• Recipes
    • Bread
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Baking Basics
    • Cheesecake
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Donuts
    • Drinks
    • Frosting
    • Layer Cakes
    • Muffins
    • No-Bake
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Savory
    • Sheet Cakes
    • Small Batch
    • Snacks
  • Cookbook
  • About
    • Meet Bernice
  • Contact
  • Ingredient Guide
  • Recipes
    • Bread
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Baking Basics
    • Cheesecake
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Donuts
    • Drinks
    • Frosting
    • Layer Cakes
    • Muffins
    • No-Bake
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Savory
    • Sheet Cakes
    • Small Batch
    • Snacks
  • Cookbook
  • About
    • Meet Bernice
  • Contact
  • Ingredient Guide
close up hot chocolate

Recipes

,

Drinks

Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate

prep 5 minutes mins
cook 5 minutes mins

If you’re in need of something new, say a homemade dark hot chocolate recipe using both dark chocolate and cocoa powder, give this a try.

Jump to Recipe
rate recipe
Pin Recipe

Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate

November 21, 2019
October 17, 2025
overhead shot marshmallows
homemade dark hot chocolate

Ok friends. Going to start off with a bit of truth… I’m exhausted and I tried to bribe my husband to write this blog post but he denied. I’m obviously excited about this homemade dark hot chocolate but I’ve just been a little too busy. I get super antsy when I know I have a lot of work to do and I’m just sitting on the couch trying to write…on top of that you can’t even write just what you want cuz #seolife. Anyway, sorry for the rant, moving on to the good part of this post, lol.

How to make homemade dark hot chocolate?

Homemade hot chocolate is soooo easy to make! Normally people do it in a crockpot/slow cooker because it’s even easier that way and it keeps it warm extra long. I personally don’t like to because I like to make smaller batches and sometimes it can burn in the crockpot. If you make your hot chocolate in a sauce pan, you basically just whisk all the ingredients together over medium heat until combined and melted. Then you slowly add in the milk, bring it to a boil and let it simmer a few minutes.

Difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?

Well it’s not a huge difference but it is fairly self-explanatory. Hot chocolate is made with actual chocolate, which is usually already sweetened so you wouldn’t need to add extra sugar. Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, which is typically unsweetened, requiring a bit of added sugar. I think they’re both great but I would say that hot chocolate has a bit of thicker, creamier texture whereas hot cocoa can be darker and richer. So what did I do?! I mixed the two! I used both chopped chocolate and cocoa powder for the ultimate homemade dark hot chocolate recipe. #noragrets

To make it extra thick and creamy, I added a bit of sunbutter. In the past, to give it that thick texture, I used to add butter but honestly, the thought of drinking butter doesn’t sound very appealing so I subbed it for sunbutter. It’s pretty mild but it gives it a bit of savory flavor, kind of like nuts, which really helps balance out all the sweetness of hot chocolate.

What kind of chocolate to use?

Well, there’s white chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and dark chocolate. For those of you who don’t like chocolate, I have a white chocolate version linked here. If you like super sweet chocolate then use milk chocolate. Into rich, intense chocolate? Use dark chocolate and if you’re not sure what you like and want to play it safe, try the semi-sweet chocolate. I use dark chocolate because I don’t like overly sweet drinks. You can also do the milk chocolate but don’t add the extra sugar, that’ll make it less intense and less sweet.

So if you’re in need of something new, say a homemade dark hot chocolate recipe, give this a try. Let me know what you think, make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram if you do make it! Anyway, hope you all enjoy your weekend, make sure to say a quick prayer for me so I don’t drown in all my work, lol. As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

Recipes
Drinks

Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes
prep 5 minutes mins
cook 5 minutes mins
total 10 minutes mins
Serves 2 servings
Dark and creamy hot chocolate made with SunButter!
Author: Bernice Baran
Print Recipe Pin Recipe email recipe
Servings 2 servings
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 cup Sunbutter
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups (24oz) milk

Method

  1. Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, Sunbutter and salt in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Stir until everything is fully combined and melted.
    1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed, 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder spooned and leveled, 1/4 cup Sunbutter, pinch of salt
  2. Add in the chocolate and vanilla and stir on medium heat until fully combined.
    1 cup dark chocolate, 1 tsp vanilla
  3. Slowly pour in one cup of milk at a time and stir until it is fully combined. Bring it to a boil, remove, and serve hot!
    3 cups (24oz) milk
  4. Top the hot chocolate with some steamed milk, whipped cream, marshmallows, and whatever you desire!

