12 Hot Chocolate Mixes, Ranked Worst To Absolute Best

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It's coming up on hot chocolate season. For many, especially during the holidays, hot chocolate is a magical mug of nostalgia or a way to warm up after a snowy outing. But once the dreary days of winter arrive, the sweet liquid comfort can be a lifeline. Packed with vitamin C(hocolate), it becomes the stand-in for the vitamin D and mood enhancing rays of summer sun, a daily dose of calm and comfort to counteract the winter blues. Especially when consumed during the day — since it may be one of the foods you want to avoid late night — hot chocolate is the ultimate natural stimulant for kindling a positive outlook on a dreary winter day.

This frothy beverage may not be everyone's cup of tea; there are, after all, plenty of of hot ciders, steamed vanilla milks, and cups of hot butterscotch to savor on cold nights. None of those have the same psychological benefits of chocolate, however. With your mental wellbeing riding on this food choice, you'll want to consume the best option possible, which is why I tasted and savored 12 brands of hot chocolate, hot cocoa, and drinking chocolate mixes. And, yes, before anyone gets heated or tries to stir up trouble, I know there is a difference between the three, but for the purposes of this experiment, anything that was chocolatey and made to be added to hot liquid was included in the lineup. Taste is the ultimate consideration, but I did include the current price of each brand, which will vary based on location, and calculated an approximate cost per cup for comparison.

Kroger's private label hot cocoa mix is made with Belgian chocolate, which has a reputation for luxury, and sea salt, which is a sophisticated way to give sweets a boost, so I thought it would be a top brand. However the Private Selection Double Cocoa mix is doubly disappointing. It misses the mark in both taste and viscosity. First of all, the chocolate flavor is lackluster. Far from the expected decadent flavor, it tastes cheap and smells artificial.

Powdered milk can create a creaminess in cocoa mixes, but even when prepared with milk, this one remains thin and watery. Often a cup can be improved by adding more mix, which Kroger customers used to do when it was sold in a can. Unfortunately, this is now only available in a box of eight premeasured packets for about $4.59. Of course, there are plenty of flavorful mix-ins to doctor up that taste but I wouldn't bother. There are plenty of better options, many of them even cheaper than the 57 cents per cup this one works out to be.

Sillycow Farms Chocolate Truffle hot chocolate should be delicious, with the simple ingredients of cocoa, semisweet chocolate, and sugar. The reason its flavor is weak and watery is due to some silly preparation instructions. The directions printed on the glass container say to add 2 heaping teaspoons of mix. However, the instructions on the bottle's paper tag say to add 4 level teaspoons. Do 4 level teaspoons really equal 2 heaping teaspoons? Well, I tried both and can honestly say that a cup of cocoa with 2 heaping is equally as tasteless as a cup with 4 level. By comparison, the previous Private Selection mix has 9 (level) teaspoons in its premeasured sachets. The No. 8 mix on this list has 11.

The final direction on both sets of instructions is very telling. "Top with whipping cream" is not a serving suggestion but the final step in the basic preparation. How silly for Sillycow Farms to admit its hot chocolate needs additional ingredients before it's ready to drink. It's not a great suggestion anyway because a squirt of whipped cream only further dilutes the already faint chocolate taste. This purchase is about 40 cents per cup (plus the cost of the whipped cream, not included), and I suspect much of the $9.99 cost is for the miniature glass bottle which, once I dump out the cocoa mix inside, at least has some food container upcycling potential.

Out of the seven flavors of Cocoa Classics' product line, I chose the one I hoped to be the most chocolatey — Chocolate Supreme, which is one of the top-sellers. Frankly, I expect more from a 77-cent cup of hot chocolate that promises premium quality ingredients on its label. But the smell that blooms when the mix meets the hot liquid is immediately recognizable as artificial and cloying, and the truth about the quality of this mix is revealed on the back of the packets, which are sold individually: a long list of chemicals, additives, and artificial flavors.

But wait, there's more! The cocoa is to be made with hot water, not milk, which only emphasizes the unpleasant flavor of the manufactured milk powder in the mix. Even with several thickeners and stabilizers, the mouthfeel is neither luxurious nor creamy. Since it doesn't have much chocolate flavor it's practically a blank canvas, so if you're game, the addition of a crushed up candy cane, a dollop of marshmallow cream, or an unconventional hot chocolate mix-in might come in handy here.

The only thing better than chocolate is melted chocolate, something 174-year-old Ghirardelli knows. In addition to its melt-in-your-mouth candy squares and world-famous hot fudge sundaes sold at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco — home to an entire wall dripping with the liquid brown confection — Ghirardelli sells hot cocoa mix in grocery stores for about $8 a box. The Double Chocolate variety I tasted is a combination of cocoa, unsweetened chocolate, and semisweet chocolate chips — the ones that are so highly rated. With that pedigree, the $1-per-cup mix should taste luxuriously rich, but sadly, this brand falls short of indulgent because it's thin and has a powdery artificial sweetness. However, it isn't as prevalent as the previous mix, so it moved up a spot in the ranking.

