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CAPSULE REPORT: Part 1 of this article discussed the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate, the differences in quality, health benefits and preparation techniques. Here, we present the sixty-plus with a few “author’s favorites” singled out. But, you are encouraged to find your own perfect cup—and if you’ve already found it and it isn’t on this list, tell us what you think is the best hot chocolate.

• Author’s Favorites
• Hot Cocoas
• Hot Chocolates

The Reviews

Because there are no standards for nomenclature, I’ve referred to drinks as hot chocolates or hot cocoas according to their labels, even though some so-called “hot chocolate” is obviously hot cocoa (because it’s made of cocoa powder), and that labeled hot cocoa is actually hot chocolate (because it‘s made of shaved chocolate).

Within each category, brands are listed alphabetically. Unless noted, all prepared beverages were of thin (milk/water) consistency. Websites listed after each brand represent either the means by which product was obtained or are places where more product information may be available. Aroma and color were judged solely for completed beverages, not for dry mixes. Shorter ingredient lists without too many (or any) extraneous ingredients are listed in their entirety; longer ingredient lists with fillers, anti-caking agents, etc., have only partial ingredient listings.

Please note that this is by no means a complete list of chocolate beverages available to the consumer; there are many others out there as well. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Read our article on Gourmet Cocoas From Fine Chocolatiers, our review of Larry Burdick’s Hot Chocolate (the editor’s favorite, a super-thick, super-rich brew), and Vosge’s White Hot Chocolate, which are not reviewed here.

Also note that prices shown are those at the time of the review. While we update our prices from time to time, given the challenge of updating more than 65 prices at a time, we won’t be doing this on an annual basis. So, please view the prices on a comparative basis. Another thing to note about price: Good chocolate is expensive. A $20 box that provides four or five 6-ounce portions (that fill an 8-ounce cup) costs you four or five dollars a serving, plus milk. So, it may not be your everyday cocoa of choice. But it sure is a special-occasion treat! And hot chocolate that good needs no whipped cream or other garnish—it is a pleasure to savor alone.

Author’s Favorites

Whether for the holidays or Valentine’s Day, the temperature and timing are perfect to bestow upon your favorite hot-chocolate lover some (or all) of these. Or, plan a New Year’s Day or Valentine’s Day Hot Chocolate Tasting Party. (Use our Wine and Chocolate Tasting Party planning guide as a template.)

Twenty-seven hot cocoa preparations and thirty-eight hot chocolate mixes were tested for this article. Most are from artisan chocolatiers and need to be purchased by mail order; but if your needs are more immediate and your budget is minimalist, or you don’t want to wait for a mail order, Ghirardelli Chocolate Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa is the favorite among those brands commonly available in supermarkets. While it’s not competitive with the top brands, it’s better than many other products we tried.

How to choose among the 65+ brands? A dozen stood out from the rest, and another 13 are runner-up. A number of the runners-up could have made it to the top tier if they had had better (or any) instructions, or if preparation had been less of a chore.

Favorites

• Sentimental Favorite: Dorado Chocolates Hot Cocoa Mix. Granted, it’s not really a mix at all, but chocolate-covered marshmallows that are melted to make the drink. The play-with-your-food aspect is irresistible, though, and two or three of these in a cup of hot milk are simply delightful.
• Premium Brands ($15 or more per 8 ounces): Chocolate Springs Serious Hot Chocolate Mix, Enrico Rovira Chocolate a la Taza, Fiori Chocolatiers 70% Cacao Drinking Chocolate, Recchiuti Dark Hot Chocolate Pure Chocolate Pistoles, The Bent Spoon Euro-Style Hot Chocolate Mix, Woodhouse Chocolate Hot Chocolate.

• Mid-Priced Brands ($7 to $14.99 per 8 ounces): Christopher Elbow Artisan Chocolate Cocoa Noir, Christopher Norman Rich Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate, Dorado Chocolates Hot Cocoa Mix, Lake Champlain All Natural Old World Drinking Chocolate.

• Bargain Brands (less than $6.99 per 8 ounces): Cadbury Drinking Chocolate, Ghirardelli.

• Best Organic Product: Although this was not specificially a review of organic products, Lake Champlain Organic Fair Trade Hot Chocolate was the favorite of those that happen to be organic.

Runners-Up

• Almost-Favorites in the Hot Cocoa Category: Café-Tasse Chocolat en Poudre, Euphoria Chocolate Company Sweetened Ground Cocoa, Moonstruck Chocolate Company American Hot Cocoa, Valor Chocolates’ Cao and Vosges Haut-Chocolat Couture Cocoa La Parisienne.
• Almost-Favorites Among the Hot Chocolates: Domori Cacao Cult Hot Chocolate, Enrico Rovira Chocolate a la Taza, Garrison Ultimate Hot Chocolate (Regular), Hot Chocolate Sparrow Hot Chocolate, Lake Champlain All Natural New World Drinking Chocolate, Lake Champlain Organic Fair Trade Hot Chocolate, MarieBelle Aztec Original Hot Chocolate and Max Brenner Chocolate Powder (Dark Caibos).
• Sugar-Free Versions Available: Valor Cao (also see our review of The King’s Cupboard No Sugar Added Hot Chocolate Mixes in a separate article).
• Kosher Brands: Cacao Reserve By Hershey’s, Equal Exchange.
• Organic Brands: Dagaoba, Dean’s Beans, Equal Exchange, Green & Black’s, Lake Champlain.

