I’ve made a ton of holiday gifts in reusable jars to give this year, and one of my favorites is this Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa in a Jar. Who doesn’t love a mug of hot chocolate to warm you up! This gift is not only simple to make and pretty to look at, but a delicious way to say thank you to those you love and appreciate!

Two mason jars with layered hot cocoa mix inside and red ribbons tied around the jars.Pin

Why Hot Cocoa in a Jar Make the Best Edible Holiday Gift

  • Personalized Touch: What sets this gift apart from the rest is the personal touch. It’ll show that you’ve taken the time to curate a jar filled with comfort, and that extra thoughtfulness goes a long way in spreading holiday cheer.
  • Perfect for Anyone: Hot cocoa knows no limits – it’s a treat for everyone! Whether you’re gifting to a cocoa connoisseur or someone with a sweet tooth, this jar of joy will be perfect for anyone on your list.
  • Last Minute Holiday Hero: Hot Cocoa in a Jar is the perfect “oops, I forgot someone” last minute gift. I actually keep several ready to go during the holiday season  just in case I run into someone that I want to give something special to. They only take minutes to whip up though, so you can get it all together in no time if you need to!
  • DIY and Budget-Friendly: Putting these jars together is not only fun but also super affordable. You only need a few ingredients making it a budget-friendly yet heartfelt gift option. Plus you can customize it to anyone’s taste!
Mason Jar with red ribbon filled with hot cocoa mix.Pin
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How to Make Hot Cocoa in a Jar

The Ingredients

  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Granulated sugar
  • Chocolate chips
  • Cinnamon stick
  • 16 ounce mason jar with lid
Ingredients for Hot Cocoa in a Jar.Pin

The Instructions:

1. Layer Ingredients: In the mason jar, layer the cocoa powder, sugar, chocolate chips, and top with the cinnamon stick. To ensure even, uniform layers use a funnel or fashion a makeshift funnel using parchment paper.

Spooning cocoa powder into mason jar with funnel.Pin

2. Gift with Instructions: Place the lid on top and tie a festive bow around the lip if desired. If gifting, include a card with these instructions: To make the hot cocoa, place the contents of the jar in a medium saucepan with 8 cups of milk. Simmer until the chocolate is melted and the hot cocoa is warm and smooth!

Side view of hot cocoa in a jar.Pin

Tips for Creating Hot Cocoa in a Jar

  • For Perfect Layers: Use a small funnel to get the perfect even layers. If you don’t have a funnel, you can create a makeshift funnel using parchment paper.
  • Add Some Personality: Get crafty with your jar! Wrap a colorful ribbon around the lid, attach a cute tag with the recipe instructions, and maybe throw in a candy cane or two for stirring. Let your creative spirit shine as you prepare this lovely gift.
  • Cinnamon: If you don’t have cinnamon sticks at the ready, you can substitute with 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
A mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows and a cinnamon stick. Hot cocoa in a Jar in the background.Pin

More Edible Holiday Gifts

It’s no secret I love using mason jars for gifting. This hot chocolate recipe is perfect in a jar, or you could use a mason jar gift Easy Winter Chili In A Jar or some festive Sun Dried Tomato Basil Pesto too. Here are some more of my favorite edible holiday gifts to give!

A clear mug with hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.Pin
Next time you’re in a search for a last minute holiday gift for someone, go for this simple and delicious Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa in a Jar! It takes no time to put together but will make someone feel extra special. Craft a bunch of these for your kids’ teachers, your babysitters or as a fun and festive hostess gift for you holiday parties!

Let me know in the comments if you’re gifting hot cocoa in a jar this year, and tag me on social media if you make these!

