The Ultimate Lavender Hot Chocolate Recipe For Winter

Winter is cold. As you don your wool sweater and curl up with your favorite fluffy blanket, what better than to warm your hands (and insides) with a hot chocolate? The milky warmth and the invigorating chocolate mixture is sure to keep your body warm and comforted…especially balanced with a bit of lavender!

Beyond the sugar in the chocolate, I did not add any extra sugar into this recipe. I think it is sweet enough!

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup water
• 2.5 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (for baking)
• 0.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 0.75-1 teaspoon ground lavender (to know more about cooking with lavender click here)

This recipe yields two large mugfuls.

Process

The first step is to melt the chocolate chips. To do this, heat the half cup of water and the chocolate chips in a saucepan. Be sure to stir the mixture to help it mix and melt.

Second, you will stir in the cocoa powder. Keep the heat on. You are mixing the full chocolate syrupy mixture. As the powder starts to mix in, then add the ground lavender. Start with the 0.75 teaspoon, but if you like a really intense lavender flavor go for the full teaspoon. Mix until smooth.

Once the mixture is absolutely smooth, you are ready for the final step: adding the milk! Start with only adding a quarter cup of milk. Mix that in fully then add another quarter cup and continue mixing. If you add too much milk at once, the chocolate and milk will not mix well—you will have milk with chocolate flakes instead! Still tasty, but not nearly as satisfying.

After mixing in the first bit of milk, you can then pour in the remaining two cups of milk. Keep stirring, but this should blend easily. Keep the heat on until the milk is heated to your desired warm temperature.

A note about the milk: I used a lactose-free milk when making my own hot chocolate for personal reasons. You can use whatever milk you like or if you prefer a less creamy taste you can adjust this recipe by replacing some of the milk with water. I would recommend not adding more milk or water than the total three cup amount already listed.

I have been enjoying this recipe in the late afternoons this week, as I give myself a needed energy boost with the shorter daylight. Of course, it is served best while curled up in that fluffy blanket and with a book or good company!