Hot Cocoas

Ah!Laska Organic Cocoa (Chocolatey Chocolate Mix). A very mild chocolate flavor with a little sweetness to it. First ingredient: organic evaporated cane sugar. Entire ingredient list: organic evaporated cane sugar, Organic Valley fat free dry milk, organic cocoa, organic rice syrup solids, organic vanilla powder, carrageenan, xanthan gum. Sodium content: 20 mg/serving. A light milky cocoa color with similarly light chocolate aroma. Seven ounces of skim milk was used to make this beverage. Price: $6.29 for 12 ounces.

Big Train Incorporated Hot Cocoa (Chocolate). Beverage is very sweet, with a mild chocolate taste in the background. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, nonfat dry milk, cocoa powder processed with alkali. Sodium content: 137 mg/serving. A darker chocolate color with a mildly chocolate aroma. Price: $4.00 for 7.5 ounces.

Cacao Blanxart. This is a slightly thickened cocoa, with a nice consistency and decent taste of cocoa. It’s definitely on the sweet side. The major drawback: there’s no way to make just one or two servings. Instructions are given only for the whole bag of mix, which makes a large potful, and there’s no convenient way to divide the mix if a small number of servings is desired. First ingredient: cocoa powder. Entire ingredient list: cocoa powder, sugar, corn flour, vanilla. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $6.00 for 7 ounces.

Cacao Reserve By Hershey’s (Classic Chocolate). A darker cocoa brown color and faintly chocolate aroma. Mix was exceptionally difficult to dissolve; too much simply didn’t dissolve at all. Mild chocolate flavor and far less sweet than the other Hershey product of this type tested here. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, carrageenan, guar gum, salt, vanilla, artificial flavor, and sodium caseinate, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 150 mg/serving. Certified Kosher by OU. Price: $2.50 for 5-count package. Read our full review of Cacao Reserve By Hersheys.

Café-Tasse Chocolat en Poudre. This mix had no instructions of any kind printed on it or attached to it, so 3 tablespoons of mix was used to six ounces of milk. With these proportions, a medium milky brown beverage with a moderately chocolate aroma was produced, with a definite cocoa taste and not too much sweetness—very pleasant overall. Single-serving packets of this product are sold, but one was not used here, and it’s not known if those contain the same amount of mix or have preparation instructions. First ingredient: cocoa powder (minimum 32%). Entire ingredient list: cocoa powder, sugar. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $8.25 for 8.75 ounces.

Chuao Chocolatier Hot Chocolate: Winter. We really liked this blend, although not made as recommended—with boiling water—but with milk. The water version didn’t give this beverage the richness it deserves. Chuao Chocolatier is a top artisan chocolate maker; it chose a delicious base of Venezuelan bittersweet chocolate, and added just enough sugar to make it lightly sweet so the winter spices could show through: cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg and pepper. It isn’t marked as “Aztec” or “spicy” hot chocolate, but it should be. This was also one of the easier-to-blend mixes—no lumps remained in the cup. Price: $12 for 18 ounces. (This item was not part of the original review, but was added later by THE NIBBLE editors.)

Coco-Luxe. Made of cocoa powder with tiny bits of white chocolate, the medium, milky brown cocoa has a lovely, exotic nose that promises allspice and a secret ingredient that could not be pried from the chocolatier. What results is a lovely cup of high-end, milk-chocolate like cocoa (to those with less sensitive notes, it smells like milk chocolate, and is sweet on the palate as well). We made it with both whole milk and fat free and were dually satisfied. First ingredient: Dry whole milk. Entire ingredient list: Dry whole milk, cocoa powder, sugar, white chocolate, spice. Price: $19.95 for 16 ounces. In a nice lavender- and orange-striped gift tin. Read our full review of Coco-luxe Confections. (This item was not part of the original review, but was added later by THE NIBBLE editors.)

Dean’s Beans Hot Cocoa Mix (Organic and Fair Trade). A medium milky-brown beverage with a faintly chocolate aroma. Very mild cocoa flavor with a nicely restrained use of sweetness. Powder was harder to dissolve than some others; texture of finished beverage was a little gritty, and there was some undissolved powder at the bottom of the mug. No instructions on package, but nutrition information based on use of 1 cup skim milk and a 2 tablespoon serving of mix, so those proportions were used. First ingredient: organic sugar. Entire ingredient list: organic sugar, organic cocoa, organic nonfat dry milk. Sodium content: 30 mg/serving. Price: $4.50 for 12 ounces. Read our review of Dean’s Beans organic coffee.

