How to Make Frozen Hot Chocolate
Updated: Jan. 28, 2020
Learn how to make frozen hot chocolate, the frozen drink you need this winter. It just might replace your regular hot cocoa.
I know that winter is the perfect time for curling up with a mug of hot cocoa. It’s just the thing to warm you up after cutting down the Christmas tree or ice skating all day. But I’ll be honest, I like my treats cold! I’m the kind of gal that orders cold brew coffee all year and will happily eat an ice cream cone even when temps are well below freezing. So how do I combine my appreciation for hot chocolate with my love of all things chilly? With a frozen hot chocolate!
You’re probably thinking can you make cold hot chocolate? I get it—it’s definitely an oxymoron, but it is possible to turn winter’s favorite drink into an icy treat worth enjoying no matter the weather. And the best part is, you can make it in minutes. Let me show you how.
Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe
- 5 ounces chocolate of your choosing, roughly chopped
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 cups ice
- The garnishes of your choosing, like marshmallows, whipped cream or sprinkles
Step 1: Mixing up your chocolate base
The foundation of a great hot chocolate—frozen or otherwise—is a great chocolately base. For this recipe, combine your chocolate, cocoa powder, confectioners sugar and one cup of milk (save the other cup for later) into a small pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the chocolate has melted and the mixture and nice and smooth. Keep a close eye on this one—you don’t want it to boil.
Step 2: Blending it all together
Now’s the time to break out your blender (these are our favorite brands). Pour your chocolate mixture inside along with the other cup of milk, the vanilla extract and ice. Then blend away until your mixture is nice and smooth.
If you want to make this taste a bit more like the holidays, you can substitute in a half teaspoon of peppermint extract for the vanilla. Who doesn’t love chocolate and mint together?
Step 3: Serving it up
Serve up your frozen hot chocolate in any mug or glass you like, but be sure to give it a little garnish! I like a big dollop of homemade whipped cream and some chocolate shavings. But you can mix it up however you like with sprinkles, caramel, crushed peppermint candies or whatever toppings you love. These crazy (but oh-so-delicious) milkshakes might give you a little inspiration!
The result is an exceptionally chocolatey drink that’s as rich as it is refreshing. Sure it might be chilly, but the chocolate and cream make this one feel just like wintertime. It might just replace your favorite hot hot cocoa!
Rich Hot Chocolate
Each winter in early February my friends and I gather for an outdoor show called Mittenfest. We skip the Bloody Marys and fill our thermoses with these hot cocoas instead.
Dulce de Leche Hot Chocolate Pods
Who doesn't love a steamy mug of hot chocolate on a snowy day? Now you can give friends, neighbors, co-workers or anyone who deserves a treat the pleasure of this indulgent drink with these giftable hot chocolate pods. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutella Hot Chocolate
Vanilla beans and a hazelnut liqueur like Frangelico lend a sophisticated flavor to this hot chocolate. With such rich taste, it could be served as a dessert. —Michael Compean, Fountain Hills, ArizonaPumpkin-Spiced Hot Chocolate
As soon as there is a hint of fall in the air, I think of pumpkins and my mother. She served pumpkin pie with real hot chocolate. This recipe brings those two amazing scents, and her, back to life for me. To turn your hot chocolate into creamy pumpkin mocha, stir 2 teaspoons of instant coffee into the hot chocolate before adding whipped cream. It's a great way to warm up after some chilly trick-or-treating! —J. Morand, Maitland, ON
Crackling Hot Cocoa
This hot chocolate recipe is more than a warm-you-up—it's rich and thick decadence in a mug. —Cyndi Nistico, Palm Island, FloridaSpiked Hot Chocolate
My husband and I like to enjoy this grown-up version of hot chocolate on a cold winter evening. It's even better made with honey-flavored bourbon if you can find that in your local store. —Andrea Harvath, Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Cozy Hot Chocolate
Steaming mugs of these smooth beverages are a nice anytime treat with my husband, Ken.—Marie Hattrup, Sonoma, California
Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate
Change up ordinary hot cocoa by stirring some dark baking cocoa into vanilla almond milk. Top it off with a plain large marshmallow or berry marshmallow creme, if you like, and add your favorite pretty sprinkles. —Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, PennsylvaniaFluffy Hot Chocolate
This is our daughter's favorite hot chocolate recipe. It may look like ordinary cocoa, but a touch of vanilla sets it apart from the rest. And the melted marshmallows give it a frothy body you won't get from a cocoa packet. —Jo Ann Schimcek, Weimar, Texas
Holiday Peppermint Mocha
Make spirits bright with a minty mocha to share under the mistletoe or around the piano. I’ve also stirred in coffee liqueur instead of peppermint. —Lauren Brien-Wooster, South Lake Tahoe, California
Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Mix
We make batches of this minty, malted milk-flavored hot chocolate to give as gifts. Be prepared—friends will return the jars for refills! —Sara Tatham, Plymouth, New HampshirePeppermint White Hot Chocolate
My soothing white hot chocolate is a great warm-up after a wintry day spent sledding or ice skating. Or include it as a festive addition to brunch or an afternoon tea party. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, OregonPumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
My mom makes this hot chocolate with pumpkin, spices and white chocolate. We usually drink it on Halloween, but it’s delish at Christmas too. —Sasha King, Westlake Village, CaliforniaKahlua Hot Chocolate
When we want a cup of hot chocolate, we prefer homemade over store mixes. A splash of Kahlúa adds a touch of fabulous. —Chung-Ah Rhee, Hollywood, California
Favorite Hot Chocolate
You need just a few basic ingredients to stir up this spirit-warming sipper. The comforting beverage is smooth and not too sweet, making it just right for cozy chilly nights. —Flo Snodderly, North Vernon, Indiana
Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? If not, this special cocoa will do the trick. It’s like drinking a chocolate gingerbread cookie! —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, AZLandmark Hot Chocolate
With or without a nip of rum, my hot chocolate recipe has been a Wisconsin winter warmer for years. When the toboggan hills are calling, I skip the whipped cream and take a thermos to go. It’s always a hit and it ensures nobody is left out in the cold! —Mark Phillips, Bayfield, Wisconsin
Vanilla Almond Hot Cocoa
Treat your family to this comforting, homemade cocoa as you decorate the tree or open holiday gifts. Vanilla and almond extracts make it taste even more special. —Vicki Holloway, Joelton, Tennessee
Mexican Hot Chocolate
This delicious, not-too-sweet Mexican hot chocolate is richly flavored with cocoa and delicately seasoned with spices. The whole-stick cinnamon stirrers come in handy, as the old-fashioned chocolate mixture settles if not stirred before drinking. The blend of cinnamon and chocolate flavors is wonderful! —Kathy Young, Weatherford, Texas
Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
I gave this away at our neighborhood Christmas party in cutie-patootie gift bags and was thrilled that I was able to give something to everyone. But the next week I started getting calls from the neighbors who'd made it and was blown away at the response. Everyone loves this! The white chocolate is what makes it extra creamy and chocolaty!—Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina
