I developed this mocha hot cocoa mix as a surprise for my husband, but it’s just too good to keep under wraps. So, I’m here to share the recipe with you.

If you’re a fan of both chocolate and coffee, you’re going to love how tasty and easy this cocoa mix is to make. Just mix five ingredients together, and you’ll have the perfect beverage to take you through the cold, winter months. This cocoa mix doesn’t contain any powered milk, so it can even be enjoyed by people with milk allergies or sensitivities. Just stir it into your favorite type of milk – whether that’s cow’s milk, soy or almond.

This cocoa mix makes a great gift, so I’ve included a free, printable label that you can use.

Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) instant coffee granules
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch

You can use either natural or Dutch-processed cocoa in this recipe, but I highly recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa. It has a richer chocolate flavor, and is specially-formulated to dissolve easily in liquids.

Cafe Bustelo is my favorite instant coffee to use in recipes, like this.

Variations:

To make this mocha cocoa mix sugar-free, just use your favorite 1:1 sugar substitute in place of the sugar called for.
If you’re working around a corn sensitivity, use arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch, or simply leave the cornstarch out. It’s only in the recipe to prevent the cocoa mix from clumping.
Add one cup of dehydrated marshmallows to the mix for a decadent treat.

What You Do:

Stir the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, until well combined. Then, transfer to an air-tight container. This cocoa mix fits in a quart jar, with plenty of room to add marshmallows.

To Use:

Stir two tablespoons of mocha hot cocoa mix into one cup of your favorite milk (not water). Then, heat your cocoa in the microwave, or on the stove.

To Make a Big Batch of Mocha Hot Cocoa:

Combine two cups of cocoa mix for each gallon of milk used. Heat your cocoa in a large stockpot on the stove, or in a crockpot set on low.

Serving a really big crowd? Use an electric turkey roaster to make a two to three gallon batch. Just pour the ingredients into the roaster a couple hours before your party; cover; and set the temperature to 200 degrees. Easy!

Printable Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix Labels

Use these free, printable labels to label your mocha hot cocoa mix. They’re designed to be printed on full-sheet shipping labels. Use Avery 8165, if you have an inkjet, or Avery 5265, if you have a laser printer.

I like to print my mix labels on vinyl sticker sheet, so the jars can be washed and refilled again and again. This saves me the hassle of having to print a new label each time I fill the jar. Here’s what I recommend:

Vinyl Sheet for Inkjet Printers | Vinyl Sheet for Laser Printers

Ball makes a smooth-sided quart jar; that’s what I use for all of my mixes. It doesn’t have any raised letters on the side, so the labels go on smoothly.

If you’re using Google’s Chrome browser, our printables may not print properly. Click here for printing help.

Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

Print Recipe

This mocha hot cocoa mix is the perfect blend of chocolate and coffee, and only requires five ingredients.

Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 18 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) instant coffee granules
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Mix ingredients together, and store in an air-tight container.

To use: Stir two Tablespoons of mocha hot cocoa mix into one cup of hot milk (not water). (see notes for a dairy-free version).

To make a big batch for a party or get-together: Use two cups of cocoa mix for every gallon of milk.

Notes

This cocoa mix doesn’t contain powdered milk. To make a dairy-free mocha hot cocoa, just stir the cocoa mix into a cup of your favorite milk substitute — soy, almond, etc.
For a sugar-free version, simply replace the sugar called for with a 1:1 sugar substitute
If you have a corn sensitivity, replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot powder, or just leave it out all together

Author: Erin Huffstetler
Prep Time: 5 minutes (or less)
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Drinks
Method: Mix
Cuisine: American