Dilettante Cocoa 24 Sweetened Deluxe Cocoa. Darker than typical milky-brown cocoa color, with a slight chocolate aroma. Despite long stirring, all of mix would not dissolve. Not too sweet, but not a lot of chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, Dutch processed cocoa. Sodium content: 1 mg/serving. Price: $5.95 for 8 ounces.

Dorado Chocolates Hot Cocoa Mix. Strictly speaking, this “mix” consists of chocolate-covered marshmallows, but without federal standards for this product, why can’t it be a hot cocoa mix? The instructions recommend dropping a marshmallow or two into a mug of hot milk (I like two to three of these marshmallows in six ounces of hot milk). The marshmallows are somewhat tough at room temperature, but they’re delightful in the hot milk as they and their semisweet chocolate coating melt unevenly. If you like to play with your food, this “mix” is the way to go. A favorite. No ingredients or sodium content listed. Price: $13.95.

Equal Exchange Fair Trade Hot Cocoa (Organic). A medium to dark brown beverage with almost no aroma and a very light flavor. There was a very faint taste of chocolate, but nothing else—but also, this is not a sugary drink. When made with milk, instead of the suggested water, it was vastly improved. People who like light flavors may enjoy it. First ingredient: organic evaporated cane juice. Entire ingredient list: organic evaporated cane juice, organic nonfat dry milk powder, organic cocoa powder, naturally derived cellulose gum, salt, natural vanilla powder. Certified kosher by COR. Sodium content: 60 mg/serving. Price: $6 for 12 ounces.

Euphoria Chocolate Company Sweetened Ground Cocoa. A light-to-medium milky brown color with a very light chocolate aroma. Mildly sweet, with a pleasant, modestly chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, cocoa, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin, vanilla. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $4.50 for 8 ounces.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa. Dark milky cocoa color with a slight chocolate aroma. Quite sweet, but definitely tasted of chocolate. Surprisingly decent for a supermarket purchase. First ingredient: sweet ground chocolate. Entire ingredient list: sweet ground chocolate and cocoa processed with alkali. Sodium content: 60 mg/serving. Price: $6.39 for 16 ounces.

Gloria Jean’s Cocoas Creamy Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix. Milky-brown cocoa color with very slight chocolate aroma and slightly thickened consistency. Despite long stirring, all of mix would not dissolve. Sweet and salty, but no real chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains glucose solids, “modified milk ingredients,” hydrogenated canola oil, partially hydrogenated coconut oil, sodium caseinate, tricalcium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides, silicon dioxide, artificial flavoring, and maltitol, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 115 mg/serving. Price: $5.99 for 10 ounces.

Godiva Chocolatier Classic Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa. A medium cocoa brown beverage with moderate chocolate aroma. Extremely sweet, with only a modest chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali), milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, soya lecithin, vanillin. Sodium content: 5 mg/serving. Price: $10.00 for 15.4 ounces.

Godiva Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Truffle Hot Cocoa. Dark chocolate color with a nicely chocolate aroma. Definite chocolate impact and not overly sweet, but chocolate taste not appealing. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali), bittersweet chocolate, soya lecithin, vanillin. Sodium content: 5 mg/serving. Price: $10.00 for 17.4 ounces.

Harry and David Chocolate Euro Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa. A darker milky brown (darker than a milk chocolate bar) with a somewhat chocolate aroma. Good chocolatey “hit”, but unpleasant odd, sweet aftertaste. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains canola oil, corn syrup solids, natural and artificial flavors, and guar gum, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 120 mg/serving.

Harry and David Chocolate Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa. Dark milky brown color with a faint chocolate aroma. Very sweet, with only a minimal chocolate flavor. Sweet aftertaste. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains canola oil, corn syrup solids, natural and artificial flavors, and guar gum, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 115 mg/serving.

Hershey’s Dutch Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix. Dark chocolate color, mild chocolate aroma. Sweet, with a mild chocolate flavor. Slightly oily in appearance on top surface. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated coconut and soybean oils, salt, artificial flavor, guar gum, and sodium caseinate, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 210 mg/serving on package; website indicates 300 mg/serving. Price: $1.99 for 6.25 ounces.

Les Confitures à l’Ancienne Chocolat En Poudre. Cocoa was not sweet enough; there was a strong cacao taste, but a little more sugar would have resulted in a much better product. First ingredient: unrefined brown cane sugar. Entire ingredient list: unrefined brown cane sugar, cocoa (35% minimum), natural vanilla. Sodium content: not listed. No amount of milk was specified for this product, so six ounces was used. Price: $9.95 for 10.6 ounces.

Moonstruck Chocolate Company American Hot Cocoa. A medium chocolate color with a good cocoa-y aroma. Initially sweet, but with a noticeable chocolate taste that hits after the sweetness. First ingredient: powdered sugar. Entire ingredient list: powdered sugar, cocoa (“processed in alkali”). Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. Price: $20 for 16 ounces.

