Evaporated Milk Hot Chocolate

Evaporated milk hot chocolate is velvety smooth, sumptuously rich, and perfect to warm up throughout the holiday and winter season. The recipe is so creamy and chocolatey, all thanks to a combination of evaporated milk, chocolate, and cocoa powder.

Can you make hot chocolate with evaporated milk?

Yes! Evaporated milk really takes hot chocolate to the next level. It melds with chocolate + cocoa powder and makes the most creamy and cozy cup of hot chocolate. The result? A comforting, slightly decadent piece of chocolate haven!

I love coming home on a cold, chilly day and relaxing with a steaming cup of chocolaty goodness. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, this dreamy evaporated milk hot chocolate comes along to indulge your taste buds.

This creamy drink is perfect for enjoying with your whole family. It can be easily doubled or tripled for a holiday get-together or party. It’s a winter staple for sure! And I’m SO excited for you to try this hot chocolate recipe with evaporated milk!

Why you’ll love evaporated milk hot chocolate

• Only 5 ingredients: Gotta love a recipe that uses minimal ingredients and still tastes absolutely fabulous.
• Super simple to make: The steps to create evaporated milk hot cocoa are small in number and really simple. Another reason to adore this hot chocolate recipe!
• Incredibly taste: Evaporated milk hot chocolate has an intense chocolate flavor and luscious, smooth texture. The perfect cup of creamy goodness!

Ingredients

You’ll only need 5 easy-to-find ingredients to whip up the best evaporated milk hot chocolate! Even better, you can easily customize the recipe, and I have listed some ideas in the variations section. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

• Evaporated milk: The higher fat content of evaporated milk makes the hot chocolate extra creamy and creates a luscious, thick texture. You need two 12-oz cans.
• Chocolate chips amplify the creaminess and chocolate aroma. Feel free to use any flavor you like. White, milk, semi-sweet and bittersweet are all excellent options. You can also chop up a chocolate bar instead of chips.
• Cocoa powder plus chocolate chips make this hot chocolate truly phenomenal. I recommend Dutch-process cocoa powder for a smooth and deep chocolate flavor.
• Sugar: A touch of sugar sweetens up your evaporated milk hot chocolate. Granulated (white) sugar and brown sugar can be used interchangeably, though I love the slight toffee note of brown sugar.
• Vanilla extract (optional) tastes subtle but makes a huge difference. It enhances the flavor of the chocolate by balancing the sweetness and countering the bitterness and acidity of chocolate.

Equipment you’ll need

You also need a large, heavy-bottom saucepan or pot, a whisk, a wooden spoon, and a kitchen scale or measuring cups to measure the ingredients.

How to make evaporated milk hot chocolate

Making homemade hot chocolate from scratch is just as simple as making it with a premade mix. Evaporated milk chocolate is just so much more creamy and indulgent! Your family will love this drink this winter!

1. Mix ingredients. Add the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and chocolate chips to a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine.
2. Simmer. Bring the mixture to a mild simmer over medium-high heat. As the hot chocolate heats up, whisk continuously until the chocolate chips have fully melted. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the drink reaches your desired temperature and there are no clumps.
3. Add vanilla. Take the saucepan off the stove and stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Serve. Pour into your favorite mugs and top with your favorite toppings, such as marshmallows, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, and whipped cream. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Variations

Hot chocolate can easily be cup-leveled with a few simple additions! Try the following ideas to customize your evaporated milk hot cocoa and create mouthwatering variations.

• Spices: For a warming holiday flavor, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice into the mixture. To make Mexican hot chocolate, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + a pinch of cayenne, and serve the drink with a cinnamon stick.
• Caramel: Use milk chocolate and replace the sugar with 1/3 cup caramel sauce. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a caramel drizzle.
• Peppermint: For a mint hot chocolate, add a few drops peppermint extract to each mug or use Andes chocolate for the chocolate portion.
• Nutella: To make a cozy Nutella hot chocolate, omit the sugar and chocolate chips and add 1/2 cup Nutella instead.

Topping ideas

Toppings and mix-ins are what make evaporated hot chocolate even better! I love having lots of different options and assembled a list of yummy hot chocolate topping ideas. Take a look!

• Marshmallows (large, mini, + flavored)
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce
• Chocolate chips
• Crushed caramels
• Cinnamon sticks
• Chocolate covered pretzels or pretzel sticks
• Meringue cookies

Store & reheat leftovers

Now that you have a delicious batch of homemade hot cocoa with evaporated milk, check out these tips to store and enjoy it later.

• Refrigerator: After your hot chocolate has cooled, cover the pot or transfer it into a bottle or large mason jar. Keep in the fridge and consume within 3 to 4 days. It may separate, but that’s fine because it will recombine when you reheat it.
• Reheat: I recommend warming your evaporated milk hot chocolate in a pot/saucepan on the stovetop as you have more control over the temperature than in the microwave. Only warm until heated through, but don’t let it boil to avoid burning the milk.

More warming drinks

These other hot drinks are absolutely yummy and ready to warm you up on a cold day! From spicy to sweet, here are a few more ideas you’ll love having in your winter and holiday lineup. Cheers!

• Condensed Milk Hot Chocolate
• Dunkin Donuts Hot Chocolate
• Chocolate Eggnog
• Condensed Milk Eggnog
• Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
• White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate

FAQ

What is the best chocolate for hot chocolate?

Unlike hot cocoa, which only uses cocoa powder, chocolate is a key ingredient in hot chocolate. While you can certainly use your favorite type of chocolate, I recommend milk or semi-sweet chocolate.

Milk chocolate creates a luxurious creaminess, and dark chocolate provides a rich flavor that tastes incredible when mixed with milk. And if you want creaminess with a light chocolate taste, go for white chocolate.

As mentioned earlier, you can use chocolate chips or a finely chopped chocolate bar – whatever is more convenient for you. Ghirardelli and Guittard offer excellent chocolate chips. I also love the chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s and Nestle’s artisan collection.

Can I make this with regular milk?

Sure! This creamy hot chocolate recipe can be made with any kind of milk – whole, 2%, or half-and-half works. Just remember, the higher the fat content, the creamier your hot chocolate will turn out.

Does the recipe work with dairy-free evaporated milk?

Of course! Dairy-free evaporated milk is a great choice for those who want to avoid dairy products. Alternately, try cashew milk, almond milk, milk, oat milk, or coconut milk. Since the recipe has sugar, opt for unsweetened milk.

What about other sweeteners?

Maple syrup and honey are great swap-ins for sugar in this evaporated milk hot chocolate recipe. If using honey, heat the milk and melt the chocolate first. Once the chocolate has fully melted, remove the pot from the stove and swirl in the honey until dissolved.

Could I substitute condensed milk?

No, it’s not a good idea to substitute sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk in this recipe. Unlike evaporated milk, evaporated milk has sugar added, and you’d have to make quite a few adjustments. Instead, try our ultra-creamy condensed milk chocolate recipe. It’s unbelievably good!