Sugar and Spice: Homemade Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix

Although I alluded to homemade hot cocoa mix during the holidays, I never actually provided a recipe. Yikes! But since the days are still cold, and the nights perfect for snuggling by the fire, it's still a great time to have this on hand. I experimented with a couple of flavors back in December, but this Spiced Hot Cocoa was my personal favorite. The spices are warming, the cocoa not too sweet, and all of it together is very comforting. As a bonus, the mix takes only minutes to make—last-minute Valentine's gift, anyone? So, without further ado, here it is!

Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (regular sugar is fine)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix all ingredients together until combined; store in an airtight container.

For each serving, combine 2 Tablespoons mix with 1 cup milk of your choice in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until smooth and hot. Top with whipped cream and a few shavings of chocolate, if desired.

Note: This cocoa mix is adapted from this wonderful recipe—how easy is that?

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