Cocoa & Peppermint

Winter has returned to Michigan–there’s nothing like drinking Hot Cocoa with some leftover candy canes when it’s cold and all you see is falling snow.

At Christmastime, I make a large batch of hot cocoa mix. A very large batch–about 11 pounds of it in fact. This 4 gallon jug is my cocoa canister–this batch almost fills it, before giving any away for Christmas.

Rich Hot Cocoa Mix:

1 (22 oz.) container flavored dry coffee creamer (use flavored for flavored hot cocoa)
1 (4 lb.) box non-fat instant dry milk
1 (32 oz.) bag powdered sugar
2 (28 oz.) containers chocolate milk mix (or mix together 7 cups sugar and 4 cups baking cocoa–dutch is best!)

Sift (or put through blender) dry milk to break up any of those little balls into a powder. Add all ingredients to a large garbage bag (make sure it’s unscented!)–I don’t have a bowl big enough, so I use the garbage bag, it works wonderfully! Firmly hold onto top of bag and turn bag upside down and all around until all ingredients are mixed. Pour into containers.

To make the Hot Cocoa:
Mix 1 part mix with 2 – 3 parts water, your preference.

Add a cinnamon stick,

or a left over candy cane.

I had this pile of leftover mini candy canes.

While not minding using broken candy canes, I searched for a whole candy cane just for the photo. Taking out the obviously broken ones,

and opening the non-broken looking ones,

I only had this pile of broken pieces.

And this ONE piece that I could hook over the cup.

Sigh. What you’d do for a picture.

But I had my cup of Hot Cocoa to console me!

Here's the full recipe and printable!

Recipe: Rich Hot Cocoa Mix

Prep Time: 15 min  |  Cook Time: none  |  Yield: 10 pounds

 Print Recipe

Ingredients

• • 1 (22 oz.) container flavored dry coffee creamer (use flavored for flavored hot cocoa)
  • 1 (4 lb.) box non-fat instant dry milk
  • 1 (32 oz.) bag powdered sugar
  • 2 (28 oz.) containers chocolate milk mix (or mix together 7 cups sugar and 4 cups baking cocoa--dutch is best!)

Preparation Instructions

• 1. Sift (or put through blender) dry milk to break up any of those little balls into a powder.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large garbage bag (make sure it’s unscented!)--I don't have a bowl big enough, so I use the garbage bag, it works wonderfully!
  3. Firmly hold onto top of bag and turn bag upside down and all around until all ingredients are mixed.
  4. Pour into containers.
  To make the Hot Cocoa:
  1. Mix 1 part mix with 2 – 3 parts water, your preference.

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