’s the coziest drink for chilly days and cold nights.
Wholesome: Every single ingredient in this spiced hot chocolate is wholesome. You don’t have to worry about the junk found in premade hot chocolate mixes.
Easy to Make: This hot chocolate is super easy to make; it only takes a few minutes.

labeled ingredients for spiced hot chocolate

Ingredients You’ll Need

milk: I use either organic dairy milk or regular local dairy milk, but you can use dairy-free if you have an allergy or sensitivity.
raw honey: Honey is the best natural sweetener, but you could also use pure maple syrup. If you don’t have either, I recommend cane sugar.
pure vanilla extract: Pure extract not only tastes better but doesn’t contain added colorings.
ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds that cozy holiday taste.
ground nutmeg: The nutmeg adds a little warmth that plays perfectly with the cocoa.
ground cardamom: A little cardamom adds the perfect unique aromatic flavor.
unsweetened cocoa powder: The unsweetened cocoa powder adds the perfect chocolate flavor without making this drink too sweet.

Spiced Hot Chocolate Variations

Extra Creamy: For extra creamy hot chocolate, swap half of the milk for half and half or heavy cream. It’ll make it SO creamy!
Dark Chocolate: For a darker hot chocolate, add in another tablespoon of the cocoa powder. It’ll be a dark chocolate hot chocolate.
Sweeter: If you’ve got a sweet tooth and you’d love this to be sweeter, you can add more honey in to taste.
Swap the Honey: If you don’t have honey on hand, you can also use cane sugar.
More Spiced: If you want more spices, you can double the amounts or add more in to taste.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

medium saucepan
whisk
mugs (glass ones like this are my favorite!)

How to Make Spiced Hot Chocolate

adding spices to the pan of milk for spiced hot chocolate

Add all ingredients to a medium sized saucepan.

whisking cocoa powder into milk for peanut butter hot chocolate

Heat on medium heat for 5 minutes or until a desired warmth. Whisk frequently to combine the ingredients and prevent the milk from scorching. Don’t let it boil.

Remove from heat, serve in one large mug or two small. Sprinkle extra cinnamon on top if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Which cocoa powder should you use?

You should use an unsweetened cocoa powder that you would find in the baking aisle. This is pure cocoa and has zero extra additives or sugars.

What’s the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate?

These words are basically the same thing. People use them interchangeably. Although sometimes hot chocolate is used to describe a thicker, richer drink, that’s not very often.

How do you avoid skin from forming on the milk?

That skin forms when milk is heated without being stirred, so just make sure you’re whisking while the hot chocolate warms.

How do you dissolve cocoa powder so there’s no lumps?

You should add the cocoa slowly and use a whisk to combine it with the milk.

Best Toppings for Spiced Hot Chocolate

This spiced hot chocolate is delicious by itself but if you prefer a topping, you’ve got to try these:

extra cinnamon sprinkled on top
add a cinnamon stick to your mug while you enjoy it
top it with homemade whipped cream

More Cozy Winter Drinks To Try

Did you make this recipe?

Give it a 5-star rating in the comments below 👇🏼
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Spiced Hot Chocolate Recipe