My Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe is going to warm you up right down to your toes.
Made with rich chocolate, creamy milk and a hint of vanilla, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and indulgent.
Get ready for some unbelievable chocolatey goodness! This post contains affiliate links.
Be sure to check out the rest of our easy drink recipes, too!
In our family, we don’t indulge in Starbucks hot chocolate often.
But the one time we get it every year, without fail, is for our town’s downtown tree lighting.
Even when the kids were just toddlers, we would bundle everyone up, get a warm cup of Starbucks hot chocolate, sing Christmas carols with my fellow neighbors and cheer when the tree lights were turned on and the entire town became a Christmas light feast.
This tradition actually started when my husband and I were dating.
We were living in downtown Chicago at the time.
My condo was just steps from the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I convinced my new boyfriend at the time to go outside, despite the ridiculous cold, to walk through all of the amazing lights of the zoo.
To entice him to put up with the winds, I presented two cups of Starbucks hot chocolate.
One of my favorite holiday memories is of us riding the carousel in the frigid air, hot chocolate in hand, falling in love.
I still love Starbucks hot chocolate… but I also love making it at home! It’s easy enough to make this copycat Starbucks hot chocolate recipe at home from scratch.
And oh my goodness… that chocolatey warmth just can’t be beat on a cold, snowy afternoon.
Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe
When you make this recipe, go the extra step in adding some oomph to the fun.
My kids just want some marshmallows swimming on top — or even one huge marshmallow.
(Have you seen the crazy extra large ones… they’re almost bigger than the cup!)
I love topping our cocoa with whipped cream.
Toss in some mini chocolate chips, or dip in some homemade chocolate stir sticks, which are deceptively easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ cup milk (any kind will do)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Directions for starbucks hot chocolate recipe:
Add water, cocoa and sugar into a microwave safe bowl and heat for approximately 40 seconds or until warm.
Mix well to create the chocolate syrup.
Add milk and vanilla and stir well.
Heat in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until hot.
Serve with whipped cream and chocolate chips or syrup on top.
Enjoy this Starbucks hot chocolate recipe!
Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe
Get ready for some unbelievable chocolatey goodness! My Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe is going to warm you up right down to your toes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ cup milk (any kind will do)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Add water, cocoa and sugar into a microwave safe bowl and heat for approximately 40 seconds or until warm. Mix well to create the chocolate syrup.
- Add milk and vanilla and stir well.
- Heat in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until hot.
- Serve with whipped cream and chocolate chips or syrup on top
- Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 324Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 175mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 2gSugar: 44gProtein: 14g
Nutrient values are only estimates provided by online calculators. Various factors can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
For more Starbucks inspiration:
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You can easily make your own Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks to really make it an occasion!
Wow. This looks amazing!
I also love you continued your tradition with your children
Enjoy the hot chocolate! It’s certainly cold enough where we are 🙂
Well this looks amazing! I am a huge fan of Starbucks copycat recipes. You did a great job with this one!
– Seri
Thanks! I am a complete Starbucks addict 🙂
Ohh, we will be trying this! Perfect for a cold winter day. Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle Sunday! Would love it you would come and share this or any posts at our Brag About It Link Party – Tuesday Link party that starts Monday nights at midnight. We’d love to see you there!
Pinning and tweeting to share 🙂
~Laurie
I love homemade hot chocolate. Thanks for sharing on the Creative K. Kids Tasty Tuesdays Linky Party. I hope you will join us again next week.
Starbucks hot chocolate is my favorite! I can;t wait to try my hand at making it at home!!
You’re going to LOOOOOOVE it 🙂 Send me a note and let me know what you think of the recipe.
I love this! Looks very tasty. Thanks for sharing 🙂
sounds delish! Thanks for sharing at the #BestoftheBlogosphere
But Starbucks doesn’t make great hot chocolate.
Wait… what?!? I just love their hot chocolate… but I don’t get it often.
Jennifer, your Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe looks and sounds delicious! We’re huge Starbucks fans and our son was a store manager for a couple years. Thanks for linking up to the Creative Muster Party and hope to see you tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 6 pm EST. This post was shared on Twitter too! 😉
Heather
MySweetMission.net
A store manager! Then you KNOW how good the hot chocolate is…. Enjoy!
I just made your hot chocolate recipe and it really is good, but I did add a little extra sugar to mine. ? Very easy too, so I’ll be making it again. I don’t think I’ve ever had Starbucks hot chocolate, so I can’t compare, lol. I can just say it’s yummy.
The Starbucks hot chocolate isn’t too sweet…. so if you’re hankering for a little extra, it’s smart to add a little bit more sugar 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it… it’s certainly cold enough here in Chicagoland to warrant a cup (or two). 😀
I love a good hot cocoa – top it with some fresh grated nutmeg – heaven! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
Mmm, got to love hot chocolate!
And I just LOVE Starbucks hot chocolate!
This looks amazing. Thank you for linking up with us at #HomeMattersParty. See you again next week.
I have never been to Starbucks before but this hot chocolate sounds amazing and looks yummy too! 🙂
Starbucks has the best hot chocolate around hands down! (oh but the cost….) Definitely try making this recipe at home 🙂
Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!
This recipe looks so very good! I could use some of this right now with the weather that we are having! Thanks for this Starbucks Hot Chocolate recipe!
This looks so good! And while I am an eggnog junkie, my kids would drink hot chocolate every single day, 3 times a day, if I allowed it! I will have to give this recipe a go. Thanks for joining my link up!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
My daughter’s going to love this, thank you so much for sharing.
My teenager loves hot cocoa and loves Starbucks, so I will definitely be trying this out on him!
Oh that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing at The Mark and Jan Show #LetsParty!
How fun you’ve carried the tradition on! I’ve never had starbucks hot chocolate – now I will never need to! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Mollie
Oh my word — best hot chocolate around! go spoil yourself and make one at home 🙂
This is a great cup of Hot Chocolate! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday.
Miz Helen