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The leaves are turning, the weather is cooling off, and it’s the time of year to enjoy a cozy sweater and hot cup of cocoa on chilly fall and winter evenings. There’s no mix required for this gingerbread hot chocolate and it’s so much better than anything you’d get from a store-bought mix, anyway–that’s why I’m showing you how to make this sweet sip at home!

homemade hot cocoa

Oh, and want to know a little secret? You can stir up a double batch of dry ingredients in this recipe, and keep it on hand for a DIY hot chocolate mix. It would also make a simple and cute homemade holiday gift!

gingerbread hot chocolate

This hot cocoa also happens to hint at wintery days ahead, but honestly, gingerbread is too good to just reserve for one month out of the year. Our supporting cast of spices is very fall-ish! We’ve got cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, and a splash of molasses, of course.

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Besides these spices, you’ll just need cocoa powder, sugar, milk, and vanilla to finish off your homemade cocoa. Top the whole thing off with a pile of whipped cream, a pinch of cinnamon, and maybe some cookies for dunking. Scroll on for the complete recipe–and happy sipping!

Did you try this gingerbread hot chocolate? Show us on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus–and score cozy sweaters, sparkly accessories, party dresses, and more in our Holiday Shop!

This recipe comes from our food contributor, Stephanie Simmons, of Blue Bowl. Her goal with her kitchen-tested recipes: To get you excited about cooking, show you how good food can taste, and prove that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to make a good meal. 

  • PREP TIME: 15 MINS
  • SERVES: 2-3
  • how to make hot cocoa
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Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups milk (I used 2%, but any type should work)
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 Tbsp molasses (do not use blackstrap)
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp allspice
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add all of the ingredients.

 

Step 2:

Whisk everything together until it’s all combined, and heat until hot, but don’t boil the mixture.

Step 3:

Serve immediately, with whipped cream.

Tip: Make this into a DIY hot cocoa mix to have on hand at all times! In a medium bowl, whisk together everything except for the vanilla and milk. Store this in a mason jar or any container with a secure lid. Then, you can have homemade hot chocolate at a moment’s notice! Just add your mix to a pot, add the milk and vanilla, and heat as directed above.