Drinking Chocolate vs Cocoa vs Hot Chocolate: What's the Difference?
Walk into any supermarket and you will find drinking chocolate, cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix sitting next to each other on the shelf, often with confusingly similar packaging. They are not the same thing. The differences come down to fat content, processing and what you actually get in your mug, and understanding them will help you choose the right one and make it properly.
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Drinking chocolate is made from real chocolate that has been ground or shaved, retaining most or all of its cocoa butter. Cocoa powder has had the cocoa butter pressed out, leaving a dry, intensely flavoured powder. Hot chocolate mix is usually cocoa powder blended with sugar, milk powder and sometimes stabilisers for convenience. Each produces a different drink, and none of them is wrong, just different.
At a glance
- Drinking chocolate contains cocoa butter and produces a rich, thick drink
- Cocoa powder has most of the fat removed and tastes more intensely chocolatey
- Hot chocolate mix is a convenience product with added sugar and milk powder
- Hot chocolate made from bar chocolate appeared in Europe by the 17th century
- Cocoa powder was invented in 1828 by Coenraad Johannes van Houten
- All three contain a small amount of caffeine, far less than coffee
What is drinking chocolate?
Drinking chocolate, sometimes called sipping chocolate, is chocolate that has been made for dissolving in hot milk or water. It retains the cocoa butter found in bar chocolate, which gives it a thicker, more luxurious texture than anything made from cocoa powder alone. The Spruce Eats notes that drinking chocolate retains a lot, if not all, of the cocoa butter, while hot chocolate and hot cocoa contain less cocoa-bean fat.
In the UK, the term drinking chocolate often appears on tins of sweetened cocoa powder, which muddies the water somewhat. Strictly speaking, proper drinking chocolate is closer to eating chocolate in composition. It melts into milk rather than simply mixing in, and the result is richer and more coating on the palate.
The cacao percentage matters. A drinking chocolate at 65 to 70 percent cacao will be less sweet and more intensely chocolatey than one at 25 percent. Cadbury's familiar drinking chocolate, for example, sits at around 25 percent cacao, making it mild and sweet. Artisan versions from single-origin beans can reach 70 percent or higher.
What is cocoa powder?
Cocoa powder is what remains after cocoa butter has been pressed out of the cocoa mass. It is dry, fine and intensely flavoured, with a fat content typically between 10 and 24 percent compared to the 50 percent or so in whole cocoa beans. This is why it feels dusty and clumps when you try to mix it into liquid without care.
The process that made cocoa powder possible was invented in 1828 by the Dutch chemist Coenraad Johannes van Houten. His hydraulic press squeezed the fat from roasted cocoa, and the dry cake left behind could be ground into powder. Van Houten also developed the Dutching process, treating cocoa with alkaline salts to mellow its acidity and darken its colour. Dutch-process cocoa is milder and darker; natural cocoa is sharper and lighter.
Because cocoa powder lacks cocoa butter, drinks made with it are thinner and more astringent unless you add fat yourself in the form of whole milk or cream. It is also significantly lower in fat while preserving the antioxidants found in chocolate, according to Wikipedia's comparison.
What is hot chocolate mix?
Hot chocolate mix is the convenient option. It typically contains cocoa powder, sugar, powdered milk or non-dairy alternatives, and sometimes stabilisers or thickeners. You add hot water or milk, stir, and drink. The formulation varies widely between brands and countries.
The advantage is speed. The disadvantage is that you cannot control the sweetness or richness, and the flavour tends toward the generic. Instant mixes are designed for consistency rather than depth, which is fine for a quick mug but not quite the same as making it properly from good ingredients.
A brief history of chocolate drinks
People have been drinking chocolate for a remarkably long time. Cacao was domesticated around 3300 BCE in what is now Ecuador, making it at least 5,300 years old as a cultivated crop. The Maya were drinking cacao beverages 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, often cold and mixed with water, vanilla, cornmeal and chilli peppers. A tomb at Rio Azul in Guatemala, dated to around 460 to 480 AD, contained vessels marked with the Maya cacao glyph and residue of a cacao drink.
By 1400 AD, chocolate was central to Aztec culture, where it signified high status. Europeans encountered it in the Americas, and by the 17th century hot chocolate had become a luxury among European nobility. London's first chocolate house opened in 1657. The thick, spiced drinking chocolate of that era was closer to what we now call Mexican drinking chocolate than to the sweet milky versions familiar in Britain.
Van Houten's cocoa press in 1828 changed everything. Suddenly cocoa powder was available, making chocolate drinks cheaper and easier to prepare. The first chocolate bar followed in 1847, and the two industries have run in parallel ever since.
Drinking chocolate vs hot chocolate: a comparison
| Type | Main ingredient | Fat content | Texture | Sweetness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking chocolate | Ground chocolate with cocoa butter | High | Thick, rich | Varies with cacao percentage |
| Cocoa powder | Pressed cocoa solids | Low | Thin unless milk added | Unsweetened |
| Hot chocolate mix | Cocoa powder, sugar, milk powder | Medium | Medium | Pre-sweetened |
The terms are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, which is understandable but not quite accurate. If you want a proper thick, rich cup, look for something that contains actual chocolate rather than just cocoa powder. If you want intense cocoa flavour and control over sweetness, start with good cocoa powder and add your own sugar.