I consider this brand more gourmet than a dump-stir-drink variety. Because of the addition of chocolate chip pieces it requires hot temperatures, vigorous stirring, and patience to allow the ingredients to fully blend together. A cup of 100-degree-Fahrenheit milk might be enough to dissolve cocoa and milk powders, but ideally, it should be heated to steaming, just before it boils, either on medium heat on the stovetop for several minutes or at 70% power in the microwave for about one minute.

Like Ghirardelli, Starbucks Double Chocolate hot cocoa mix uses both cocoa powder and pieces of chocolate for a more rounded flavor profile. In this case, the dark chocolate bits are not chips but what is called "chocolate mass," aka ground cacao beans, cocoa liquor, or unsweetened chocolate. This combination produces a rich flavor layered with cocoa bitterness and a sharp alkaline finish. However, unlike the Ghirardelli mix, these melted chocolate pieces add a welcome creaminess and heaviness to the liquid — at least when prepared correctly. When the milk is not hot enough, clumps of unmixed dry powder and hard chocolate pieces remain in the bottom of the cup. The cocoa tastes significantly more chocolatey and has a thicker consistency when mixed with sufficiently hot liquid.

The ideal drinking temperature for hot cocoa ranges between 125 to 136 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it's good practice to heat milk to higher temperatures, which will melt the solid chocolate bits nicely and also accommodate for the inevitable cooling that occurs between heating and serving. A box of eight envelopes will set you back anywhere from $7 to $11, which is about $1 to $1.40 per serving, making it one of the more expensive cups I sampled — no surprise since high prices are one of Starbucks' customers' most common complaints.

It's quite easy to make your own hot cocoa with sugar and cocoa powder — the same ingredients used to make rich brownies — which is why the can of Guittard Grand Cacao sweet ground chocolate may be found in the baking aisle. However, unlike other brands of cocoa powder — which can be a rich addition to a savory pot roast or pot of chili — Guittard is more appropriate for sweet applications since it contains sugar and vanilla beans, cocoa butter for richness, and finely ground cacao beans for added flavor and creaminess.

At 53% cacao, the chocolate flavor of this mix just misses qualifying as a dark chocolate (which begins at 55%) but is less sweet than milk chocolate. The combination of bitter cocoa powder and the meltable bits of chocolate create a sophisticated extra-semisweet flavor. However, you won't be able to appreciate that complexity if you follow the basic preparation instructions on the can, which call for 1 tablespoon of mix per cup of milk. I suggest ignoring that conservative measurement, and instead, follow the more "indulgent" version that calls for 4 tablespoons.

The chocolate used for Grand Cacao — which definitely leans toward bitter but is not nearly as acrid as Starbucks' option — is from Guittard's Etienne artisan line of small-batch chocolate made with carefully cultivated cacao beans. The $11 price tag works out to between 40 cents and $1.57 per cup depending on whether you use 1 tablespoon of mix or 4.

While so many other brands require significant stirring, frothing, and agitation to coax the dry powder and solid chocolate to incorporate into the milk, Nestlé Rich Milk Chocolate hot cocoa mix instantly dissolves into a smooth, sweet cup of joy. The instructions call for hot water and recommend milk for a "richer" cocoa. I don't waste time using water because I prefer the rich and creamy kind of hot cocoa. While using milk gives this variety a thicker mouthfeel, it doesn't do anything to enrich the chocolate taste, which was minimal compared to an overall sweet vanilla flavor. However, the reason this brand cannot break the top five in this ranking is the presence of an alternative sweetener. I can't help that I am a sucralose supertaster and that foods containing the zero-calorie sweetener always leave a bad taste in my mouth.

I know many people have wonderful memories of Nestlé hot cocoa, which also comes in mini marshmallow and fat free varieties. It is a low-cost mix, $2.82 for 8 packets, just 35 cents per serving. Nestlé has been in the chocolate industry for over a century and is one of the most recognizable powdered hot chocolate mixes in the U.S. However, it was not the first to make instant hot chocolate. The credit for that belongs to a brand that finished higher on this list.

Good & Gather Double Chocolate hot cocoa mix is a very simple mix of sugar, cocoa, salt, and natural flavors. While the sugar content in a serving is on the lower end, with 21 grams, the 2 ½ tablespoons of mix creates a hot chocolate that is more flavorful and richer than most other brands for a reasonable 44 cents a cup when you purchase the can with 16 servings for $7.

I like the semisweet flavor, which is similar to a chocolate cookie, a balance of both sweet and dark notes. Knocking off a few points is the more-bitter-than-I-prefer cocoa aftertaste as well as a sensation of a coating of the mouth. Still, I am not going to give up on this brand because the powder itself is richly flavorful and dark. I think my complaints would melt away if this were used to add a chocolate kick to pancakes or muffins. It's also the perfect mix for a quick and creamy hot chocolate pudding.

