The Simple Hot Chocolate Hack To Transform A Bad Cup Of Coffee

When working a busy day job, most of us don't have the time to follow countless coffee tips and recipes to make at home. Usually, we haphazardly press the button on our coffee machines while rushing half-asleep to the day's tasks. If your usual routine includes a quick breakfast on the go, sometimes having a special drink to enjoy instead of a flavorless cup of java makes all the difference.

While powdered coffee creamer, heavy cream, and half-and-half all get the job done by adding a flavored creaminess, downing a bad cup of coffee with extra cream won't necessarily make you feel like you're at your local Starbucks. As it turns out, you don't need a bunch of fancy extras to transform your boring brew. If you've been looking for a quick and flavorful way to elevate your daily drip, look no further than hot cocoa mix. Sure, your local coffee shop has an epic assortment of syrups and flavored powders, but you can whip up a mean cup of coffee with just a tablespoon or two of hot cocoa mix. Not only is this a cost-effective way to level up subpar coffee, but you'll also feel like you're enjoying the richness of a mocha drink in your home kitchen.

If you drink java regularly, you certainly already know how to make coffee for the best at-home brew, but adding a touch of hot cocoa mix can elevate the flavor of that daily cup of black coffee. On the other hand, if you usually like your coffee with milk or cream, make standard hot cocoa with powdered mix and milk, then whisk together a cup of hot coffee with your freshly made instant hot chocolate. You're left with a milk-and-chocolate-infused cup of coffee. You can also take things one step further, save your pre-ground coffee for another day, and use instant coffee. After mixing instant coffee and your preferred amount of hot cocoa mix, mix in hot milk and stir. This version of hot cocoa coffee is richer with the exclusion of water for milk and mirrors a traditional cafe mocha.

Depending on how much hot cocoa mix you decide to add to your coffee, you may opt for cocoa powder instead if you want more control over how much sugar you're adding. A standard cup of hot chocolate contains over 7 grams of sugar, so if you think you'll want more of a rich chocolate flavor in your coffee, you may want to try making your own mix ahead of time. Doing so will not only give you the ability to control the amount of sugar you use, but it will save you more money in the long run. To make your own hot chocolate mix, you only need sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered milk. Yet, if you want to make your chocolate coffee with added milk or cream, you can skip the powdered milk in your homemade mix.

While a homemade hot chocolate mix can be used for various baked goods, frozen hot chocolate, and even adjusted to make a delightful Mexican hot chocolate gift mix, you can also amp up your otherwise boring cup of joe by adding your favorite hot cocoa mix.