Mistakes To Avoid When Making Homemade Hot Chocolate, According To Beverage Experts

Is there anything better than sipping on a hot chocolate on a cold, wintry day? The beverage not only warms you up, but it gives your taste buds a delicious treat and brings a smile to your face. That is, as long as it is made correctly. Imagine sipping a mug of hot chocolate only to be disappointed that it tastes bitter, overly bland, way too sweet, or gritty. While many people assume little thought needs to go into making hot chocolate, these disappointing possible outcomes prove that is simply not the case.

Unfortunately, there are several mistakes that can stand between you and a smooth, creamy, and delectable cup of hot chocolate. We reached out to several experts to help explain some of the most common mistakes that people can make when preparing this warm beverage. Lisa Vega is the Executive Pastry Chef of Dandelion Chocolate, Gemma Whitaker is the Marketing Director at Whitakers Chocolates, Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon, and Dr. Bryan Quoc Le is a food scientist, food engineer, food industry consultant, and the author of the book 150 Food Science Questions Answered. These experts also shared their insights on what you should do instead to make sure your hot chocolate lives up — and even exceeds — your expectations.

Sure, you can make hot chocolate with milk. However, can and should are two very different things. According to Gemma Whitaker, using water instead of milk is one of the top mistakes that can have a detrimental impact on your hot chocolate. She explains, "Water-based hot chocolate will always taste thinner, less creamy, and generally less indulgent. You lose that rich, velvety mouthfeel that comes from full-fat options."

Instead, opt for milk to craft the perfect cup of hot chocolate. Jessica Randhawa cautions against using low-fat or skim milk. "The fat content in whole milk or cream contributes to the creamy texture and rich flavor of hot chocolate. Using milk with higher fat content ensures your hot chocolate is luxuriously smooth," she says.

If you're vegan or dairy free, you still have better options than water when it comes to making a creamy cup of hot chocolate. Whitaker recommends using "plant-based milks with higher fat content, such as oat or coconut milk. The extra creaminess will make the chocolate flavour truly shine."

Chocolate is (obviously) a critical ingredient in any glass of hot cocoa. The last thing you want to do is make a mistake melting the chocolate that threatens the taste or texture of your beverage. According to Lisa Vega, one chocolate-melting mistake that can plague home chefs is overheating it. If the chocolate is overheated, she explains, "it can scorch and develop a bitter, unpleasant flavor that will ruin the hot chocolate." Overheating can also cause the chocolate to seize, leaving you scrambling as you try to figure out how to salvage seized chocolate.

To avoid burnt or seized chocolate, Vega explains how a combination of the right tools and proper burner settings can make all the difference. "This is why it's important to use a gentle, controlled heat, like a double boiler, to melt the chocolate without letting it get too hot." Don't rush the process — and avoid trying to heat the milk and the chocolate together, as that can also increase the likelihood of burning the chocolate.

Just as burning the ingredients is a mistake that can ruin caramel, the same is also true when making hot chocolate. Both Lisa Vega and Gemma Whitaker caution against burning the milk. While hot chocolate requires hot milk, you should not try to bring the milk to a boil. "If you heat the milk to the point of boiling, you have burned the milk which will result in an unpleasant cup of hot chocolate. You want to heat the milk to 'scalding' which is to the point of 180 F," says Vega.

Whitaker notes the importance of choosing the right setting on the burner. Avoid the temptation to speed things along by cranking the heat up to medium-high or high. Instead, Whitaker says, "Warm your milk gently over medium-low heat and whisk in your chocolate (or cocoa) gradually. Patience is key. If you see bubbles starting to form around the edges, reduce the heat and continue whisking."

If you've ever sampled chocolate from different manufacturers, then you know that all chocolate is not created equally. There are several types of chocolate — in addition to quality levels — and choosing the wrong one can certainly leave you disappointed in how your hot chocolate turns out. "Using chocolate that's past its prime or made with low cocoa content will yield a bland, sugary beverage lacking true cocoa richness," explains Gemma Whitaker.

To avoid this bland and disappointing drink, Whitaker says that the extra investment to purchase a high-quality chocolate will be well worth it. She recommends "choosing chocolate that has robust, nuanced flavours — aim for at least 55% to 70% cocoa solids if you like a darker, richer profile." Before you start using the chocolate to prepare hot chocolate, Whitaker recommends tasting it first. "If you wouldn't snack on it by itself, don't put it in your hot chocolate," she says.

If you use cocoa powder to make your hot chocolate, did you know that there are different types of cocoa powder? Opting for standard or natural cocoa powder could prove to be a mistake. Natural cacao powder, which is what is most readily available at most grocery stores, is made by finely grinding and processing cocoa bean solids. The problem with using it — especially with no other additions — is that it isn't sweet and has a rather bitter flavor (this is why you need to sweeten your homemade chocolate mousse). The powder also has a high acidity level. When used for baking, this isn't such an issue, as the baking soda that you'll add to that cookie or brownie mix can help neutralize the acidity. However, when you're making hot chocolate, you won't be adding any baking soda, so you may be disappointed with how acidic it ends up tasting.

