·

Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa

Salted caramel hot cocoa is so good that it changes minds and changes lives. That’s only a slight exaggeration.

Case in point: my husband, Dan, has both a sweet tooth and an aversion to hot liquids. But he’ll hit the override button on said his “no hot liquids” rule for a mug of salted caramel hot cocoa every time.

Salted caramel hot cocoa
Photo: Casey Barber

Because yes, technically cocoa is a hot liquid in form, but it’s made of chocolate! It’s not like a bowl of offensive broccoli bisque or a cup of bitter coffee.

And when hot cocoa is loaded up with an indulgent amount of freshly made salted caramel, resistance is futile.

For Dan, this cocoa is sweet enough to satisfy his sky-high sugar satiation levels, especially when he adds caramel-dipped marshmallows and whipped cream to his mug.

Salted caramel hot cocoa
Photo: Casey Barber

And for me, salted caramel keeps the drink from being too saccharine. The pairing of deeply caramelized sugar with the tannic undercurrent of high-quality cocoa powder gives the drink a whisper of bitterness and depth.

Historically, I’ve always preferred the straightforward flavor of a cocoa powder-based drink rather than the intense hot chocolates flavored with chocolate shavings.

But even those who love the so-thick-it’s-almost-a-candy-bar style of hot chocolate will be satisfied by the rich, creamy mouthfeel of this salted caramel hot cocoa.

Salted caramel hot cocoa
Photo: Casey Barber

By starting with a simple caramel sauce and whisking milk and cocoa powder into it, you’re getting intense body and flavor built into the cocoa.

It’s not that much more difficult than whisking up a pot of plain old hot chocolate or hot cocoa.

And making caramel in a pan requires nothing but a good, heavy-bottomed pan and a patient eye. Let the sugar do its work and don’t stress over the process, which might include a few clumps or lumps. They’ll melt themselves out in the end.

Speaking of melting… if you’re having a particularly tense family standoff over the holidays, maybe it’s time to bring in the peacemaker. Let a few mugs of salted caramel hot cocoa make the point that we can all find something to agree on.

salted caramel hot cocoa

Salted caramel hot cocoa is a rich, decadent drink for cold days and holidays.

Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa

Yield: 2 drinks
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Salted caramel hot cocoa is a rich, decadent drink for cold days and holidays. Caramel in a pan gets a chocolate infusion for a real treat.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (100 grams; 3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (use the best you can get, like Valrhona)

Instructions

  1. Pour the sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan that will comfortably fit the sugar with some headroom. 
  2. Place over medium-low heat and stir gently with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to keep the sugar heating evenly.
  3. As the sugar heats, it will turn from fine grains to white shardy pieces to golden shards to a melted amber puddle. Be patient!
  4. When the sugar is fully dissolved and a deep golden caramel, stir in the sea salt and take the pan off the heat. 
  5. Pour the cream into the caramel in a thin, steady stream while stirring; the caramel will hiss, bubble and harden, so this is where it's crucial to have a pan with enough room to prevent boil-over.
  6. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat. 
  7. Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring until the caramel is fully incorporated. 
  8. Whisk in the cocoa powder.
  9. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the cocoa is steaming.  
  10. Serve immediately, with or without marshmallows.

Notes

If you want to dip your marshmallows in the caramel, do so after whisking the cream off heat.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 335Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1174mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 10g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo!

FTC Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Good Food Stories LLC receives a minuscule commission on all purchases made through Amazon links in our posts.

Similar Posts

22 Comments

  1. You perfectly captured the spirit of the weekend, I love my FBC Besties! I am super impressed with the video too!

    And I can’t wait to make this recipe, I have been walking around the house, wiggling my fingers in anticipation for the last several weeks. At last, Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa, you will be mine!

  2. Stabucks does a very tasty Salted Caramel Cocoa (am I allowed to admit that I like Starbucks or is that blasphemous?) but I’d love to trying make it at home.

  3. I love the idea of salty flavor mixed with caramel and chocolate–and all in a cup. I really want to try this recipe, but then I think I might want it all the time. Yum. Have you tried Trader Joe’s salted caramels? They only come out this time of year and the store’s often run out, but your recipe reminds me of them. So tasty.

  4. Wow, I coulda sworn I wrote a comment here but it looks like I didn’t… I love this idea, but like Stephanie wrote over at Wasabimon, the whole dry caramel thing kinda scares me. OTOH, her version uses more heavy cream, which doesn’t help my waistline much… Guess I’ll have to try both!

    1. Debbie, try a small batch of dry caramel – like a half cup of sugar – first. You’ll be able to see the process happen fairly quickly and it’s not so intimidating. I’ve made huuuuuuge batches multiple times this past month, and like I wrote on Wasabimon, repetition pretty much pounds the fear right out of you.

  5. Thank you for this recipe. I made these for Christmas while we opened gifts and they were truly a hit! We had gone to Co.Co Sala in DC and had a version of this and they were DELICIOUS, so much so that we tried the Starbucks version which in my opinion, tastes like the bottom of a cardboard box…lol
    So I was scouring the ‘net for a quality recipe and hit the motherload here. :-) Your directions were clear, to the point and worked like a charm. My family still mentions the cocoa almost two weeks later. Thanks again!

    1. Cassandra, so glad to hear you loved the cocoa! Maybe it’s a new Christmas tradition for your family? (and yes, I sadly agree about the Starbucks version.)

Leave a Reply