Making the Holidays More Festive with Homemade Chocolate Drinks

Almost everyone loves hot chocolate, and during the winter holidays hot chocolate drinks are everywhere. Hot chocolate is a great drink to have at parties where people might not want to drink alcohol and where kids will be present. Homemade hot chocolate mixes also make great gifts.

So this year instead of spending a lot of money on fancy hot chocolate mixes to give as gifts or to keep in the pantry for family and friends you should make your own unique hot chocolate mixes that you use to serve hot chocolate to guests or use as gifts and stocking stuffers.

Homemade hot chocolate mixes are easy to make. The first thing that you need to make homemade hot chocolate is cocoa powder. You can buy sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder.

Then you need some powdered non dairy creamer or powdered milk. Creamer will make your homemade hot chocolate very rich so most experts suggest that you use mostly powdered milk but add a touch of powdered creamer just to add a little richness to your hot chocolate mix. Use a flavored non dairy creamer to enhance the flavor of the hot cocoa.

Once you have a cocoa powder and milk or creamer base you can use your imagination and cooking skills to put together some exotic hot cocoa mix treats.

Here are some fun ideas that you can use to make your own tasty hot chocolate this holiday season:

• For people that are diabetic or can’t have sugar use unsweetened cocoa and use a sugar substitute to sweeten the cocoa powder.
  
  
• Add spices and herbs to make Mexican hot chocolate or other types of hot and spicy hot chocolate.
  
  
• Add dried fruit and herbs to give your hot chocolate a kick.
  
  
• Add mini marshmallows to make a hot chocolate mix everyone will love.
  
  
• Combine different types of cocoa powder to get different flavors.
  
  
• To make low fat hot chocolate mix use dark cocoa powder and low fat creamer and milk.
  
  
• To make a very personal gift on a budget make up several different kinds of hot chocolate mixes and package them in plastic bags that are inside pretty envelopes and pack them in a basket with two mugs and some homemade chocolates or cookies.

When you’re packaging your hot chocolate it’s a good idea to list all the ingredients on the package in case someone that you are giving the hot chocolate too is allergic to one of the ingredients.