Homemade Hot Cocoa Packets – Holiday Gift Food Craft with
Free Printable Holiday Pouch from ToriAvey.com
This holiday food craft was a joint effort between me and my buddy Brenda over at Secret Agent Josephine. Brenda continues to knock my socks off with her creativity. She had a fabulous idea to make homemade hot cocoa pouches as a holiday gift. I loved it. I came up with a hot cocoa powder recipe– a super simple, all natural blend that can be used with both dairy or non-dairy milks. Brenda worked her graphic magic, and together we ironed out a few design kinks. The result are these adorable Homemade Holiday Hot Cocoa Pouches, a gift that you can slip into a holiday card or add as a special touch to a homemade gift. Brenda photographed the process with her lovely daughter. She agreed (and I think you will, too)… this homemade cocoa is super delish!
What could be nicer than to give a warm cup of sweetness on a cold winter day? If you can’t hand deliver a steaming mug of rich hot cocoa to your family and friends, these Homemade Holiday Hot Cocoa Pouches are the next best thing. My recipe for homemade hot cocoa powder is way more natural than the store-bought packets… have you read the ingredients on those lately? So many preservatives and additives. This cocoa is all natural, the way it’s meant to be enjoyed! All you need are a few ingredients, some spare time, and a crafty sense of adventure.
Click below for the holiday hot cocoa pouch printables:
Hot Cocoa Pouch Printable – Hanukkah Menorah
Hot Cocoa Pouch Printable – Happy Holidays Snowman
Print out as many as you need. The hot cocoa recipe below is enough for 24 servings, so you’ll be able to fill 24 pouches. After you print, follow these simple steps.
Homemade Holiday Hot Cocoa Pouches
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Printable pouch (links in blog above)
- Scissors
- Printer and paper
- Glue
- Very small plastic zipper bags (snack size, 6 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch works well)
- Decorative stickers or decorative tape
Instructions
- First, print out the PDF pouches of your choice - this one or this one - on normal 8 1/2 x 11 text weight paper (PDF links in blog above). The hot cocoa recipe makes enough for 24 servings, so you'll be able to fill 24 pouches.
- Cut along the outside of the packet, taking note of the instructions in red as you cut.
- Fold the pouch along the solid white lines. Fold the bottom flap up and add a bead of glue along all sides. Fold the left flap over and do the same.
- Fold the backside over the bottom and left flap. Smooth it down and let it dry.
- Now it's time to mix up a batch of hot cocoa powder! In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Kids will get a kick out of measuring these three simple dry ingredients.
- Stir it up to combine. Easy peasy!
- Carefully measure out 2 tablespoons of powder into a very small plastic zipper bag (snack size).
- Gently squeeze any excess air from the bag. Seal the bag and spread out the powder to flatten.
- Fold the bag in half.
- Place the sealed zipper bag into the paper pouch.
- Seal with a pretty sticker or a piece of decorative tape.
- Pop them in a pretty basket and you are ready to give them away. The pouches have printed instructions on the back for making your hot cocoa-- simply mix the powder with the hot milk of your choice, stir, and enjoy.
- Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Holidays! You have two printable options to choose from.
- You might just want to drink a cup yourself. We promise you, you'll never buy store bought again. This cocoa is simply delish, with no artificial ingredients-- just cocoa, sugar, and salt.
- Add some marshmallows (if you like that sort of thing), and enjoy!
- Who doesn't love a cup of hot cocoa? It warms your hands and warms your heart. Happy holidays to you and yours!
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
To learn more about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, click here.
For more Hanukkah crafts, click here.
Thank you for a great recipe! For me, I wanted a bit more richness in the chocolate so I added 2 Tbsp of sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa and it was perfect!
Love this project! What a great idea for gift giving. Thank you for sharing!