Pin

DIY: Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa in a Jar

Hot Cocoa in a Jar is the perfect treat to gift this holiday season! It's simple to put together and a great way to spread warmth and joy to all the wonderful people in your life.
5 from 3 votes
Course: Dessert, Drink
Servings: 8
Author: Catherine McCord
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes

Equipment

  • 12-16 ounce mason jar with lid

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • In the mason jar, layer the cocoa powder, sugar, chocolate chips, and top with the cinnamon stick. To ensure even, uniform layers use a funnel or fashion a makeshift funnel using parchment paper.
  • Place the lid on top and tie a festive bow around the lip if desired. If gifting, include a tag with these instructions: "To make the hot cocoa, place the contents of the jar in a medium saucepan with 8 cups of milk. Simmer until the chocolate is melted and the hot cocoa is warm and smooth!"

Video

Notes

Note: This recipe makes 8 cups of hot cocoa. Feel free to half or even quarter the recipe and use a smaller jar for smaller individual gifts. 

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!

About the Author

Catherine is a mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.

Comments

  1. I am going to make these. They look supercute and homemade and they are simple! What size jar did you use?

  2. I made these to give as Christmas gifts this year! They were fun to make and a practical and unique gift for families 🙂 Thank you as always!

  3. I think if your co-workers have a couple of children you would give them the full recipe. For a couple you could 1/2 the recipe. I wouldn’t give someone a tiny jar with enough for only 1 cup of hot chocolate.

  4. I would love to make this for my co-workers. Would I just divide the recipe by 8 to get single servings?

  5. I make a sort of funnel out of parchment paper! Place it down into the jar so the cocoa powder slides down the parchment paper and doesn’t smudge the jar. 🙂

  6. I love this idea, but I have question about its execution. My daughter and I have trouble getting it to look so neat. The cocoa sort of sprays up on the sides when added and mixes with the sugar a bit. It doesn’t look as pretty as a result. Any suggestions? Thanks! 🙂 Jenny

  7. Where did you get the lids for the mason jars? It didn’t look like the amazon ones came with them.

  8. My kids LOVED making these with me. We used the smaller size (pint?) mason jars, and instead of including the cinnamon stick, I cut a circle from waxed paper to put on top of the chips and added mini marshmallows on top (to keep them separate). They turned out really cute! Thanks for a great idea.

  9. What type of chocolate chips did you use (Semi-sweet, dark chocolate, milk chocolate etc)? Thanks : )

  10. You would need to use a milk substitute because the cocoa powder won’t dissolve completely in just water.

  11. Has anyone tried making it with water instead of milk? I have some friends with a lactose intolerance and wanted to know if you could just simmer it with water or if you would have to use a milk substitute?

  12. I just made these for hostess gifts and they looked adorable. I wrapped some ribbon around plain mason jars and attached the directions on the back of a large holiday gift tag. Super simple. Thanks, Catherine!!

  13. You have such great edible gift ideas. I’m thinking next cookbook for you should be: Weelicious Edible Teacher’s Gifts.

  14. Hello! May I know if it’s possible to change the 8 cups of milk into dry powdered milk to put into the jar too? and if so, how much would that be? 🙂 Thank you!

  15. I love making things like this for gifts. People seem to really appreciate the effort that goes into homemade gifts. I love that you used jars with handles. I now need to run out and find those. I’m obsessed with mason jars.

  16. These are so cute! Do you think I can fit them in 8oz mason jars instead of the 16oz? I am looking for something just a little smaller? Maybe if I don’t include the cinnamon stick?

  17. Any tips on where to find lids that fit the jars you linked to? Are they regular or wide mouth mason jars?

  18. 8 cups of milk? is that right; or is that supposed to be 8oz of milk making one cup for the whole jar?

  19. Hi! Great idea and so festive. Was able to find the (lid-less) mason jars online but where did you order the adorable red lids from? Thanks!

  20. You should be able to find mason jars in your local grocery! They’re sometimes hidden in the baking aisle, or on the very top shelf of a random aisle where you wouldn’t think to look!

  21. So sweet! Quick question, do those mugs/jars come with lids? I went onto Amazon but couldn’t tell from the product description…

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