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A cup of hot cocoa is one of my favorite indulgences during the cooler months. While I absolutely love this low calorie hot chocolate recipe, sometimes I appreciate the convenience of those packets of hot cocoa mix that just require you stir in boiling water (or hot coffee for a quick and easy hot cafe mocha).

Low calorie hot chocolate mix is great to have on hand those cold winter days when chocolate cravings strike. There’s nothing wrong with the hot chocolate mixes found on the shelves of your local grocery store. But you can also easily make your own sugar-free hot chocolate mix in minutes for less money.

That’s where this this simple recipe for your own homemade version of hot cocoa mix comes in. This homemade dark hot chocolate mix is equivalent to an entire box of the dark hot cocoa packets. The secret to its “deep, dark” color and flavor is Dutch-processed cocoa, such as Hershey’s brand Special Dark Cocoa. But any unsweetened cocoa powder will do.

A cup of this rich and creamy hot cocoa only has about 55 calories. It’s so rich and creamy you won’t even miss the added sugar. It is also perfect for holiday gifting to those who appreciate warm sugar-free drinks.

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White mug of sugar-free hot chocolate with light whipped topping on butcher block.
Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa with Light Whipped Cream

How Many Calories and WW Points in this Hot Chocolate Dry Mix Recipe?

According to my calculations, each serving has 55 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

How to Make Homemade Sugar Free Hot Cocoa Mix

Step 1: Gather your dry ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup non-fat dry milk
  • 1/3 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
  • 1/2 cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (or 12 packets) Pretty much any zero-calorie sweetener will work for this recipe and easily dissolve in hot water. You can use Splenda, Swerve, Truvia (affiliate link), Monkfruit, or any other sweetener designed to substitute for granular sugar.
Glass bowl with sugar-free hot cocoa mix ingredients and whisk.
Whisking homemade sugar-free hot cocoa mix

Step 2: In a small airtight container with a lid (such as a mason jar), combine all ingredients and shake will. Or place in a bowl and whisk until blended and transfer to an airtight container.

Step 3: To make one serving of hot chocolate, measure 3 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix into a mug. Add 6 ounces of boiling or very hot water and whisk or stir until well combined.

Recipe Notes

Use your preferred sweetener. The best thing about this recipe is that you can use what you like best. For best results be sure to use a sweetener that will dissolve easily when mixed with a hot liquid. The recipe called for Splenda but I used Truvia (affiliate link). Powdered swerve or your favorite monk fruit sweetener should also work well.

If your sweetener measures 1:1 to sugar, use 1/2 cup of sweetener. If your sweetener measures 2:1 to sugar (twice as sweet as sugar), use 1/4 cup of sweetener. You can also adjust the amount of sweetener (to taste) if you prefer your hot chocolate more or less sweet.

Hot Cocoa Recipe Additions

Hot cocoa can be amended all kinds of ways to add an extra punch of flavor. Options to consider include:

  • Peppermint hot chocolate: 3 to 4 drops mint extract
  • Almond Joy hot chocolate: 2 to 3 drops each of coconut and almond extract
  • Mocha hot chocolate: 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
  • Caramel hot chocolate: 3 to 4 drops of caramel extract
  • Mexican hot chocolate: a pinch or two each of cinnamon and cayenne
  • Spiked hot chocolate: a splash of Kahlua, bourbon, whiskey, amaretto or Irish cream

Hot Cocoa Topping Suggestions

Don’t forget your toppings. The best cup of hot cocoa always has a topping to make it extra special. Some favorites include:

  • Light whipped cream or cool whip
  • Miniature marshmallows
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Chocolate syrup or caramel syrup drizzle

How to Store Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Stored in an air tight container, the mix will stay fresh at room temperature for several months. I tend to use a glass jar such as a mason jar but plastic Tupperware will also work.