Notes

  • Serve hot and make sure to mix well before serving.
  • Keep refrigerated over night and just reheat before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 1023kcalCarbohydrates: 138gProtein: 20gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 26gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 278mgFiber: 10gSugar: 117g
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dark chocolate, dark hot chocolate, homemade hot chocolate, hot chocolate, winter drinks

For similar recipes, check out:

  • White Chocolate Chai Latte
  • Lavender Mocha Hot Chocolate
  • S’mores Frappuccino
  • Brownie Pancakes
  • No-Bake Truffles (Salam de Biscuiti)
  • Spiced Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
hot cocoa pouring in cup
homemade dark hot chocolate
close up hot chocolate
sunbutter hot cocoa

Thank you for supporting all things Baran Bakery & the brands that make it all possible. This post was sponsored by Sunbutter. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hey I’m

Bernice Baran

Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I share with you the sweetest parts of life.

more about me

Let’s Connect

Newest Recipe

  • Lemon Bars with Brown Butter Shortbread
    Lemon Bars with Brown Butter Shortbread

Latest on Socials

I just turned around and walked my wet behind back I just turned around and walked my wet behind back to my car and pretended that never happened.
@andreea817 your umbrella has been in my car for a year… idk if you want it back now 👀
.
#dinnerprep #storytime #chickencaesarwrap

Got a Craving?

I Wrote A Cookbook!

learn more

Never Miss A Thing

Loading

You May Also

Love

lavender mocha hot chocolate
Drinks

Lavender Mocha Hot Chocolate

Brownies & Bars

Hot Chocolate Brownies with Toasted Marshmallows

hot chocolate cupcake with bite taken out
Cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

hot chocolate cake topped with marshmallows and chocolate fudge sauce with a few slices removed
Layer Cakes

Hot Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

Rate & Review
Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What did you think?




  1. Donna Lively
    06.11.2025

    Just an FYI, 1 cup of dark chocolate. Twice a day, releases stem cells out of your bones for health purposes. How great is that for chocolate lovers?

    Reply

Follow Along

@baranbakery
I just turned around and walked my wet behind back I just turned around and walked my wet behind back to my car and pretended that never happened.
@andreea817 your umbrella has been in my car for a year… idk if you want it back now 👀
.
#dinnerprep #storytime #chickencaesarwrap
Not telling you what to do or anything, but my Fre Not telling you what to do or anything, but my French Silk Pie recipe just went up 👀😍

And can someone please tell me how people get perfect bite shots because this pie was fighting me.

Recipe is on BB — link in bio or comment “French silk” and I’ll send it to you :)

Also, I finally linked a bunch of my kitchen/styling things on ShopMy last week, including these plates!
Sure there’s incredible bakery style cookies, but Sure there’s incredible bakery style cookies, but a cookie that comes together in 20 minutes is just as impressive! 🤣
At least V thinks so hahah I dropped a chocolate chip on the floor and she found it 👀
Recipe is on bb, 🔗 is in my bio or comment “easy cookies” and I’ll send it :)
I’m not crying, you’re crying 🥹 Honestly though, w I’m not crying, you’re crying 🥹
Honestly though, where does the time go?! (This is not a rhetorical question, someone tell me lol).

Also both cakes are on my site, 🔗 are in bio or comment “birthday cake” and/or “mini cake” & I’ll send you the links :)
So many of you already love my moms tocăniță recip So many of you already love my moms tocăniță recipe so I posted to my website as well 🫶🏼
🔗 is in my bio or comment “tocanita recipe” to make the easiest dinner 🤍

Want more deliciousness?

Loading
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

After something specific?

©Baran Bakery2026 | All Rights Reserved.

website by saevil row + made to thrive