Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
Italian Hot Chocolate is a mug full of creamy deliciously thick Hot Chocolate, made with real chocolate and milk, the ultimate Comfort Food.
When my kids were little they would ask me to make Hot Chocolate and so I would, it was easy! Little did I know that they really wanted the kind their friends’ were drinking.
When they got a little older and we would go shopping together, they would take me down the aisle where it was located or call me in the room when the commercial came on the TV.
I bought it, made it and tasted it and I thought Wow, this isn’t half bad! Thick, creamy and chocolatey.
How to Make Italian Hot Chocolate
- In a small bowl whisk until smooth, milk and cornstarch set aside.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl then add the sugar and whisk together, set aside.
- In a small/medium pot heat the remaining milk until boiling reduce heat to low, start whisking and add the milk/cornstarch mixture then add the cocoa mixture slowly while continually whisking until smooth.
- Then add the chocolate pieces and whisk continuously for approximately 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
I had no idea that the Italians knew how to make a better Hot Chocolate too! Isn’t it funny when you notice something new or are told about something new, you then start to see it everywhere.
And I did, in coffee bars and of course friends started to talk about it. In fact I was at my friend’s house one day and the commercial came on TV for the exact same mix that I bought.
“I tried that stuff”, which of course she responded with, “no homemade is so much better, I have the recipe for you”!
So here I am with the cool rainy weather starting and all I can think about is making a small pot of this amazing Thick Italian Hot Chocolate to go along with some just made Shortbread Cookies.
This stuff is gold, made with real chocolate and a little cocoa, my friend said to use whole milk but I used 2% instead and it always turned out delicious.
Unfortunately this is another recipe just like Italian Pastry Cream where stirring is required. But don’t worry the outcome is well worth it.
This Italian Thick Hot Chocolate Recipe is so creamy and delicious you don’t even need to top it with any whipped cream or marshmallows. But if you do, I won’t stop you. Enjoy!
Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces Dark Chocolate (good quality) (chopped into small pieces)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa unsweetened
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon milk (2% or whole milk/divided)
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk until smooth, 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch set aside.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl then add the sugar and whisk together, set aside.
- In a small/medium pot heat 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon milk until boiling reduce heat to low, start whisking and add the milk/cornstarch mixture then add the cocoa mixture slowly while continually whisking until smooth add the chopped chocolate and whisk for approximately 3 minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Updated from November 18, 2016
When making a double recipe when do you add the 1 cup of milk?
Hi Vicki, I am a bit confused the milk will be doubled also, so 1/4 cup will be 1/2 cup and 3/4 + 1 tablespoon will be 1 1/2 + 2 tablespoons of milk. I hope that helps. Take care!
Interesting! This Italian version is almost exactly the same as a centuries old drink from Central America, Atole, in this case Atole de Chocolate, which I often make.
Only, corn masa, or masa harina, is used to thicken the atole drink in place of the cornstarch used here, which is just a more highly processed version of corn masa, but minus the corn flavor. This cornstarch version is finished more quickly too as using corn masa requires cooking it a few minutes to thicken the drink.
Mexican chocolate is usually used for atole de chocolate, it includes cinnamon and sometimes almonds, so has a bit more depth of flavor, but it has little sugar, so more sugar is added to the atole than used in this hot chocolate recipe. And brown sugar, or piloncillo is used in place of white sugar. A pinch of chile is often added to the drink as well.
Atole is often made with, among other things, blackberries or strawberries or nuts for flavoring instead of chocolate, or even just plain- just the milk, corn masa, brown sugar and some cinnamon.
If you ever get tired of hot chocolate, (yea right), look up some Atole recipes for variations that you can easily make using this recipe with cornstarch. Or if you have some masa harina around, or fresh masa is available, give Atole a try!
Thank you for this recipe, I will use it when I don’t have the time needed to make Atole, but still do need hot chocolate! 🙂
Hi Karen, thanks so much, I will definitely check out some Atole recipes. I love hot chocolate so I look forward to trying it. Have a great week, take care!
I don’t how many times I made hot chocolate using this recipe, I drink it hot during winter, cold with ice during summer (without cornstarch), also tried it with soy milk and it turns so good!!! The best hot chocolate ever! Thank you ♡
Hi Salma, thanks so much, that’s a great idea making an ice hot chocolate. Glad you like it. Have a great week. Take care.
This tasted delicious! Only issue I had was little chunks of cornstarch and cocoa that did not seem to dissolve fully despite being whisked. Do you have tips on how to avoid this next time?
Hi Paige, to help with the chunks sift the cornstarch and cocoa rather than whisk it. That should help. Have a great week.
Can i store this in my fridge ?
Hi Sharifah, well it is supposed to be drunk/eaten when hot. But if you do have leftovers then yes you should store it in the fridge.
It was so creamy and nice and thick and… yummy 🤤 😋
Hi Enno, thanks glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
Could you put in the weight in grams for the metric measurements? As teaspoon/tablespoon and cup sizes vary internationally, it is a bit difficult to get the correct ratio. I made your recipe as is with the tablespoons and things in my kitchen (I’m in Australia) and the recipe turned out FAR too sweet and did not congeal at all.
Hi Lin, the tablespoon in Australia is 20g whereas in the US and Canada its approximately 15g. So you were using larger amounts which would make it sweeter.
Can you make this ahead?
Hi Heather, no this is a make and eat recipe. Sorry.
Do you drink this, or is it just for dipping cookies?
Hi Cher, it’s thick so it’s usually eaten with a spoon. 🙂
Hi, I’ve just made this… And it’s absolutely AMAZING!!! It’s definitely going to be my go to for a naughty treat or dessert when we have guests! I used 70% which ended up being slight too bitter (for me) but otherwise SO good and so easy! Thanks for the share!
Hi Nila, thanks so much so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
It tastes brilliant, but it came out rubbery. The recipe is quick and easy. I will try again with less cornstarch!
Hi Jolie, if it came out rubbery I think you might be cooking it too long.
I’m not a huge fan of hot cocoa, but I had to try this Thick Italian Hot Cocoa. I tweeked around with it didnt put in so much sugar and put two different kinds of chocolate chips in. This is the first recipe I’ve made in quite some time and it is delicious. I will make it again. I’m having it right now for dessert along with some jam filled cookies.
Hi Ellen, thanks so much, glad you liked it. Take care.
Completely delightful!
I used bittersweet chocolate chips (63% cacao) and Lakanto monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar (for lower carbs) and it was AMAZING! Perfect texture and flavor! And so simple and quick to make!
Next time I want to try some ChocZero sugar free dark chocolate chips and see if that works well (for even lower carbs)
Hi Dyany, thanks so much and thanks for letting me know. Happy New Year.
I have been looking for thick hot chocolate and decided the only way to get it was make it myself. The recipe was very easy to follow and love that it calls for dark chocolate. I did have to substitute Lactaid for milk, but it did not change how it came out. I also used cinnamon sugar and added a dash of Cheyenne to get a spicy cinnamon flavor.
Hi Rachel, thanks glad you liked it. Great idea with the cinnamon and cheyenne pepper. Merry Christmas.
Oh. My. Holy. Hannah. Make this…you won’t be sorry. One of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted!
Hi Kmw, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.