Buzz
As winter settles in with its icy grip, there are a few ways to make this chilly season more enjoyable. One of my go-to winter delights is a piping hot mug of thick, luxurious hot chocolate. While I often use standard boxed cocoa mix, one simple trick helps me create a hot chocolate that could rival even the fanciest café’s offering: I add cornstarch to my mix.
Cornstarch is a versatile thickening agent that’s easy to incorporate into your kitchen routine. You don’t need a lot—just a teaspoon or two is enough to help bind ingredients like melted chocolate and low-fat milk, or eggs in egg drop soup. The key is knowing the right moment to activate its thickening powers.
Cornstarch is a fine powder typically found in the baking aisle, but simply adding it to boiling liquids won’t work as expected. It activates just below boiling (around 145°F) and reaches its full thickening potential at around 203°F. To avoid clumps when adding cornstarch to hot cocoa or soup, mix it with a cold liquid to create a ‘slurry,’ or blend it with another dry ingredient, like sugar or cocoa powder, before introducing the hot liquid.
While I admire a homemade hot cocoa powder mix, this winter I've been hooked on the convenience of pre-packaged boxed mixes. Fortunately, there's a simple cornstarch hack you can use with any hot chocolate mix to create a thicker and more indulgent texture.
How to make your store-bought hot chocolate mix extra creamy
For powdered mixes, simply add the cornstarch to the dry ingredients and whisk them together for about 30 seconds until there are no clumps of cornstarch remaining. Once the dry mix is ready, bring your preferred liquid to a boil— I usually go for a blend of water and almond milk, but you can use water alone for a rich taste. I boil water in my electric kettle and immediately pour it into the cornstarch-enriched powder. Stir well, and the result is a smooth, velvety hot chocolate. I typically use between one and two teaspoons of cornstarch for every six ounces of liquid, depending on how thick I want my drink to be.
How to make thick hot chocolate from scratch
You can also use cornstarch to thicken stove-top hot cocoas, or, if you’re looking to smother yourself in comfort, drinking chocolates. Instead of mixing the cornstarch into the dry ingredients, because there may not be any, make a cornstarch slurry. For a cup of milk or water, pour three-quarters of it into a small pot. Turn the heat on medium-low.
While that heats up, with the other quarter cup of liquid, make a slurry. I use a teaspoon and a half for one cup of liquid if the recipe has chocolate in it. If the recipe uses cocoa powder, I’ll use two teaspoons of cornstarch. Add the cornstarch directly to the small amount of liquid and stir it until dissolved. Once the pot of liquid begins to boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry. The milk will thicken slightly within 10 to 20 seconds. Turn the heat off and whisk in the other ingredients until fully combined.
This recipe offers a luxurious, rich cup of drinking chocolate. While you can use any chocolate chips or chunks, I prefer slightly higher-quality chocolate than TollHouse for this recipe. Bar chocolate or Ghirardelli chips generally have a lower melting point, so they make it easier to whisk the mixture into a smooth, velvety chocolate drink. A 72% chocolate will give you a deliciously bittersweet drink, but if you prefer something sweeter, simply add a spoonful of sugar or honey to your mug to adjust the sweetness.
Simple Drinking Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup of cold liquid (water, milk, or a mix), divided
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
⅓ cup (2 ounces) high-quality chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional, depending on how bitter the chocolate is)
1. Split the cold liquid. Pour three-quarters into a small pot over medium-low heat, and place the remaining quarter into a small bowl with the cornstarch. While the pot is heating, stir the cornstarch and water to dissolve it completely.
2. Once the milk starts bubbling around the edges, add the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly for about 10 to 20 seconds, or until it thickens. Remove from heat and mix in the salt and chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to soften, then whisk until smooth. Taste the drink and add sugar if desired. Serve and enjoy immediately.