Nestlé Double Chocolate Meltdown Hot Cocoa Mix. Medium chocolate color with slight chocolate aroma. Very sweet, with very little chocolate flavor and a sweet and lasting aftertaste. Discrepancy in instructions: outer box indicates use of one cup water or milk per serving, while individual envelopes of mix call for six ounces of liquid. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated coconut or palm kernel, and canola, hydrogenated palm, soybean, cottonseed, and/or safflower oil, sodium silicoaluminate, cellulose gum, salt, dipotassium phosphate, sodium caseinate, mono- and diglycerides, and artificial flavors, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 180 mg/serving. Price: $3 for 10 packets.

Omanhene Hot Cocoa Mix. Very minimal chocolate flavor, but sweetness level is balanced, not overwhelming. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, natural cocoa powder. Sodium content: 5 mg/serving. Light chocolate in color with a pleasant chocolate aroma. Price: $6.50 for 12 ounces. Read our review of Omahene Chocolate.

Perfect Cup Premium Instant Cocoa Mix (purchased in supermarket; no website found, but label indicates product is manufactured for American Natural & Specialty Brands in St. Augustine, FL). Traditional milky brown cocoa color, with barely detectable chocolate aroma. Sweet, with hardly any chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sucrose. Also contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil, guar gum, sodium caseinate, sodium citrate, artificial flavor, dipotassium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides, and sodium silicoaluminate, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 230 mg/serving. Sold at supermarkets; not available in our area so we could not obtain a per-box price. However, it is sold in bulk on Amazon.com.

Slitti Miscela di Cacao (per cioccolata in tazza) [translation: cocoa powder for drinking chocolate]. This was a surprise. I’ve tried Slitti chocolates before and found them very pleasant, but this beverage (of a dark milk chocolate color with a moderate chocolate aroma) had a flat, unappealing, modestly chocolate taste with no hint of sweetness. First ingredient: bitter cocoa. Entire ingredient list: bitter cocoa, starch, sugar, natural flavors. Sodium content: not listed. (EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re surprised too: we adore Slitti chocolate. We didn’t taste this batch, but we’re tempted to try another.) Price: $13.95 for 8.8 ounces.

Swiss Miss Rich & Creamy Hot Cocoa Mix. Medium to dark chocolate color with a decent chocolate aroma. More stirring than usual required to dissolve powder; some remained undissolved and floated to top of liquid. Sweet, with little chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains corn syrup, whey protein concentrate, hydrogenated coconut oil, calcium carbonate, dipotassium phosphate, cellulose gum, artificial flavor, carrageenan, and mono- and diglycerides, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 170 mg/serving. $2.99 for 10 ounces. No e-commerce; available in most supermarkets.

Valor Chocolates Cao (available at Chocosphere.com). A dark chocolate beverage with a great, true chocolate aroma. Moderately chocolatey, not-too-sweet cup of cocoa that seems very rich because it’s slightly thickened with wheat powder. Nutrition information given is for 7 tablespoons of mix, but package instructions specifically for the U.S. call for 4 tablespoons of mix. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, fat reduced cocoa powder (19%), wheat flour, lecithin, “aroma.” Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. (EDITOR’S NOTE: There’s also a sugar-free version sweetened with Maltitol and Ace-K). Price: $7.95 for 17.5 ounces.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat Couture Cocoa La Parisienne (dark chocolate and vanilla bean). Not too sweet, with a nice dairy and deep chocolate taste. Long, lingering aftertaste. First ingredient: dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: dark chocolate, cocoa, sugar, vanilla beans. Sodium content: not listed. Preparation instructions very complicated, more for professional than home use. Price: $25.00 for 16 ounces. Read our full review of Vosges Chocolates.

Wegmans Extra-Rich Chocolate Flavor Instant Hot Cocoa Mix (purchased at a Wegmans supermarket, not found on website). Dark chocolate color with barely noticeable chocolate aroma. Off taste, combining salty, sweet, and vaguely chocolate flavors simultaneously. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains partially hydrogenated soybean and/or canola oil, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides, and natural and artificial flavors, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 150 mg/serving.  $.99 cents for 10 ounces. No e-commerce.

 

Hot Chocolates

Allegro Coffee Single Origin Drinking Chocolate (Columbian 53). Good “hit” of “red fruits” chocolate, not too sweet, with a definite cinnamon note, though beverage contains none of that spice. A darker brown color with a faintly chocolate, almost cinnamon aroma. Moderate amount of undissolved powder, even with repeated whisking and heating. First ingredient: dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: dark chocolate, cocoa powder, cane sugar. Sodium content: 10 mg/serving.

Allegro Coffee Single Origin Drinking Chocolate (Peruvian 64). A medium milky brown with a milky, faintly chocolate aroma. Many undissolved chocolate flecks that don’t register on the tongue. A moderately chocolate flavor but not noteworthy. First ingredient: 64% Peruvian dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: 64% Peruvian dark chocolate, Peruvian cocoa powder, cane sugar. Sodium content: 15 mg/serving.

