I’ve always been one to buy hot chocolate mixes, because I’m always the person that buys different flavours of Options hot chocolate and Cadbury’s High Lights. Buying the lower calorie versions meant that I am able to have hot chocolate as a dessert when I’m trying to reduce my sugar intake, or simply be a bit more sensible with my sweet tooth.

But, sometimes, you just need a good old-fashioned, homemade hot chocolate mix that you can spice up your own way.

This mixture is a great combination of cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon. Using unsweetened cocoa powder means that the hot chocolate is not too sweet, although the marshmallows certainly counteract that.

You can mix all the ingredients in a jar and wrap it in a pretty bow as a gift. Or you can mix all of the ingredients in a jar and keep it for yourself. All you need to do is heat up a cup of milk of your choice (if you’re dairy-free, then almond or coconut milk work really well). It’s as easy as that.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
marshmallows

1. Sift the cocoa powder (if you wish) into a jar, and combine with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until well incorporated.
2. To use, heat up one cup of milk of choice. Stir in 3 teaspoons of cocoa mixture, and whisk well.
3. Pour into a mug, add marshmallows, and enjoy.