Hot Cocoa is a must in our house hold. Everyone love hot cocoa and tea after a day of snowshoeing! Here is one way to have your favorite cocoa, just buy in bulk. Oh, but then this would not be a DIY hot cocoa mix and very dull, and well, we love to spice things up, literally.
First you need a cookie jar, canister, or in our camper & travel bag, we keep a dollar tree plastic canister tub with a screw on lid. Simply add 1 & 1/2 Cups of sugar, 1 Cup of cocoa, 2 Cups of nonfat dry powdered milk, 1 Cup of non-dairy creamer and a dash of salt. Place the lid on tightly and shake. Walla! Done! To Enjoy, simply add 1/3 Cup of mix to 1 Cup of hot water, or like us, we often use a 1/2 Cup in our over-sized winter mugs!
Now that is how you make traditional cocoa, but don’t stop there. Next time you are in the store, take a peak at all the powdered non-dairy creamers and flavors. Even Dollar General has flavored powdered non-dairy creamer. Substitute your favorite to add a flavor flare. Another option is to leave the recipe as is and add spice. Try Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Apple pie spice, Pumpkin pie spice, cardamom, crushed candy canes, etc. When we experimented, I made a batch up and then had the kids make one “cup of cocoa” and sprinkle in their “experimental ingredients” to try. They love to do this to find their unique flavor. Overall though, the kids’ favorite variety is the standard recipe except with Dollar General’s vanilla caramel non-dairy coffee creamer; it’s been the keeper!
Enjoy! Have fun! Happy Winter Break!