Instead of using normal cocoa powder, Dr. Bryan Quoc Le highlights Dutch processed cocoa powder as a better option. "As the name suggests, Dutch processed neutralizes the acids that are naturally present in cocoa powder, resulting in a stronger and more balanced flavor." Your cup of hot chocolate will have a much smoother taste, making it all the more enjoyable.

There aren't a ton of steps required to make hot chocolate. However, each one of them is critical for ensuring your drink turns out as desired. Mixing the chocolate and the milk together is one of these steps that must be done properly if you want the beverage to turn out right. Lisa Vega says, "You want to make sure that you stir enough to fully incorporate the chocolate. Stirring too little means the chocolate won't fully dissolve and incorporate, leaving you with an uneven texture." Gemma Whitaker adds that if you don't mix enough, the chocolate could end up dropping to the bottom of the cup or pot, leaving the finished drink gritty and with an uneven flavor. Just like you don't want your homemade powdered sugar to be ruined by being overly gritty, you certainly don't want the taste and texture of your hot chocolate to be marred by too much grit.

To avoid any such issues, Whitaker recommends being thorough and purposeful as you whisk, continuing until the entire pot of hot chocolate takes on a uniform appearance, both in terms of texture and color. "The act of whisking also introduces a bit of air, making your drink light and frothy. For an extra indulgent foam, use a handheld milk frother right before serving," she says.

Gemma Whitaker highlights one additional mixing-related mistake that can also negatively impact the texture of your hot chocolate — failing to premix the cocoa powder with a little bit of liquid before adding it to the full pot of milk. She explains, "Adding cocoa powder directly to hot liquid often leads to clumps. Those lumps of un-dissolved cocoa can be bitter and grainy when you sip your hot chocolate."

To avoid a lumpy and clumpy mug of hot chocolate, she recommends "blend[ing] your cocoa powder with a small amount of cold liquid or sugar to create a smooth paste." Once you have the paste, you can stir it into the warm liquid in the larger pot for a clump-free finished product. Whitaker offers one other option that can also help ensure your hot chocolate doesn't end up with lots of clumps. She recommends sifting the cocoa powder before you mix it in with the liquid. Doing so will separate any clumps that are in the powder itself, allowing it to mix in with the warm milk more evenly.

While you technically can make hot chocolate using only cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed cocoa powder), you'd be missing out if you failed to add some solid chocolate to the beverage too. According to Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, solid chocolate "adds another level of depth to the drink. The cocoa solids that are not present in cocoa powder help to amplify the overall chocolate flavor and intensity, and also give the drink a slightly thicker and smoother texture."

Fortunately, integrating solid chocolate into your hot chocolate recipe is as simple as melting the chocolate and then stirring it into the hot milk. "To use solid chocolate, you can use any type of baking chocolate bar, or even chocolate chips, that are semi-sweet or bittersweet," shares Le.

The best way to sweeten your hot chocolate will vary. However, skipping the step of sweeting it all together will surely be a mistake that you — and your taste buds — will regret. "Without enough sugar, the hot chocolate can taste bitter and unappealing. Taste your mixture and adjust the sugar level according to the type of chocolate used, and your personal preference," says Jessica Randhawa. It may take a bit of trial and error to find the right balance, but the reward will be sweet... literally.

It may be tempting to use a sugar substitute to sweeten your hot chocolate. However, Dr. Bryan Quoc Le recommends reconsidering this temptation. He explains, "The sweetness intensity and lingering sweetness of sugar pair well with chocolate products, whereas sugar substitutes can have strange aftertastes, or bring other flavor aspects, such as bitterness." If you have a medical reason to use sugar substitutes, then you might want to stick with them, but otherwise, you might be happier sticking with the real deal for this beverage.

If you want to level up your hot chocolate, you shouldn't be afraid to add some seasonings to the mix. According to Gemma Whitaker, these should start with salt. "Many home chefs forget that sweet drinks can benefit from a dash of salt and other warm spices. Without a balance of flavours, your drink can taste flat or overly sweet," she says. Whitaker recommends adding a pinch of sea salt to accentuate the rich chocolate flavor.

"For more complexity, experiment with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a hint of cayenne for a gentle kick," shares Whitaker. These spices will put a new spin on a familiar drink, making it fun and exciting. In addition to seasonings, you could also consider enhancing the flavor of your hot chocolate with peppermint extract, crushed candy canes, cream liquor, caramel sauce, or, of course, marshmallows.