First time making homemade hot choclate it’s really good as good as store bought probably better
So delicious and a thoughtful, wonderful gift to give during Christmas. Loved this whole project 🙂 We made it with coconut milk and substituted coconut sugar (for a no sugar option) then added a little bit of peppermint essential oil. Sooooo delicious and cute
Thank you so much!!!!! Perfect Christmas present for my friends
I made this for friends and neighbors last year and everyone loved it! One of my friends has since been diagnosed with diabetes. Have you ever made this recipe with a sugar substitute?
Hi Lisa– I haven’t, so I wouldn’t know the correct proportions, but I’m sure it could be done. If you try it let us know which sweetener you end up using and how much, I’m sure others would love to hear about it!
OK – I used Truvia Baking Blend as a sugar substitute. (According to the package, 1/2 cup sweetens like 1 cup sugar.)
I used the same amount of unsweetened cocoa powder and salt, but I substituted 14 Tbs. of Truvia Baking Blend for the 1 3/4 cups sugar.
When mixing up a cup of cocoa, I experimented first with 1 Tbs. mix per 8 oz. warm milk, adding mix until I got the flavor I wanted.
In the end, I was satisfied with 1 1/2 Tbs. mix to 8 oz milk. Hope this helps.
I first discovered your website here just prior to Rosh Hashanah and was very pleased with the recipes you presented. I never made Challah bread before and it was soooo easy to do. I am a bread maker by heart and this was an interesting challenge for me.
About 18 months my life changed when I met someone special. He is Jewish. I am not. However, as the holiday’s roll by we will talk about them together…I will read about them and the creating of the food in representation from your website is a total homerun! lol! It ties it in for me when I read the history behind the recipes.
Sooooo Hanukkah has turned into a quest for me to fulfil. lol! I was looking for things that I could make that will mailed– 8 wrapped boxes total that could be tied with ribbon together with one box opened each day. I love the hot chocolate recipe and will be adding that to one of the boxes. So I will be searching for more creative ways/ideas to help get some of those boxes filled. If you have any other simple ideas I would love to see a link for them.
I will continue on my search! Thank you for your wonderful website.
Jill
Hi Jill! So glad you’re enjoying the site. More Hanukkah ideas here: https://toriavey.com/hanukkah-the-festival-of-lights/
Prayers for Peg and her family! May the peace and joy of the season embrace you all.
My husband was diagnosed with cancer and a month later I lost my job. Needless to say, this holiday season is going to be all about inexpensive ideas. Thank you so much for the recipes and especially the printable pouches. This will be an awesome addition to my homemade Christmas.
Oh Peg, I am so sorry to hear about that. I’m really happy these pouches will help with your homemade Christmas! I love homemade gifts, they are so much better than the store-bought kind. Sending prayers and good wishes your way!
I made of batch of this stuff for myself yesterday to keep in the cupboard. Mmm, delish! Good ratios–I’d never thought to add the bit of salt. Thanks!
Looks yummy and is so cute. Have you tried using hot water instead of milk?
Thanks Marcy! I don’t recommend water, it won’t have a creamy taste at all. The instant powdered cocoa that you add water to includes powdered milk in it, which is why it has a creamy taste. You can use any non-dairy milk that you like (rice milk tends to be somewhat watery too, so I would avoid that one, but the others should work fine).
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog. I love it, so I’ll definitely be back. I saw your post on Google+ and thought… what a great “swag” bag gift idea.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’m totally stealing it.
Happy Holidays!
PS I shared this post with my G+ circles AND I wanted to mention that your little model/kitchen assistant is completely adorable.
Love everything about your site! Thank yu
We did this today! It was awesome!
I am loving this idea! Who knew hot chocolate was so easy to make. My daughter loves the store bought stuff so I am sure if we make this it will be a special treat!
I love this idea! It will go perfect with the coasters and mug gift I’m making for my co-workers! Thank you!!!
What a great idea. I love the simple, natural recipe and I love the idea of individual pouches.
I LOVE this idea, so adorable! Brenda’s got great design skills and you’ve got a super easy and delicious recipe. Can’t wait to make these pouches and the hot cocoa!
love the idea! definately doing this!!
This makes me so happy that it doesn’t have powdered milk in it! Thanks for the recipe and printable 🙂