Better Than Store-Bought! Instant Hot Cocoa For Those Cold Winter Days!

This is one of my favorite homestead pantry hacks - instant hot cocoa mix. I make a huge batch of it, store it in mason jars, and have a quick and easy, single serve, microwaveable hot chocolate that's better than store-bought (even better than Starbucks!)

It's easy enough, my step daughter can make it for herself...which is another win in my book.

Part of our homesteading mission is to cut the ties with the super market. Day-by-day, meal-by-meal we're getting closer to that goal.

Why do we want to grow, and hunt, and work so hard to ensure we don't have to go to the grocery store? Let me take you on a chocolatey journey:

Here are the ingredients in a typical single serve bag of swiss miss:
*sugar
*modified whey
*cocoa (processed with alkali)
*hydrogenated coconut oil
*nonfat milk
*calcium carbonate
less than 2% of
*salt
*dipotassium phosphate
*mono- and diglyderides
*artificial flavor
*carrageenan (I'll leave my rant on this for another day)

Here are the ingredients in my mix:
*sugar
*cocoa
*salt
*optional spices (ie. cinnamon, cayenne, pumpkin pie spice, etc.)
-milk

Which would you prefer? My recipe is just as easy to make, probably less expensive (I haven't done the math yet), and made with more wholesome ingredients. Win-win-win. #winning

Instant Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

*3 1/2 cups sugar
*2 1/4 cups cocoa or just about an entire 8oz package of Hershey's cocoa
*1 Tbsp salt
*1 tsp cinnamon optional
*1 tsp cayenne optional
*1 tsp pumpkin pie spice optional
*1 coffee mug milk to serve

1. Mix all ingredients together. Add spices if desired. Store in an air tight container.

##To Make Hot Chocolate (Microwave)

1. Pour 1 cup milk into microwave-safe mug and microwave for 1 minute
2. Add 2 Tbsp hot chocolate mix and stir to combine

##To Make Hot Chocolate (Stovetop)

1. Combine 1 cup milk to 2 Tbsp hot chocolate mix and warm on the stovetop until just warm. Be careful not to boil.