- 2 cups milk regular, almond, cashew, oat, etc.
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 pinch sea salt (optional)
Heat: In a small saucepan, add in all of the ingredients.
Whisk: over medium-low heat, whisk occasionally until it just starts to boil. For kids, you don't want to heat it to a full boil or it will be too hot. For younger kids, check the temperature every few minutes to make sure you get it just right.
Serve: pour into kid-friendly mugs or cups and serve with your favorite toppings.
Age: 1 year and up
Storage: you can store any leftovers in an air-tight container the fridge for up to 5 days. You will need to reheat the hot chocolate on the stove for 2-3 minutes or until warm.
Toppings:
- Whipped Cream
- Shaved Chocolate
- Sprinkles
- Candy Canes (we love these dye-free ones)
- Mini Marshmallows (we love these vegan ones)
- Pretzel Rods
- Finely Chopped Nuts
- Toasted Coconut Flakes
- Freeze Dried Fruit - Mashed
- Carmel or Chocolate Sauce
Variations:
- Orange Cocoa: stir in 1/2-1 tsp freshly grated orange zest to the hot chocolate before serving. This is great if you use dark cocoa powder.
- Mexican Cocoa: add in a very very small pinch of cayenne and a bigger pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon and stir into the hot chocolate before serving.
- Pumpkin Spice: add 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the hot chocolate before serving.
- Nutella: add in 1 tablespoon of Nutella while mixing. This one definitely needs whipped cream to make it over-the-top amazing!
- Coconut: use coconut milk while making the cocoa and add a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes on top of the whipped cream.
- Almond: add 1/4 tsp almond extract and a pinch of nutmeg to the hot chocolate while mixing.
- Peanut Butter: add in 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter while mixing, serve with pretzel rods for a fun twist.
- Mamas Cocoa: add in 1-2 ounces (depending on how your day is going) of peppermint schnapps, bourbon, or Baileys into your mug.
Calories: 266kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 129mg, Potassium: 451mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 395IU, Calcium: 320mg, Iron: 1mg