If you’ve made this easy sugar free homemade pre-made mix, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

glass bowl with sugar free hot cocoa mix ingredients and whisk
4.93 from 13 votes

Sugar Free Dark Hot Chocolate Mix

This homemade dark hot chocolate mix is equivalent to an entire box of the dark hot cocoa packets. The secret to its "deep, dark" color and flavor is Dutch-processed cocoa, such as Hershey's brand Special Dark Cocoa. But any unsweetened cocoa powder will do.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients 

  • 2/3 cup cup nonfat dry milk powder
  • 1/3 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , (preferably Dutch-process)
  • 1/2 cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (or 12 packets), (I used 1/4 cup Truvia)

Instructions 

  • In a small container with a lid, combine all ingredients and shake will.
  • To make one serving of hot chocolate, measure 3 tablespoons of the hot cocoa mix into a mug. Add 6 ounces of hot water (very hot) or boiling and whisk or stir until well combined.

Notes

Serving size: 3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix
WW Points: 3
Check your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
2 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Hot cocoa can be amended all kinds of ways to add an extra punch of flavor. Options to consider include:
  • Peppermint hot chocolate: 3 to 4 drops mint extract
  • Almond Joy hot chocolate: 2 to 3 drops each of coconut and almond extract
  • Mocha hot chocolate: 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
  • Caramel hot chocolate: 3 to 4 drops of caramel extract
  • Mexican hot chocolate: a pinch or two each of cinnamon and cayenne
  • Spiked hot chocolate: a splash of Kahlua, bourbon, whiskey, amaretto or Irish cream

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 55kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1.5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 61mg, Potassium: 253mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 219IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 131mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving or tag #simplenourishedliving!

Recipe source: Eat More of What You Love (affiliate link) by Marlene Koch

Box of Swiss Miss No Sugar Added Hot Cocoa Mix

Does Swiss Miss Make A Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate?

Swiss Miss makes no sugar added hot cocoa in 8-packet boxes and 22-serving canisters. Each 3-tablespoon serving has 70 calories. Here’s the ingredient list:

  • Modified Whey
  • Nonfat Milk
  • Cocoa (Processed With Alkali)
  • Maltodextrin
  • Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
  • Salt
  • Dipotassium Phosphate
  • Acesulfame Potassium
  • Mono- And Diglycerides
  • Sucralose
  • Natural Flavor

More Weight Watchers Friendly Hot Drinks with fewer calories for cold days you might like:

About Martha McKinnon

Weight Watchers Lifetime Member, Yoga Practitioner and Blogger who loves to share her passion for trying to create a happy, healthy, balanced life in what often feels like an overwhelming out of control world.

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4.93 from 13 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. Am I misreading, or does the single version call for 12 packets of sweetener AND the 3X version as well? Or is the larger recipe 12 packets and the single version only 4 packets of sweetener? Thanks.

    1. Hi LK,

      The single version calls for 1/2 cup of Truvia or 12 packets. This will make enough mix for 8 cups of cocoa.
      The triple version calls for 3 times the amount of all the ingredients. This means 1-1/2 cups of truvia or 36 packets. The program isn’t smart enough to know how to triple the amount listed in parentheses. Hope this makes sense. ~Martha

  2. I actually have a questionโ€ฆ could you just use the cocoa and sweetener and add it to milk alone without the added powdered milk?

  3. 5 stars
    This was so easy to make and tastes SO good! I used Monkfruit sweetener and milk when making mine. Delicious! Highly recommend

  4. I like what I am reading, I am a type two diabetic found out about 3 1/2 years ago. I am on rebelsis and farxiga and I control my blood sugar through my diet along with these two medicationโ€˜s. Sometimes itโ€™s hard for me because of all of The holidays, the birthdays etc. the list goes on and on. Iโ€™m happy if I have days where my blood sugar is in the 120s to 130s very seldom do I see my blood sugar go between 110 and 120. I am hoping to get some sugar free recipes from you that taste good. Thank you so much for your dedication to the weight loss, industry, and all the time that I know it takes to do this type of work.