Simple Savory & Satisfying: Pumpkin Hot Cocoa

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Pumpkin Hot Cocoa

Come fall, everyone is all about Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte. I'm allergic to caffeine so I don't know don't know what all the fuss is about, but I long to have something pumpkin-y and warm to drink this time of year. Well, while up north I decided to add some pumpkin puree to my hot chocolate. Heaven. Pure autumnly heaven.

Now I make my own hot chocolate mix. My hot cocoa comes out thick and chocolaty. Store-bought hot cocoa mix is just sweet watery-ness in comparison. So if you love hot chocolate, treat yourself and make homemade hot cocoa mix. You don't even have to click on the link. I will put my recipe at the end of this post. However, I'm sure you could make this with the store-bought stuff. I'd just suggest starting out with less pumpkin puree (1/4 tablespoon) and slowly add more to taste.

Pumpkin Hot Cocoa Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup water or milk
1/3 cup homemade hot cocoa mix
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1 pinch of pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Heat up 1 cup milk, pour in 1/3 cup hot cocoa mix, and stir. Stir in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until dissolved. Add marshmallows or whipped cream if desired.

Okay, this is my recipe for regular hot chocolate mix. I also have a dark chocolate hot cocoa mix (haven't tried it with the pumpkin, but I bet it's delicious), but I'm going to make you click on the link for that one.

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients:

3 cups nonfat dry milk powder

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Pour about half of the mix into a good processor and pulse until the chocolate chips become finely ground. Pour into an airtight container. Repeat with the other half of the mix.

To make a cup of hot chocolate: heat up 1 cup milk or water, pour in 1/3 cup hot cocoa mix, and stir.

Also try a roasted Peep or marshmallow in your hot cocoa!