Mason Jar Hot Chocolate (Easy DIY Christmas Gift)

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This easy mason jar hot chocolate recipe makes the best DIY hot cocoa Christmas gift. Completely customizable homemade hot chocolate mix that can be made in small, single serve mason jars or in a large jar for a bunch of people.

Mason jar hot chocolate with sugar, chocolate chips and marshmallows, christmas lights on a black background.

For inspirational ideas on how to flavor your hot chocolate, see this amaretto hot chocolate or this coffee hot chocolate. You can add in any flavor to these jars, be creative!

Hot chocolate bombs involve a little more work to make but also make fantastic gifts.

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Why this is the best hot chocolate in a jar
Ingredients
How to make the Christmas hot chocolate jars
How to make the hot chocolate
Ideas for optional toppings
FAQ
Expert Tips
📖 Recipe

Three small christmas hot chocolate jars in a row, with a christmas tree in the background.

Why this is the best hot chocolate in a jar

It’s single serve. Use mini mason jars for to make individual hot chocolate portions! Make a bunch of different single serve mason jars filled with a variety of flavors for a hot chocolate gift basket.
It’s customizable. Be creative with the flavor of chocolate chips you choose and the toppings you add to make a unique hot chocolate gift.
It’s the best homemade hot chocolate mix. This recipe makes delicious, creamy, chocolatey hot chocolate which tastes so much better than any hot chocolate mix you’d buy in the store.

Ingredients

Chocolate chips: Use whichever flavor you want. Some great options include butterscotch, white chocolate, Skor, salted caramel, milk chocolate or dark chocolate.

How to make the Christmas hot chocolate jars

Layer the ingredients on top of each other in the mason jar. Start with the cocoa powder, followed by the sugar, and then the chocolate chips.

On top of the chocolate chips, add any optional toppings you want such as crushed peppermints.

Then, fill the remaining space with marshmallows.

Mini mason jar with a christmas tree on it, filled with mini marshmallows, on a black background.

How to make the hot chocolate

First, set aside the marshmallow for now.

Add the ingredients in the jar and one cup of milk to a saucepan and heat over medium heat.

Whisk to fully melt the chocolate. Don’t let the mixture boil.

Once well combined, after about 5 minutes, remove the hot chocolate from the stove, top with the marshmallows and enjoy!

Ideas for optional toppings

There are so many great toppings for hot chocolate. Just look around a dollar store in the candy section to get an idea.

Some of my favorites are: crushed reese pieces, crushed candy canes, crumbled cookies, brownie bits, toffee bits and chocolate sprinkles.

Mini hot chocolate in a jar, with a christmas tree and christmas lights in the background, with mini snowflake and gold start confetti falling around it.

FAQ

How can you decorate the jars?

Decorate these jars with colourful ribbons, stickers and personalised labels. You can also find a decorative box to give these in. Or, wrap them in a gift basket with other treats.

What do I do if there is too much empty space in my jar?

Either add extra marshmallows and optional toppings to fill the space, or double or triple the serving size.

Snowflake confetti falling on top of a mini jar filled with hot chocolate mix.

Expert Tips

Use a funnel. If you want to make the layers perfectly aligned, use a funnel with a wide mouth to add the ingredients to the jars.
Avoid perishable toppings. Don’t add any sauces or toppings that require refrigeration. If you want to include a topping that needs to go in the fridge, for example chocolate sauce, put it in a separate small jar and specify to keep it in the fridge.

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