Cadbury Drinking Chocolate. This was a shocker. I don’t care for Cadbury chocolate and never have, but this was a very pleasant drink, with a genuine chocolate flavor and sweetness that wasn’t overwhelming. A favorite. First ingredient: sugar. Entire ingredient list: sugar, cocoa, salt, flavoring, with 25% cocoa solids minimum. Sodium content: not listed. Darker milky brown color with a good chocolate aroma. Price: $5.99 for 9 ounces.

Caffe D’Amore Bellagio Sipping Chocolate. A very dark chocolate-colored, slightly thickened beverage with a good chocolatey aroma. Very dark but very flat/unpleasant taste, with almost a metallic aftertaste. Mix was difficult to dissolve, even with repeated whisking and heating. First ingredient: “100% pure cocoa powder” (as opposed to what?). Entire ingredient list: 100% pure cocoa powder, cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter. Sodium content: 30 mg/serving. Price: $8.75 for 9 ounces.

Chocolate Springs Serious Hot Chocolate Mix. This is a well-named product, as it produces a darker-than-milk-chocolate beverage with an almost intense chocolate aroma and a deeply bittersweet chocolate taste. Not for chocolate beginners, but a fine choice for those who have a passion for dark chocolate. A favorite. No ingredient list, sodium content not listed. Price: $18.00 for 6 servings of 8 ounces. Read our review of Chocolate Springs chocolates.

Chocolat Moderne Midnight Oasis Hot Chocolate Blend. Light cocoa color with darker flecks of chocolate and a slight chocolate aroma. Dissolution of mix was very poor, even with repeated heating and stirring, but this may be done on purpose for visual appeal, as the chocolate flecks were not distinguishable on the tongue. Modest chocolate flavor and not too sweet. First ingredient: dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: dark chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder, spices (spices are present in some other varieties, but not in the Midnight Oasis). Sodium content: not listed. Price: $16.00 for 13 ounces. Read our full review of Chocolat Modern Chocolates, a NIBBLE TOp Pick Of The Week.

Chocolat Weiss Granules de Chocolat (Pour Le Chocolat Chaud). Beverage has a mildly chocolate aroma and darker cocoa brown color with a gentle bittersweet flavor. No ingredients or instructions. Used 3 tablespoons granules dissolved in a little boiling water and six ounces hot milk. The granules are shiny and pretty, but probably coated in a confectioners’ glaze. As a result, they were very difficult to dissolve; even after adding boiling water and heating in the microwave, not all melted smoothly. Price: $13.75 for 17.6 ounces.

Christopher Elbow Artisan Chocolate Cocoa Noir. First ingredient: dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: dark chocolate and Tahitian vanilla bean. Sodium content: not listed. A dark chocolate color and full chocolate aroma. Another surprise. I’d tried Elbow’s chocolates before and didn’t much care for them, but this hot chocolate is the real deal. There are many undissolved flecks of chocolate, though these are not distinguishable on the tongue. This seems thicker than it is because it’s so rich. Great flavor that’s neither too sweet nor too bittersweet. A favorite. Price: $16.00 for 16 ounces. Read our complete review of Christopher Elbow Chocolates, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Christopher Norman Rich Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate. A dark milky brown color with many undissolved flecks of chocolate and a serious, appealing chocolate aroma. The undissolved chocolate flecks don’t register on the tongue, predictably, and this is a very nice cup of semisweet hot chocolate. While not as intensely chocolatey as some others, there’s a great chocolate-sweetness balance and a good “hit” of high-quality chocolate flavor. A favorite. First ingredient: dark chocolate. Entire ingredient list: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cornstarch, cocoa powder. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $16.00 for 16 ounces.

Dagoba Organic Chocolate Authentic Hot Chocolate. Beverage is a medium cocoa brown color, with a mildly chocolate aroma. Decent chocolate impact, with flavor verging toward bittersweet, but lots of undissolved flecks of chocolate, some of which do register on tongue, leading to a slightly gritty effect. First ingredient: evaporated cane juice. Entire ingredient list: evaporated cane juice, cacao powder, unsweetened chocolate. Sodium content: 2 mg/serving, Instructions are either tongue-in-cheek or meant to suggest some element of ritual/mystery, but suggesting the repeated stirring of heated milk eleven times in one direction, then eleven times in the other, is a bit odd. Price: $8.60 for 12 ounces. Read our full review of Dagoba Chocolate.

Dolfin Copeaux de Chocolat (77% min. de cacao, GMO free). Beverage a light milky brown with many undissolved chocolate flecks and a lightly chocolate aroma. Much stronger chocolate flavor than light color of beverage suggests; beverage not sweet enough. First ingredient: cocoa mass. Entire ingredient list: cocoa mass, sugar, low fat cocoa powder, soya lecithin. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $14.95 for 12.35 ounces.

Domori Cacao Cult Hot Chocolate. This “mix” comes in the form of small, individually-wrapped bars, with instructions in metric quantities (note that the 60 ml of liquid called for is about 1/4 cup). It’s impossible to dissolve the bars entirely in the hot liquid, even with brisk whisking and replacing the saucepan over low heat. However, if you like big red wines, this is for you; it’s the hot, liquid, chocolate equivalent of Cabernet Sauvignon. First ingredient: cocoa mass. Entire ingredient list: cocoa mass (65% minimum), cane sugar, cocoa butter. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $14.95 for 7.6 ounces. Read our review of Domori Chocolate.

