The cocoa always seems to find the one lump that refuses to disappear. Sifting it before anything else goes into the bowl saves you from chasing those little pockets through the finished blend. I make this homemade hot chocolate mix with unsweetened cocoa, two kinds of sugar, nonfat dry milk, and a little fine salt, then keep it ready in an airtight container for a quick cup.
Using both powdered sugar and granulated sugar gives the dry mix a more even blend than relying on one alone. The powdered sugar sifts smoothly with the cocoa, while the granulated sugar adds sweetness throughout the batch. After the ingredients are whisked together, measure out 1/3 cup for a serving. The mix is simple to keep on hand, and the cocoa flavor comes through without losing the sweetness that makes a mug of hot chocolate feel familiar.
Kitchen Note
Keep every spoon and measuring cup completely dry. A little moisture can turn cocoa powder into stubborn clumps, and those are much harder to break up once the whole mix is combined.
Save this homemade hot chocolate mix for a cocoa-rich pantry staple you can scoop by the serving whenever a warm mug sounds good.
Why This Mix Uses Two Sugars Instead of One
The two sugars do different jobs in a dry cocoa blend. Powdered sugar is fine enough to sift together with cocoa, which helps distribute the chocolate flavor evenly from the start. Granulated sugar brings the main sweetness, and it stays as tiny crystals in the finished mix. That little bit of graininess is normal; it doesn’t mean the ingredients failed to combine.
Replacing one sugar with the other changes more than the label on the jar. Using only granulated sugar makes it harder to get the cocoa evenly dispersed, while using only powdered sugar changes the balance and character of the mix. I keep the two in their listed roles and whisk them thoroughly after adding the milk powder and salt. The finished blend should look consistent, with no obvious cocoa streaks or pale pockets.
That balance also makes the mix easy to portion. Each scoop contains cocoa, sweetness, and dry milk together, rather than a layer of one ingredient settling at the bottom of the container. Give the mix a quick stir before measuring if it has been sitting undisturbed, especially after moving the container.
What Each Ingredient Brings to This Cocoa Mix
- Unsweetened cocoa powder — This supplies the chocolate flavor without adding sweetness, so choose a cocoa you already enjoy drinking or baking with. Natural and Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa both work, though the finished taste will differ: Dutch-process tends to taste mellower, while natural cocoa is often sharper. Sifting it with the powdered sugar is the useful prep detail; skipping that can leave cocoa lumps in the blend.
- Powdered sugar — Its fine texture helps it sift evenly with the cocoa. Use ordinary powdered sugar rather than trying to grind granulated sugar at home; the texture and consistency won’t be the same. Keep the bag tightly closed between uses so the sugar doesn’t pick up moisture and cake before it goes into the bowl.
- Nonfat dry milk — This gives the mix its milk component while keeping the blend dry and scoopable. Liquid milk isn’t a direct replacement: it would make a wet mixture that can’t be stored as this pantry mix. Use fresh, free-flowing dry milk; if it has hard clumps, break them up before measuring or whisking them into the bowl.
- Granulated sugar — Regular white granulated sugar is the right fit for the sweet, slightly crystalline texture of this mix. Brown sugar brings extra moisture and a molasses note, changing both storage texture and flavor, so it’s not a like-for-like swap.
- Fine salt — Fine grains disperse more evenly through the powders than coarse crystals do. The small amount rounds out the sweetness and cocoa; leaving it out makes the blend taste flatter, while coarse salt can leave uneven salty bites.
How to Blend the Powders Without Leaving Cocoa Lumps
Sift the Cocoa Before the Bowl Fills Up
Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl, then sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar through it. Work patiently so the dry ingredients fall in a loose layer rather than landing in one dense mound. The sieve breaks apart the lumps that a whisk may not catch later. If cocoa clings to the mesh, keep sifting until the powder has passed through instead of tipping a lump into the bowl.
Whisk in the Remaining Dry Ingredients
Add the nonfat dry milk, granulated sugar, and fine salt to the sifted cocoa mixture. Whisk until the color looks even throughout and you don’t see pale streaks or pockets of cocoa. Reach the whisk along the bottom and sides of the bowl, where heavier granules can settle. Stop when the blend is uniform; vigorous whisking beyond that won’t make the granulated sugar disappear.
Seal the Mix and Portion by the Serving
Transfer the finished blend to an airtight container and keep it at room temperature. For a serving, measure 1/3 cup of mix. The formula gives you a dry hot chocolate base, but it doesn’t specify a liquid amount or a heating method, so use your preferred preparation rather than relying on an assumed ratio. Close the container promptly after scooping to keep the remaining mix dry.
Two Practical Ways to Portion Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Make a Half Batch for a Smaller Pantry
For a smaller amount, halve every ingredient: use 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup nonfat dry milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt. Sift the cocoa and powdered sugar, then whisk in the rest just as you would for the full batch. Keeping the proportions even preserves the same balance in a smaller container.
Make Single-Serving Portions
For easy portioning, measure the mix into individual airtight containers or packets using 1/3 cup for each serving. This format is handy when you don’t want to scoop from a shared jar each time. Keep the portions sealed and dry just as you would the full batch.
Storage and Portioning
- Pantry: Store the mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months. Keep it away from moisture, which can make the powders clump.
- Freezer: Freezing isn’t needed for this dry mix. Room-temperature storage in a sealed container is the recommended way to keep it ready to scoop.
- Serving: Measure 1/3 cup of mix per serving. Since the mix itself doesn’t include liquid, choose your preferred liquid and preparation method when you make a cup.
Questions That Come Up When Making This Cocoa Mix
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients
Method
- Sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to break up any lumps.
- Add the nonfat dry milk, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Whisk until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mix to an airtight container.
- Store at room temperature for up to 3 months.
- Use 1/3 cup per serving.