Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
Most Southerners I know have a special place in their heart for all things Red Velvet, especially around the holidays. This week, I’m making miniature Red Velvet Cakes, last week we made Red Velvet Cookies, and today I’m sharing my recipe for Red Velvet Hot Chocolate!
Red Velvet Hot Chocolate is an old fashioned hot chocolate recipe, the kind you make on the stovetop, that will ruin you for store bought mixes. This is what I grew up with: Rich, Creamy, and Chocolate as the day is long. Add a little of that food coloring the stores sell out of this time of year and you’ve got an instant classic! Let’s get on in the kitchen…
To make the base, you’ll need: Milk, Sugar, Cocoa Powder.
Vanilla is optional but I include it when I think about it.
How Do You Get the Hot Chocolate to Look Red?
You’ll also need two tablespoons of red food coloring. Yup, tablespoons. OR if you want to avoid the chemicals in the food coloring 2 tsps of beetroot powder gives you the same red coloring.
How to Make Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Step By Step
But enough about my side gig, now back to the hot chocolate!
In medium saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa powder, then add ½ cup milk.
Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Did you catch that “stir constantly” part?
Add milk and food coloring or beetroot powder, reduce heat to low, continuing to stir just until the milk is good and warm; do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla if desired.
Ooooh look how pretty this Red Velvet Hot Chocolate is! And did you catch how quick it came together, even though it was made from scratch?
Serve Red Velvet Hot Chocolate hot, with marshmallows (or without, look at you being a rebel!).
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar could use 1/3 cup honey instead
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 + 1/2 cups whole milk* Can use almond or coconut milk if you like
- 2 Tablespoons red liquid food coloring or 2 tsps of beetroot powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla optional
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, stir together sugar or honey and cocoa powder, then add 1/2 cup milk. Stir CONSTANTLY over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, continuing the constant stirring, for about two minutes. *Do not stop stirring or it will scorch.
- Add remaining milk and food coloring or beetroot powder. Reduce heat to medium low and continue the constant stirring just until milk is to desired temperature - do not boil.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t wait to try this! And my questions were already asked and answered (cooled & reheated/made ahead & kept warm in crockpot). When my sister and I were young, there were no hot cocoa mixes. Mama made hers from scratch, too, and it was soooo good. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
So glad you were able to find the answers you needed. Merry Christmas Ellen!!
This sounds amazing!! If I make this right before going to a holiday party, could it be transferred to a crockpot to be kept warm and served there? Or do you have a crockpot hot cocoa recipe?
That would work just fine Miranda.
Can this be cooled and reheated? I would like to take this to work for a treat.
It sure can. You might have a bit of sediment form in the bottom once it cools but a good stir or shaking will fix that right up 🙂
Awesome
This brings back memories of my mom at the stove mixing up our bedtime treat after coming home from Christmas midnight church service. She didn’t use the food coloring though. Warmed our tummies and always made it easy to go right to sleep before Santa arrived! Merry Christmas!
What a wonderful memory!!!
Does the food color make your lips, tongue red?
Not anymore than they already are 🙂
Sending hubby to store for marshmallow and whole milk. Am going to serve this tomorrow to my book club. Thank you Christy
Thank you Alice!! I hope y’all have a wonderful time and enjoy the hot chocolate!!