Dorado Signature D Old World Collection Haute Chocolate Mix. Mix is in large chunks—inconvenient to measure. Instructions don’t make sense: “Mix a tablespoon to taste with hot milk, stir, and enjoy.” As no specific quantity of milk was stated, 1 tablespoon of mix was used to 4 ounces of hot milk. At those proportions, beverage was a light milky brown with a faint chocolate aroma and very little (though pleasant) chocolate flavor. First ingredient: cacao liquor. Entire ingredient list: cacao liquor, sugar, cacao butter, cocoa powder, dry whole milk, soy lecithin, vanilla. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $15.95 for 12 ounces.

Enrico Rovira Chocolate a la Taza. A deeply bittersweet flavor, with some astringency. I love the texture of this beverage, which is that of a warm chocolate pudding. The color is deep chocolate and is matched by the aroma. Negatives: there’s no convenient way to make a small number of servings and too great a range is given in the amount of milk (between 1/2 and 1 liter; I used the midpoint, about 3 cups). Would be a favorite except for the drawbacks. First ingredient: cocoa. Entire ingredient list: cocoa, sugar, vanilla. Sodium content: not listed. NOTE: While Enrico Rovira is one of the world’s greatest chocolatiers, Zingerman’s  currently lists this product merely as Spanish Drinking Chocolate. You will need to search for it by that name on their website unless Zingerman’s responds to our suggestion that they give Sr. Rovira his due. Price: $18.00 for 6 servings.

Elevated Ice Cream’s Premium Drinking Chocolate. A medium milky-brown beverage with a decently chocolatey aroma. I had a problem with this mix. Although I followed instructions precisely, there were many small chunks of chocolate in the mix that didn’t dissolve entirely in the hot milk used. The resulting beverage had a definite chocolate flavor but no element of sweetness at all. My guess was that the chocolate chunks contained the necessary sweetness, so on a subsequent attempt a small amount of the hot milk was added to the mix; this was then stirred and heated to dissolve any chocolate bits before the rest of the milk was added. While the resulting beverage was better, it still wasn’t sweet enough, and not enough of the chocolate chunks eventually dissolved. First ingredient: cocoa (processed with potassium carbonate). Entire ingredient list: cocoa, sugar, semisweet chocolate, pure vanilla, soya lecithin. Sodium content: 5 mg/serving. NOTE: Elevated Ice Cream does not have online ordering, but will be happy to take your order over the phone at (360) 385-1156. Price: $6.00 for 12 ounces.

Fiori Chocolatiers Drinking Chocolate (70% Cacao). The slight thickness of this beverage is achieved via the simple expedient of using a large quantity of mix to a small amount of milk, but once you try it, that won’t matter. A very dark milky cocoa brown color and a deep chocolate aroma presage a strong bittersweet chocolate taste with a definite “red fruits” element. Although there appears to be some undissolved mix in the mug and on the spoon, the beverage has a smooth mouthfeel. A favorite. First ingredient: cocoa. Entire ingredient list: cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, vanilla, soy lecithin. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $15.00 for 8 ounces. Read our full review of Fiori Chocolate.

Fran’s Premium Hot Chocolate, Richer Darker Blend. A dark cocoa color with a moderately chocolate aroma. A definitive “hit” of bittersweet flavor in a chocolate beverage that seems thicker than it is, probably due to richness. Some undissolved flecks of chocolate, but not distinguishable on tongue. First and only ingredient: dark chocolate. Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. Price: $12.50 for 9 ounces.

Garrison Ultimate Hot Chocolate (Regular). A semisweet hot chocolate with decent chocolate flavor. Some undissolved flecks and chunks of chocolate in end product. Not too sweet. First ingredient: chocolate. Entire ingredient list: chocolate, cocoa powder processed with potassium carbonate). Sodium content: 160 mg/serving. Price: $15.00 for 16 ounces.

Green & Black’s Organic Hot Chocolate Drink. A lighter milky brown beverage, with almost no aroma. Very faint, flat chocolate taste. Not sweet, with very little flavor. First ingredient: organic raw cane sugar. Entire ingredient list: organic raw cane sugar, organic fat-reduced cocoa powder, organic dark chocolate. Sodium content: 8 mg/serving. Price: $6.95 for 5.3 ounces.

Hot Chocolate Sparrow Hot Chocolate. This is a café in Massachusetts that sells a hot chocolate mix of ground sweetened Merckens chocolate, the same product they use to make their own hot fudge sauce. A medium cocoa brown color with a nicely chocolatey aroma. Not too sweet, but genuinely tastes like chocolate, as well—very good balance of tastes. No information on ingredients or sodium content available on package or website. Instructions call for adding 2 tablespoons of mix to “hot milk”; no quantity is given, so six ounces of hot milk was used. No e-commerce: call number on website for mail order. Price: $4.95 for 16 ounces.

