The Ultimate Hot Chocolate Guide: Indulgent Cocoa Tasted and Rated
A steaming cup of hot chocolate is more than just a beverage; it is a timeless source of comfort and nostalgia, capable of softening life's daily stresses. However, not all cocoa creations are created equal. In this comprehensive taste test, we explore the finest drinking chocolates available, distinguishing the fudgy delights from the merely mediocre powdered alternatives.
The Evolution of Drinking Chocolate
Today's market boasts exceptional drinking chocolate that surpasses the options of yesteryear. Many premium products are crafted from world-class chocolate, including bean-to-bar, single-origin, or even single-estate varieties. These often consist of grated bean-to-bar chocolate with minimal additives, offering a pure and indulgent experience.
Most mid-range and premium selections in our review were genuinely impressive, featuring minimal processing, robust certifications, and responsible sourcing. However, unless you are on a tight budget, it is advisable to steer clear of instant hot chocolate. These products frequently contain skimmed milk powder, whey, emulsifiers, and stabilisers, resulting in a lacklustre and underwhelming drink.
For those seeking a great budget-friendly option, consider mixing Fairtrade cocoa powder with a small amount of dark chocolate and a splash of cold milk into a paste. Add hot milk and sugar to taste, and if you have cream on hand, it can elevate even the most basic cocoa into a delectable treat.
The Best Hot Chocolate Selections
Best Overall: Willie's Hot Chocolate
Priced at £9.95 for 250g from Chocolate Trading Co or £8.65 for 250g at Ocado, this single-estate cacao from Medellín, Colombia, represents the gold standard in bean-to-bar chocolate. With a 52% cacao content, it delivers wonderfully complex flavours, including roasted hickory, hay, and sour plum undertones, earning a perfect five-star rating.
Best Bargain: Asda Extra Special Indulgent Drinking Chocolate
Available for £3.65 for 300g at Asda, this powdered chocolate uses only two ingredients: Rainforest Alliance 41% cocoa and sugar. It boasts a beautiful aubergine colour and a distinct nutty almond flavour with tangy notes of blackstrap molasses. For a powdered product, it offers a nice, weighty viscosity, receiving three stars.
Other Notable Picks
Bare Bones 68% Dominican Republic Salted Hot Chocolate Flakes
Costing £13 for 250g, these flakes are hands down some of the best chocolate tasted, with a beautiful lilac colour and thick viscosity. The flavour is intensified by sea salt, featuring earthy notes of hay and salted caramel with a fruity tang, making it worth the splurge and earning five stars.
Islands Chocolate Hot Chocolate Flakes
Priced at £9.99 for 200g at Selfridges or £11.10 at Ocado, this 55% dark chocolate uses directly sourced flakes. Following a 1:5 ratio of chocolate to liquid yields a rich, indulgent drink with floral notes of citrus, raisin, and roasted caramel. It holds a Great Taste One Star award and commendable sustainability policies, receiving five stars.
Knoops 43% Milk Hot Chocolate Flakes
Available for £12.99 for 250g at Selfridges or £13.50 at Ocado, these simple flakes of Venezuelan criollo milk chocolate offer a warming, rich, and rounded flavour with a thin viscosity. Very sweet, with nutty notes of vanilla and salted caramel, it earns four stars.
M&S Collection Belgian 72% Dark Drinking Chocolate
Costing £6 for 175g at Ocado, this product comes in five individual sachets of Fairtrade chocolate pieces. It delivers a very rich, sweet, and balanced hot chocolate with a thick, smooth viscosity and subtle bitter notes with sweet vanilla, spice, and sour cherry, receiving three stars.
Morrisons the Best Indulgent Drinking Chocolate
Priced at £3.75 for 300g at Morrisons, this option hits with distinctive vanilla notes followed by a delicious, bitter cocoa flavour, with a hint of soya. It contains emulsifier and flavouring and is Rainforest Alliance-certified, earning three stars.
Clipper Fairtrade Instant Hot Chocolate
Available for £5 for 350g at Sainsbury's or £5.25 at Waitrose, this is the only instant hot chocolate in the test, made from sugar, milk powders, and Fairtrade cocoa powder. Using four heaped teaspoons in hot water produces a rich but very sweet drink that lacks viscosity without real milk, though it has fudgy, caramel notes, receiving two stars.