Equal Exchange organic hot cocoa is not only delicious but is produced ethically and responsibly. The cacao, cane sugar, and vanilla agricultural industries are plagued with child labor and other unsavory, unethical practices. Equal Exchange takes pride in using organic, fair trade, and ethically sourced ingredients. Its good taste in sourcing practices and its flavorful products are the reason the brand can be competitive in the market with much larger companies. Not only is this hot cocoa mix good for the taste buds, but it is simultaneously good for the environment and the farmers. With all that in mind, $9 a can and 90 cents a cup seems a small price to pay.

The wonderfully sweet and delicious hot chocolate is cocoa forward, slightly bitter but also heavy on the chocolate flavor. I am impressed with the use of powdered vanilla, which maintains a strong presence even at hot temperatures — a weakness of liquid flavored extracts. The generous amount of dry milk powder adds rich creaminess when made with 2% milk. I can't speak to how it would affect the consistency with a water preparation because I ignored those particular instructions. I will be purchasing this hot cocoa mix again and maybe try the spicy version next time, which has a hit of cayenne pepper and cinnamon.

Swiss Miss Double Chocolate hot cocoa mix is part of the brand's Indulgent Collection and is more rich and decadent because it contains chocolate bits. Although you can pick up a box of any flavor of Swiss Miss for around $3.30, this premium flavor yields fewer servings and costs around 56 cents per packet compared to the others' 40 cents. I believe this premium mix is worth the extra expense. This is the hot cocoa I want to savor on a frosty morning to let my tongue explore the semisweet chocolate flavor without fear of a bitter aftertaste. Each sip fills the mouth with rich and creamy chocolate.

In 1959, Swiss Miss was the first brand to develop an instant hot cocoa mix that could be added to hot water to make a creamy cup of hot cocoa at home. Swiss Miss classic and Sensible Sweets varieties can be made with hot water or milk, but the Simply Cocoa product line and the Double Chocolate flavor call exclusively for the latter.

Edging out Swiss Miss with a more complex chocolate flavor is Walmart's Bettergoods Double Chocolate hot cocoa mix. With a purchase price of around $5.50 for nine servings, you can savor a cup of this craveable hot cocoa for about 60 cents. However, you may want to drink this rich and smooth indulgence multiple times a day. The double chocolate flavor gets its deep notes from Fair Trade Certified cocoa and its sweet and creamy thickness from semisweet chocolate nibs, which melt together into a complex and comforting cup of liquid chocolate.

The rich and velvety mouthfeel doesn't come purely from cocoa butter but also from coconut oil, thickeners, and unpronounceable additives that successfully work together to produce a thick and high-fat mouthfeel without tainting the mixture with unnatural flavors. Because this cocoa is sold loose in a resealable bag, you could easily add more mix to your cup, however, I find the recommended 3 tablespoons to be the perfect amount.

Stephen's Gourmet Milk Chocolate hot cocoa mix uses the recipe developed by Stephen Story before he became a world-renowned food chemist whose perfect palate helped develop more than 1,000 food products. He first identified the ideal mix of flavors and textures to make the best possible instant hot chocolate back in the '90s. Now owned by Indulgent Foods, this mix continues to fulfill the brand's promise for a satisfying hot cocoa by checking all the boxes — creamy, rich, and chocolatey.

This "creamiest cocoa in the world" achieves an ideal texture (even when prepared with water) with a litany of ingredients that contribute to creaminess, including both dairy solids and non-dairy creamers. And yet somehow the quality of chocolate flavor does not suffer. There is no hint of cocoa bitterness, only a marshmallowy sweet finish. The chocolate is not too sweet but is right on the edge so that a handful of marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream could tip the balance. Good thing it is so delicious on its own.

Best of all, there are 16 flavors of hot chocolate (and two hot ciders) in the Stephen's Gourmet product line, and they're all as flavorful and decadent. During the winter months, you may be able to find a container of Stephen's for as low as $5.77 and score a cup of the best instant hot chocolate mix for a mere 52 cents.

Hot chocolate is a hot seller in the winter, and where I live, every store, from gas stations to craft stores, stocks several kinds of instant hot cocoa mix. The quality ranges from muddy water to delightfully sweet and sophisticated. My criteria for the best mix was that it had to be chocolatey, creamy, and free of unpleasant aftertastes and flavors. The entire experience of taste and mouthfeel ultimately determined the best and worst of this list.

I used 2% milk to prepare each cup (except those that called exclusively for hot water) and followed the directions and measurements precisely, even though, in my opinion, some of them could be significantly improved by a few more spoonfuls of mix. I favored sweet mixes over bitter ones but didn't worry about the amount of sugar per serving because, after all, hot chocolate is not a health drink but a treat. For the same reason, no brand was bumped up or down in the ranking based on price alone. While I did calculate and note the cost per cup based on the directions on the packaging and non-sale pricing, it was for informational purposes only and did not effect the final rankings.