Lake Champlain All Natural New World Drinking Chocolate. Another preparation dependent upon a large amount of mix to the amount of milk used. With the consistency of a thin béchamel sauce, this hot chocolate is of a moderate dark chocolate color and the aroma is strongly chocolate, with a “red fruits” element. Significant amount of undissolved mix in end product, though it barely affected the beverage’s smooth texture. Intensely bittersweet, with a coffee-like accent. Not for the timid palate, but fine for lovers of very strong tastes. First and only ingredient: dark chocolate. Sodium content: 65 mg/serving. Price: $12.00 for 12 ounces. Read our full review of Lake Champlain Chocolate.

Lake Champlain All Natural Old World Drinking Chocolate. A medium brown color with a modestly chocolate aroma, this beverage has a nice semisweet flavor. There were a good many undissolved chocolate flecks, but these were undetectable on the tongue. The “mix” consists of small shavings and curls of dark chocolate; if you ever get tired of this as a hot chocolate, you can use it to decorate a frosted cake, or do as I did and just eat some of the curls by themselves. A favorite. First and only ingredient: dark chocolate. Sodium content: 10 mg/serving. Price: $12.00 for 9.5 ounces.

Lake Champlain Organic Fair Trade Hot Chocolate. Beverage is a medium cocoa brown with a mildly chocolate aroma. Despite a relatively small amount of mix added to one cup of milk here, this is a very pleasant hot cocoa. A nice balance of good chocolate flavor and sweetness. First ingredient: naturally milled organic cane sugar. Entire ingredient list: naturally milled organic cane sugar, organic alkalized cocoa powder. Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. Price: $9.00 for 16 ounces.

Lake Champlain Traditional Hot Chocolate. First ingredient: evaporated cane juice. Entire ingredient list: evaporated cane juice, Dutched cocoa, vanilla. Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. A faint chocolate aroma and dark milky brown color. Mild but pleasant chocolate flavor. Price: $8.00 for 16 ounces.

La Maison du Chocolat La Tasse de Chocolat. A beverage with almost no aroma, of a darker milky brown color. Bittersweet flavor, good but not special. The glazed mini-spheres of chocolate that make up this “mix” are pretty and shiny, but they become almost slimy-looking while they melt, though they melt completely and there’s no trace of an off texture in the finished product. Fairly complicated instructions end with: “For best results, let the hot chocolate cool slowly and when ready to serve, reheat the chocolate mixture without boiling it.” Who’s going to do this? (EDITOR’S NOTE: The answer is the staff at their New York City shops, who prepare the hot chocolate for you.) First ingredient: cocoa mass (64% minimum cocoa solids). Entire ingredient list: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, “glazing agents” (maltodextrin and gum lac), soya lecithin, natural vanilla extract. Sodium content: 5 mg/serving. Price: $14.00 for 7.5 ounces.

Lindt Hot Cocoa Hot Chocolate Mix. A darker milky brown color with a mildly chocolate aroma. Not all powder dissolved, though most did. Pleasant and not too sweet, with some chocolate flavor. First ingredient: sugar. Also contains vanillin, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 55 mg/serving. $0.99 per 1-ounce packet, makes one cup. No e-commerce: purchase at Lindt stores. Read our full review of Lindt Chocolate.

MarieBelle Aztec Original Hot Chocolate. While “Aztec” often refers to spicy chocolate, Marie Belle’s Aztecs are not spiced but basic blends. A deep chocolate color with an equally deep aroma and a beautiful not-too-sweet, true chocolate flavor with some complexity and depth to it. Would be a favorite except for the faulty directions. When made according to instructions, resulting beverage is watery and lumpy; even repeated whisking and microwaving wouldn’t resolve these issues. However, if mix is placed in a bowl and an equal amount of boiling water is gradually whisked in, beverage blossoms into a very slightly thickened, perfectly smooth, delightful mug of hot chocolate (if made according to this method, beverage may have to be heated briefly in microwave to get it hot again). First ingredient: Venezuelan cocoa 60-70%. Entire ingredient list: Venezuelan cocoa 60% to 70%, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk, cornstarch, soya lecithin. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $17.00 for 10 ounces. Read our full review of MarieBelle Chocolate, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

MarieBelle Aztec Dark Hot Chocolate. Another deeply chocolate-colored beverage with a great, full chocolate aroma. Bittersweet, somewhat astringent chocolate flavor that lasts and lasts. Difficulties with instructions; see prior entry. First ingredient: Venezuelan cocoa 60% to 70%. Entire ingredient list: Venezuelan cocoa 60% to 70%, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk, cornstarch, soya lecithin. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $17.00 for 10 ounces.

