Frozen Hot Chocolate
15 min
|
easy
|
gluten-free,
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think milkshake meets hot cocoa: thick, frosty, and wildly chocolatey thanks to real cocoa, melted milk chocolate, and just enough salt to wake it up.
Perfect for heat waves, birthdays, or a cozy movie night, this blender beauty serves full-on NYC Serendipity vibe with a towering swirl of whipped cream.
Ingredients (2 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk whole milk 16 fl oz
- 1 cup ice ice
- ½ cup heavy cream heavy cream 4 fl oz
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder unsweetened cocoa powder 0.55 oz
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips milk chocolate chips 8 oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1 cup vanilla ice cream vanilla ice cream 8 fl oz
- pinch salt salt
Ingredients for the Topping
- whipped cream heavy cream 4 fl oz (for whipped cream)
How to Make Frozen Hot Chocolate
-
Chill the glasses
Slide two tall glasses into the freezer so your drink stays thick and frosty from the first pour.
-
Bloom cocoa and melt chocolate
In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk the cocoa powder with 1/2 cup of the milk and a pinch of salt until smooth and steamy.
Stir in the milk chocolate chips until fully melted and glossy, then take it off the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
-
Cool the chocolate base fast
Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and set it over an ice bath, stirring until it is cool to the touch to protect your slushy texture later.
-
Blend until thick and smooth
Add the cooled chocolate base to a blender with the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, ice cubes, and vanilla ice cream.
Blend starting on low, then go high until thick, cold, and silky, about 20 to 30 seconds.
-
Adjust texture
If it is too thick, splash in more milk a little at a time.
If it is too thin, add a few ice cubes or another scoop of ice cream and blend again.
-
Serve with swagger
Pour into the chilled glasses, crown with whipped cream, and finish with a dusting of cocoa or shaved chocolate if you are feeling extra.
Substitutions
- Whole milk and heavy cream -> oat milk and coconut cream
- Use full-fat oat milk for the base and coconut cream for richness, plus a dairy-free vanilla ice cream and vegan chips, for a lush texture with a subtle coconut note that plays nice with chocolate.
- Milk chocolate chips -> 60 to 70 percent dark chocolate chips
- Switch to dark chocolate for a more intense, grown-up cocoa bite with less sweetness, and add a teaspoon of sugar or maple syrup if you want to balance it back.
- Vanilla ice cream -> coffee ice cream
- Swap in coffee ice cream for a mocha vibe that deepens the chocolate flavor without extra bitterness while keeping the same creamy body.
Tips
- Bloom the cocoa like a pro
- Whisking cocoa into warm milk wakes up its aroma and prevents chalky grit, so your final texture drinks like silk.
- Chill the base or pay the price
- If the chocolate mixture is warm, it will nuke your ice and you will get chocolate milk instead of a slush, so use an ice bath and cool it fully.
- Use small, dry ice cubes
- Fresh, hard cubes or crushed ice blend faster and colder than soft, wet freezer-burned ice, giving tighter, snow-like crystals.
- Blend in stages for control
- Start low to pull everything into the blades, then pulse high until smooth to avoid over-warming the drink.
- Salt is non-negotiable
- That tiny pinch snaps the chocolate into focus and keeps the sweetness from getting cloying.
- Prep-ahead base cubes
- Freeze the cooled chocolate base in an ice cube tray, then blend those cubes with milk and cream for instant thick slush on demand.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 685 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 11 | g |
| Total Fat | 46 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My chocolate seized while melting, can I save it?
- Yes, take it off heat and whisk in warm milk a tablespoon at a time until it loosens back into a smooth sauce, then cool it before blending.
- The drink came out thin, how do I thicken it?
- Add more ice cream or a handful of ice and blend briefly, or pop the blender jar in the freezer for 5 minutes and pulse again.
- It tastes too sweet, how do I fix that?
- Blend in a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa and a pinch more salt, or swap half the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate next round.
- Can I make it without a blender?
- Use a food processor with crushed ice, or finely crush ice in a zip bag with a rolling pin, whisk the liquid base until frothy, then stir in the crushed ice.
- Can I make it ahead for a party?
- Blend the base without ice and keep it chilled, then blend with ice and ice cream right before serving, or freeze finished slush in a zip bag and massage and reblend to serve.
Serving Suggestions
For a late-night twist, add a shot of chilled espresso for a bold mocha that cuts the sweetness and wakes up the chocolate.
Rim the glass with chocolate syrup and crushed wafer cookies, then serve with salty pretzels on the side for that sweet-salty slap you will crave.
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
