Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate: How Are They Different?

Hot cocoa is a hot, sweet drink made from cocoa powder, sugar, and milk. Cocoa powder is derived from cocoa beans, which are dried, fermented, then roasted at a high temperature to sweeten the flavor. Hot cocoa has a thin and light consistency, and many instant mixes for hot cocoa may contain additional additives or preservatives. The trade-off is that they are usually easier to make than hot chocolate, often only requiring boiling water or hot milk. Most boxed hot chocolate mixes sold in the US are technically hot cocoa rather than hot chocolate.

Hot chocolate, or drinking chocolate, is a thick, hot drink made by melting solid chocolate (such as chocolate chips or bars) in hot water or milk. Most hot chocolate recipes call for real pieces or shavings of chocolate, such as white or semi-sweet chocolate, which are melted and blended with hot liquid to create a drinkable, chocolaty beverage. Different countries have their own renditions of hot chocolate, including the following popular variations.

• Mexican hot chocolate: Mexican hot chocolate uses chocolate de mesa, or table chocolate, which contains sugar, cinnamon, and cacao.
• European-style: European-style hot chocolate uses unsweetened cocoa powder, dark chocolate, or bittersweet chocolate.
• Parisian chocolat chaud: This French hot chocolate blends dark or bittersweet chocolate with whole milk to create a thick and decadent (but less sweet) chocolate drink.
• Colombian hot chocolate: Colombian hot chocolate incorporates flavors like ground cinnamon, cloves, and honey, along with cheese cubes to create a creamier texture with a hint of salt.
• Italian hot chocolate: Also known as cioccolata calda, Italian-style hot chocolate is similar to traditional hot chocolate, but includes cornstarch to thicken the mixture.

Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate: What’s the Difference?
Hot chocolate and hot cocoa are both warming dessert drinks, but there are a few key differences between these hot drinks.

• Ingredients: Hot chocolate gets its deep, chocolatey flavor from the base of thick, melted chocolate. Warm liquids like water, milk, or cream are added to make the drink liquid. Hot cocoa, however, is made from a powdered base of cocoa, sugar, and added flavorings. Occasionally, powdered hot cocoa packets will come with mini marshmallows in them.
• Consistency: Hot chocolate is a thick beverage made of melted, solid chocolate blended with milk, cream, or water. Hot cocoa is much thinner than melted chocolate.
• Added sugar: Hot cocoa often requires you to add sugar to it to adequately sweeten it. Additionally, pre-made hot cocoa mix often contains artificial sweeteners or other ingredients. Hot chocolate, on the other hand, only needs the naturally occurring sugar in the chocolate, which means hot cocoa tends to be much sweeter than regular hot chocolate.
• The taste: Depending on the style, a cup of hot chocolate essentially tastes like a melted chocolate bar mixed with liquid, while hot cocoa tastes more like sugar than chocolate.

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