Max Brenner Chocolate Powder (Milk Caibos). No specific quantity of milk called for, so 6 teaspoons of these chocolate chunks were used to six ounces of hot milk. With these proportions, beverage was a pale, milky brown with a gentle chocolate aroma. Very delicate milky chocolate flavor. Confusing instructions: “Melt 5 heaping teaspoons of chocolate powder in a bit of boiling water…” but two sentences later, directions state: “To obtain a thick beverage with a pronounced chocolatey flavor, we recommend 5-7 teaspoons.” No ingredients or sodium content listed. NOTE: Max Brenner does not have online ordering, but they will be glad to take your order over the telephone at 1.212.388.0030. Price: $1.66 per 1 ounce. Read our full review of Max Brenner Chocolate.

Max Brenner Chocolate Powder (Dark Caibos). Six heaping teaspoons of product were used to six ounces of hot milk. With these proportions, beverage was a deep cocoa brown color and had a mildly chocolate aroma. Beverage was a “middleweight” regarding flavor and aroma—good chocolate impact, but not bittersweet. A pleasant cup of hot chocolate. Confusing instructions; see above entry. No ingredients or sodium content listed. NOTE: Max Brenner does not have online ordering, but they will be glad to take your order over the telephone at 1.212.388.0030. Price: $1.66 per 1 ounce.

Nature’s First All Natural Premium Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate. Dark milky brown color with no chocolate aroma. Much too sweet; tastes like hot sweetened liquid nonfat dry milk with a brown crayon dipped in it. First ingredient: sucrose. Also contains tricalcium phosphate, whey protein concentrate, and carrageenan, in addition to other ingredients. Sodium content: 52 mg/serving. Price: $25.00 for 24 ounces.

Recchiuti Dark Hot Chocolate Pure Chocolate Pistoles. A medium chocolate brown beverage with a deep chocolate aroma. This is straight-up bittersweet chocolate flavor, not too sweet and with a lot of depth. Very good! Because the first formula on the package is made with water, it can seem thin to an American palate, but there is an alternative recipe for making this hot chocolate with steamed milk. A favorite. First ingredient: cacao beans. Entire ingredient list: cacao beans, cocoa butter, sugar, soy lecithin, vanilla beans. Sodium content: not listed. Price: $16.00 for 12 ounces. Read our full review of Recchiuti Confections, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Schokinag Triple Chocolate European Drinking Chocolate. Beverage is a medium milky brown with many darker flecks of chocolate, with a faintly chocolate aroma. Good chocolate impact but insufficient sweetness. Microwave-based instructions result in far too much partly-melted chocolate at bottom of mug, despite repeated attempts at making beverage with these instructions. First ingredient: cocoa mass. Entire ingredient list: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, soya lecithin, cocoa powder, pure vanilla. Sodium content: 45 mg/serving. Price: $12.95 for 12 ounces.

The Bent Spoon Euro-Style Hot Chocolate Mix. Another entry with the thickness of a thin béchamel sauce, this hot chocolate has a moderate chocolate impact and isn’t overly sweet. If you don’t want the chocolate “hit” of a bittersweet variety, but still like your chocolate on the less-sweet side, this is one to try. A favorite. First ingredient: chocolate. Entire ingredient list: chocolate, milk powder, organic corn flour, salt. Sodium content: not listed. To purchase, e-mail the store, thebentspoon@verizon.net; they will respond with an invoice to pay via Paypal. Price: $15.00 for 16 ounces.

The King’s Cupboard Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Hot Chocolate. A medium-dark milky brown color with a nicely chocolatey aroma. Decent chocolate taste but too much sweetness comes on afterward. Despite stirring for at least two minutes once mix was added to hot milk, heating mixture again briefly, then stirring again, there was a large amount of undissolved mix when hot chocolate was poured into serving cup. Most of the undissolved chocolate flecks that float to the top surface do not register on the tongue. First ingredient: ground chocolate. Entire ingredient list: ground chocolate, chocolate chunks, cocoa. Sodium: 0 mg/serving.  A sugar-free version is available which is much less sweet. Price: $7.95 for 16 ounces. Read our full review of The King’s Cupboard Chocolate Sauces, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Wen Chocolates Dutch Hot Chocolate Artisan Chocolate Drink. Dark chocolate color with mild chocolate aroma. Sweet, but with a definite cocoa taste that gradually comes to the forefront. First ingredient: nonfat dry milk. Entire ingredient list: nonfat dry milk, Dutch process cocoa (processed with alkali), sugar. Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. Price: $1.75 for a single serving packet. Read our full review of Wen Chocolates, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate. A medium milky brown with many darker, tiny flecks and a faintly chocolate aroma. Modestly chocolate flavor, slightly too sweet. First ingredient: bittersweet Guittard chocolate. Entire ingredient list: bittersweet Guittard chocolate, soya lecithin, pure vanilla. Sodium content: 0 mg/serving. Price: $19.50 for 14.5 ounces.

Woodhouse Chocolate Hot Chocolate. A darker chocolate color with a faintly chocolate aroma. Some undissolved flecks of chocolate in beverage, but not detectable on tongue. Good chocolate impact, with a near-perfect sweetness-chocolate balance. A favorite. No ingredients or sodium content listed. Price: $16.00 for 6 servings. Read our full review of Woodhouse Chocolate, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.

 

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