What's the difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa? (2024)

This blog post will teach you all about Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa — and point you in the direction of some delicious recipes!

What Is Hot Chocolate?

Hot Chocolate,also known as drinking chocolate, is a thick, hot drink made by melting solid chocolate (such as chocolate shavings or drops) in hot water or milk. Most Hot Chocolate recipes call for chunks or shavings of real chocolate, such as milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate, which are melted and blended with hotmilk. Many countries have their own unique renditions of hot chocolate,likeSpanish Hot Chocolate and Mexican Hot Chocolate.

What Is Hot Cocoa?

Hot Cocoa is a hot sweet drink made fromcocoa powder, sugar, and milk. It usually has a thin, light consistency.

Hot Chocolate vs Hot Cocoa: What’s the difference?

Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa are both sweet and creamy dessert drinks, but there are a few key differences between them.

Ingredients

The source of the chocolate flavour is different. Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk. Most commercial boxed hot chocolate mixes sold in grocery stores are technically hot cocoa rather than hot chocolate because they are made with cocoa powder, powdered milk, and sugar.

Consistency

Hot Chocolate usually has a thicker consistency because it’s made using solid chocolate which is already rich, dense, and fatty with cocoa butter even before cream or milk is added. Hot Cocoa, however, is thinner than hot chocolatebecause it contains cocoa powder and added water or milk.

Added sugar

Hot Chocolate is sweetened by the melted chocolate itself. Hot Cocoa, on the other hand, requires added sugar or sweeteners to it tomake it drinkable because cocoa powder itself is 100% cacao and is not sweetened. This means Hot Cocoa tends to be much sweeter than Hot Chocolate. On the plus side, If you are watching your sugar intake, homemade Hot Cocoa might be a better choice because you can control the type of sweeter and the amount according to your own taste and diet.

Taste

Depending on the style, a cup of Hot Chocolate can taste a lot like a cup of thick rich melted chocolate, while Hot Cocoa can taste more like milk and sugar than chocolate. Both can be satisfying and delicious!

Try our Hot Cocoa and Hot Chocolate recipes:

Hot Cocoa For One

Vegan Friendly Ginger Hot Cocoa For Two

Hot Chocolate the Cococo Way

Spanish Hot Chocolate

What's the difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa? (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa? ›

Hot Chocolate is made using solid chocolate melted in warm milk or cream. Hot Cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa with added sugar and dissolved in hot water or hot milk.

Is hot chocolate the same as hot cocoa? ›

Ingredients: Hot chocolate gets its deep, chocolatey flavor from the base of thick, melted chocolate. Warm liquids like water, milk, or cream are added to make the drink liquid. Hot cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa, sugar, and added flavorings.

Which is better, drinking chocolate or cocoa? ›

Drinking chocolate is made in both dark and milk chocolate varieties, making it easier to buy a healthy option. Drinking Chocolate is a richer drink than hot cocoa, but is more satisfying, fulfilling and is also better for you!

Is hot cocoa made with water or milk? ›

Hot chocolate can be made with dark, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate grated or chopped into small pieces and stirred into milk with the addition of sugar. Cocoa usually refers to a drink made with cocoa powder, hot milk or water, and sweetened to taste with sugar (or not sweetened at all).

Which is healthier, hot cocoa or hot chocolate? ›

If you have a major sweet tooth, hot cocoa might be the better option. But if you're someone who enjoys richer flavors, hot chocolate is the better choice. Although hot cocoa is the sweeter drink, both hot chocolate and hot cocoa are full of sugar, so neither is really healthier than the other.

Do Americans say hot chocolate or hot cocoa? ›

Image of two cups of hot cocoa topped with whipped cream, with a pair of spoons and a ceramic chocolate pot. Hershey's cookbooklet, 1937. In the United States, the terms "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" are used pretty interchangeably, but they aren't quite the same thing!

Can you replace cocoa with hot chocolate? ›

In short, you can use hot chocolate powder as a cocoa powder substitute in a pinch, but you may not experience the depth of flavour you want. Because most brands of hot chocolate powder include sugar or sweetener, you may wish to reduce the amount of sugar you add to your baking recipe.

What is true hot chocolate? ›

True Hot Chocolate contains collagen which is critical to healthy cell production and the reproduction of skin, hair and nail cells. HOT CHOCOLATE provides the effective dose recommended to support your body in collagen synthesis. It also contains organic inulin, a prebiotic fibre great for gut health.

Is it OK to drink cocoa everyday? ›

A. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the recommended daily intake value is 0.1 ounces (2.5 grams) of high-flavanol cocoa powder. In simple words, you shouldn't consume more than four to six teaspoons of raw cocoa in a day.

Which is healthier cocoa or chocolate? ›

Overall, the rule of thumb is if you're more focused on nutrients and antioxidants, choose cacao; but if you want fewer calories and some antioxidants, choose cocoa powder or darker chocolate. Whatever you buy, be sure to watch the amount of fat and sugar that's been added.

Why is hot chocolate so expensive? ›

Ingredients needed to make chocolate now cost more

Butter and sugar are two ingredients needed to make chocolate, and both have risen in price. Considering the unfavorable cocoa crop conditions due to weather and more costly ingredients, it's no wonder chocolate prices have increased.

What is coffee and hot chocolate called? ›

What exactly is mocha? A mocha is a blend of a cappuccino and a hot chocolate. Like a cappuccino it contains espresso, warm milk and a frothy top but it also contains a sweet chocolatey twist using either chocolate powder, chocolate syrup or melted chocolate.

Who first put marshmallows in hot chocolate? ›

Marshmallows first came into the picture in 1917, when the company Angelus Marshmallows published a recipe for hot cocoa topped with their product. (In another genius marketing move, the company also hitched its wagon to sweet potatoes with a recipe for the side dish that has since become a Thanksgiving staple.)

Does hot cocoa burn belly fat? ›

As surprising as it may sound, yes, hot chocolate can help you lose weight. Unsweetened cacao powder produces antioxidants that help with the fat-burning process and makes you feel fuller for longer. Also, being low in fat and sugar, your body gets lower calories from cacao powder.

Can I drink hot chocolate every day? ›

Whilst it might not be a good idea to enjoy an extra-indulgent mug of hot chocolate every day, this doesn't mean that you have to avoid it completely – fats are actually an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet, as they are a source of essential fatty acids, which the body can't make itself.

What's the difference between chocolate and cocoa? ›

Cocoa and chocolate are both made from the beans of the cocoa pod. They are difference in the step of extracting, and the components inside are not the same. Chocolate is the fermentation of cocoa beans to produce microorganisms and accelerate many nutrients in cocoa beans for maximum efficiency.

Why did hot chocolate call themselves hot chocolate? ›

The band was originally named "Hot Chocolate Band" by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office. This was quickly shortened first to "The Hot Chocolate" and then to "Hot Chocolate" by Mickie Most.

Why is it called hot chocolate? ›

The name of this concoction was a combination of both Mayan and Aztec cultures. "The Mayan word 'Xocol', that means 'hot', and the Aztec word 'atl' means 'water'," Spehr said. "So 'xocolatl', that's where 'chocolate' comes from. Originally, this means 'hot water'."

Is cocoa another word for hot chocolate? ›

Europeans made this drink popular after they brought it back from Mexico. Here in the United States, we drink a thinner hot cocoa, minus the spices. Hot chocolate and hot cocoa are terms used reciprocally, but they are actually two separate types of drinks.

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