Rich & Creamy Campfire Hot Cocoa
A classic camping fun family activity includes sipping a hot chocolate. This Campfire Hot Cocoa recipe is simple to make … just mix the dry ingredients at home and stir into warmed milk at the campsite when you are ready to take the chill off of a frigid adventure. There is nothing like a warm beverage to heat up a cold winter camping trip! And, when wrapped in a cute package, this hot chocolate mix makes a great gift too! The best camping recipes are enjoyed around a campfire!
VIDEO
Watch how I make this to give as a gift.
Read on to get the entire recipe and your copy of my FREE pintable hot cocoa instruction tags.
How To Make Campfire Hot Cocoa Mix
This is just one of our list of winter camping recipes that includes food for every meal of your camp menu!
I make the cocoa mixture at home by combining the dry ingredients and storing them in an airtight container. This campfire hot chocolate mix also makes a fun gift!
- Mix The Dry Ingredients At Home: Cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- At The Campsite: Combine hot cocoa mix with milk.
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Campsite Equipment You May Need
- You can use a regular saucepan or a camp coffee pot to hold the milk.
- Then, place it over a low-heat fire using a campfire grill grate or low flame on a camp stove or RV stove.
As The Milk Begins To Heat
Add 2 tablespoons of the campfire hot cocoa mix to the bottom of your favorite camp coffee mug then top with 1 cup of warmed milk and stir until combined. The thing I really like about this recipe is that you can make individual servings or large batches … you know how difficult it can be to make camping meals for two!
About The Milk
Camp Cooking Tip: We prefer to drink 2% milk normally but I like using whole milk for this campfire hot cocoa recipe so it’s nice and creamy. If you want to really splurge, you can use half and half instead of milk.
- Camp Cooking Tip: Don’t scald the milk, heat it slowly and don’t let it heat to a boil.
Variations
If you’re looking for a twist to make your hot chocolate even more interesting, here are a few things you can try:
- Caffeinate It: Add hot coffee or a shot of espresso.
- Fancy It: Rim the mug with caramel sauce or rimming sugar, add mini marshmallows or fresh whipped cream.
- Spike It: Add a shot of alcohol. Some good options include rum, bourbon, amaretto, raspberry or coffee liqueur, schnapps or Irish cream.
What To Serve With Campfire Hot Cocoa
This rich and creamy hot chocolate is sort of like a “sippable dessert” but if you want to serve it alongside something you can actually chew, try a few of our camping dessert recipes! A few of my favorite pairings include:
- Brownies (we have 3 types!)
- Smores Dutch Oven Brownies (These are so yummy and a fun twist on the classic campfire dessert.)
- Caramel Nut Brownies (These have a cake-like consistency and the caramel is a great flavor addition. I like to prepare these as a make ahead dessert that I freeze at home and defrost at camp.)
- Campfire Brownies (This recipe starts with a boxed brownie mix that is jazzed-up with Snicker candy bars.)
- Cinnamon Cupcake Recipe (These from-scratch, almost-gourmet cupcakes are so yummy and made easy for campsite cooking.)
- Campfire Smores (Sure, you can make the traditional version of s’mores but why not try something new? We have 10 mouth-watering variations!)
Giving Campfire Hot Chocolate Mix As A Gift
This campfire hot cocoa mix makes an adorable, inexpensive gift for your camping friends and family members! If you want other ideas for camping gifts that are specifically designed for men, women and kids … we’ve got you covered!
If giving as a gift, put the mixed dry ingredients in a mason jar and add a sticker label or hanging tag with instructions.
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FREE Printable Instruction Tags
You can get really fancy and do camping crafts to create camp-themed labels for the instructions! Grab a copy of my FREE printable instruction tags here.
Whether you call it hot cocoa or hot chocolate … I have no doubt your friends and family will love getting warmed up around a toasty fire with a cup of this creamy and delicious beverage!
Meal Planning
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Recipe
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Rich And Creamy Campfire Hot Cocoa Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mason Jar With Lid 12 oz. (1.5 cup) jar works best
- Twine, ribbon and instruction tag for decorating the jar
Ingredients
Prepare the Mix
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Wet Ingredient At The Campsite
- 8 cups milk per entire recipe use one cup for each individual mug of hot cocoa
Instructions
Prepare the mix (see Note 1)
- Layer ingredients into mason jar starting with the sugar and salt.
- Add the cocoa powder and cinnamon to the jar without mixing it with the sugar layer.
- Add marshmallows to fill the rest of the jar.
- Decorate the jar with twine, ribbons and instruction tag. Get my FREE printable instruction tags here: https://www.subscribepage.com/campingforfoodies_hot_cocoa_tags
At Camp
- Heat milk in a camp coffee pot or saucepan over low heat. (see Note 2)
- Add 2 tablespoons of the campfire hot cocoa mix to the bottom of your favorite mug then top with 1 cup of warmed milk and stir until combined.
Notes
- If not giving as a gift, just combine the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container.
- Don’t scald the milk, heat it slowly and don’t let it heat to a boil.
Makes such a cute gift. Heartfelt and thoughtful homemade gifts are the best! This recipe is the perfect taste combination too!
Hi Janine! I love making and giving homemade gifts! I’ve got more ideas planned for this year. Thanks for letting me know you like this hot chocolate recipe too! Happy Camping, Kim