Yes, yes, I know homemade hot cocoa is supposed to be better than hot cocoas that begin with some mix named Nestle Quik, Ovaltine, Carnation, or Swiss Miss — but when I want a cup of hot cocoa at the end of a long day, or when I’m planning a casual gathering with friends, the last thing I think of is finding some blocks, chunks, or chips of chocolate to melt down in a water bath.. Consider me spoiled by convenience — wonderfully, gloriously spoiled, and ready to share my tips on how to make a hot cocoa mix recipe shine.

Here’s Tip No. 1: Your selection of a hot cocoa mix should be the only shortcut you take toward your destination of a rich, decadent, completely satisfying cup of warm chocolate bliss. Hot cocoa mix is already diluted chocolate — all mixes have cocoa powder blended with sugar, many of them have cocoa powder blended with milk solids and fat (some are meant to be added directly to water), and many of them are processed with additives that assist smoothness of texture (pure cocoa powder is very gritty). None of these facts by themselves prevent you from using hot cocoa mix to make some spectacular cups of cocoa, but if you cut corners in other areas, you’re headed for disaster.

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