Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

For a food lover/blogger, comfort food is the best thing about winter. Simmering soups, roasting vegetables, and stewing beverages all fill your home with delectable aromas. And then you get to eat them. Doesn’t get any better. Though not a solid food, hot chocolate easily fits in with the “comfort food” group. You feel so satisfied and indulgent when you’re drinking it. And depending on how it’s served, you can even get a little fancy.

This recipe is super easy, and it doesn’t require you to have anything special on hand. Who doesn’t have a teaspoon of cocoa powder in their pantry? (If you don’t, let’s talk.) Also – the cream is optional. I use skim milk at home, so I thought it would add a little more luxury. But if you don’t have it, or you drink 1%, 2%, or whole milk, you don’t need it!

Ingredients
1 C water
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 C milk, plus a splash to make paste
1 T cream
1 tsp cocoa powder per cup you are making
Marshmallows

Directions

1. Combine water and sugar in a 2 qt pot, and set on stove, medium heat, until the sugar dissolves. Stir occasionally throughout the process.

2. Add milk and cream, and bring mixture to the desired drinking temperature.

3. Add 1 tsp cocoa powder to each mug, pour a drop of milk into each as well. Using a small whisk or fork, stir until a thick chocolate paste forms.

4. Add the liquid to each mug, and whisk until the paste dissolves into the milk. Add marshmallows, and sip away!

It’s THAT easy. I created this recipe on a day that I was really craving hot chocolate, and didn’t have any instant mix available. Turns out, who needs cocoa packets anyway?

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