Give the gift of coziness this holiday season with this easy DIY hot chocolate in a jar! Made with plant-based ingredients layered beautifully in a mason jar, this homemade mix is a thoughtful (and inexpensive) gift to share with family, friends, neighbors and teachers. Add the free downloadable gift tag to make it extra special!
There's nothing quite like homemade food gifts. Whether it's soup in a jar, homemade granola or these hot chocolate bombs, the act of preparing food for another is such a touching gesture - even if it only takes a few minutes to make it!
I am so excited to spread warmth and sweetness this holiday season with jars of this delicious hot chocolate. Each jar makes six cups of hot cocoa. The recipient just adds hot water or their milk of choice and can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate instantly. Plus they get to keep the storage jar!
To personalize each jar, I had my daughter create a cute little printable gift tag to accompany it. It provides instructions to the recipient. Feel free to download it to use with yours as well!
Why this DIY Hot Chocolate Makes for the Perfect Gift
- Makes delicious hot chocolate
- Unique
- Easy and inexpensive to make
- Can gift it in a charming mason jar with a personalized gift tag
- Can set up an assembly line to make multiple jars at once
- Fun and memorable gift for the recipient!
Ingredients and Assembly Instructions
Assembling the homemade hot chocolate mix is surprisingly soothing and actually kind of fun! For a prettier presentation, I recommend using a small jar to allow for the ingredients to stack on top of each other. I find that a slim 8-oz jar works best.
All you have to do is layer the hot chocolate ingredients on top of each other. Using a small funnel may help for jars with a smaller mouth but it isn't necessary. I recommend layering in the following order:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - for chocolate flavor. You can also use cacao powder for added nutrients.
- Coconut milk powder - for creaminess. If your recipient might not like coconut flavor you could add 12 cacao butter wafers for creaminess instead.
- Maple sugar (or coconut sugar/granulated sugar of choice) - maple sugar and coconut sugar keep it refined sugar-free.
- Vanilla bean powder (optional) - balances out the chocolate.
- Salt - brings out all the flavors.
- Chocolate chips - adds richness, creaminess and more chocolate flavor. Plus it makes the presentation of the jar way more appealing (who can say no to extra chocolate?).
- Mini vegan marshmallows (optional)
I use vegan chocolate chips and vegan mini marshmallows. These make for an allergy-friendly gift to ensure that anyone, including those sensitive to dairy, can enjoy it!
This recipe makes one jar which provides approximately 6 cups of hot chocolate.
Gift Instructions for the Recipient
To make the hot chocolate, combine 2 tablespoon of the mix (after shaking well) with 1 cup of hot water or non-dairy milk. Then whisk until smooth. This can be communicated verbally, but printing out instructions adds a bit more personal touch.
Below is a gift tag that my daughter, Riley, created to pair with these jars. I've made it available to download and print for free so I encourage you to use it!
Below are the instructions if you choose to handwrite them or make your own tag:
- Shake the jar well to mix the ingredients.
- Combine 2 tablespoon of the mix with 1 cup of boiling hot water or hot non-dairy milk (oat or almond milk works great!).
- Whisk until smooth, heat gently if needed, and enjoy!
- For a richer treat, stir in an extra tablespoon of vegan chocolate chips while heating.
- Garnish with coconut whipped cream and chocolate chips or more mini marshmallows.
Additional Finishing Touches
The contents of the jar and recipe card make for a super thoughtful gift by itself, but you can add even more holiday cheer with any of these ideas:
- Add a cinnamon stick to the jar
- Add a festive ribbon
- Gift a mini whisk or hand frother along with the jar
- Gift additional mini vegan marshmallows, peppermint candy and/or dye-free mini candy canes in a separate jar
More DIY Gifts for the Holidays
Going the homemade route always makes for the perfect little gift. Here are more recipes that are sure to impress:
Body scrubs: This easy homemade sugar scrub is a reader-favorite, and this peppermint sugar scrub is perfect for this time of year.
Snacks: Pack up jars of maple candied pecans or chocolate granola!
Desserts: Skip the jars and gift an entire batch of any of these homemade cookies!
I hope you enjoy this hot chocolate recipe with printable tags. Homemade gifts show people true appreciation and these will definitely make an impression!
Print
Hot Chocolate in a Jar with Gift Instructions (Vegan)
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Give the gift of coziness this holiday season with this easy DIY hot chocolate in a jar! Made with plant-based ingredients layered beautifully in a mason jar, this homemade mix is a thoughtful (and inexpensive) gift to share with family, friends, neighbors and teachers. Add the free downloadable gift tag to make it extra special!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
- ¼ cup coconut milk powder (or another dairy-free milk powder such as oat or almond powder)
- ¼ cup maple sugar (or coconut sugar or granulated sugar of choice)
- ½ tsp vanilla powder (optional, for a gourmet touch)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
- ¼ cup tablespoons mini vegan marshmallows (optional)
Instructions
To assemble the jar:
- In an 8-oz jar, layer the ingredients on top of each other in the order listed above.
To make the hot chocolate:
- Shake the jar well to mix the ingredients.
- Combine 2 tablespoon of the mix with 1 cup of boiling hot water or hot non-dairy milk (oat or almond milk works great!).
- Whisk until smooth, heat gently if needed, and enjoy!
- For a richer treat, stir in an extra tablespoon of vegan chocolate chips while heating.
- Garnish with coconut whipped cream and chocolate chips or more mini marshmallows.
Notes
One jar yields approximately 6 cups of hot chocolate.
Download and print gift instructions here.
Additional finishing touches: The contents of the jar and recipe card make for a super thoughtful gift by itself, but you can add even more holiday cheer with any of these ideas: add a cinnamon stick or a festive ribbon to the jar; gift a mini whisk or hand frother along with the jar; gift additional mini vegan marshmallows, peppermint candy and/or dye-free mini candy canes in a separate jar.
You can shop the exact products pictured in this post here.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Beverage
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