How to make drinking chocolate properly
The method depends on whether you are using a powder or actual chocolate pieces. For drinking chocolate powder like Harth Original Hot Chocolate, the trick is dispersion. Cocoa particles are hydrophobic and clump if you dump them into hot liquid.
- Put your powder in a small saucepan and add a tablespoon or two of cold milk.
- Stir until you have a smooth paste with no dry pockets.
- Add the rest of your milk gradually, whisking after each addition.
- Warm gently over low heat, whisking regularly. Do not let it boil.
- Pour and drink while hot.
For drinking chocolate made from actual chocolate pieces or pastilles, the ratio is typically one part chocolate to two parts liquid. Warm your milk gently, add the chocolate, and whisk until fully melted. This produces something closer to the thick Italian cioccolata calda or Spanish drinking chocolate, which often use cornstarch as a thickener.
Our full guide to making hot chocolate covers stovetop and microwave methods in more detail.
Does drinking chocolate contain caffeine?
Yes, but not much. Chocolate contains both caffeine and theobromine, a related compound that acts as a gentler stimulant. Wikipedia gives a figure of around 2 mg caffeine per 100 g of prepared hot chocolate, which is a fraction of what you would find in tea or coffee. A cup of tea might contain 20 to 45 mg; a cup of coffee around 80 to 100 mg.
Unless you are very sensitive to caffeine, drinking chocolate is unlikely to keep you awake. The theobromine may give you a gentle lift without the jitters.
Common mistakes with drinking chocolate
The most frequent error is adding powder to hot liquid and expecting it to mix smoothly. It will not. You will get lumps, a grainy sediment at the bottom, and frustration. Always make a paste first with a little cold milk.
Boiling the milk is another mistake. Boiled milk develops a skin, tastes slightly cooked, and can scorch on the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat low and take it off before it bubbles.
Using water instead of milk is technically possible but produces a thin, oddly flavoured result. Drinking chocolate is designed for milk. If you must use water, expect less body and a sharper cocoa taste.
What about Mexican drinking chocolate?
Mexican drinking chocolate is typically flavoured with cinnamon, and sometimes chilli, vanilla, clove or nutmeg. It is often sold in tablets or discs that you dissolve in hot milk or water. The flavour profile is closer to what the Maya and Aztecs would have drunk, though without the cornmeal and probably a good deal sweeter than the original.
If you fancy something with a bit of warmth, Winter Solstice Spiced Hot Chocolate brings cinnamon and clove into the mix, and Harth Smoky Chilli Hot Chocolate adds a proper chilli kick.
What to try next
If you want a straightforward rich drinking chocolate, Harth Original Hot Chocolate is a good place to start. For something with a warming ginger note, Harth Ginger Hot Chocolate is particularly good on cold evenings.
If you fancy chocolate flavour without the milk, Strawberry Chocolate is a caffeine-free fruit infusion with cocoa and strawberry over an apple base. It is lighter and works well iced in warmer weather.
Not sure what suits you? The Tea Finder can point you in the right direction, or browse the caffeine-free collection for evening options.
Order online with free UK delivery on orders over £35. Or call into the shop at Byram Arcade in Huddersfield and have a proper look round.
Frequently asked questions
Is drinking chocolate healthier than hot chocolate?
Neither is a health food. Drinking chocolate tends to be higher in fat because it contains cocoa butter. Hot chocolate made from cocoa powder is lower in fat but often higher in added sugar. The healthiest option depends on what you add and how much you drink. Tea is a drink, not a medicine, and the same applies to chocolate.
What is dark drinking chocolate?
Dark drinking chocolate has a higher cacao percentage, typically 60 percent or above. It is less sweet and more intensely chocolatey than standard drinking chocolate. The bitterness can be balanced with a pinch of salt or a little extra sugar to taste.
Can you use drinking chocolate powder for baking?
You can, but it already contains sugar and sometimes milk powder, so you will need to adjust your recipe. Cocoa powder gives you more control. If a recipe calls for cocoa powder, that is what it means.
What is the best milk for drinking chocolate?
Whole milk gives the richest, smoothest result. Semi-skimmed works well and is what most people use. Of the plant milks, oat tends to be creamiest. Avoid anything too thin or watery, which will leave the cocoa tasting sharp and unbalanced.
How do you store drinking chocolate?
Keep it in a cool, dry cupboard with the lid on tight. Cocoa picks up moisture and odours easily. Do not refrigerate unless absolutely necessary, and use it within about six months for the best flavour.
Is white drinking chocolate actually chocolate?
White chocolate contains cocoa butter but no cocoa solids, which is why it tastes creamy rather than chocolatey. White drinking chocolate dissolves into milk to make a sweet, vanilla-ish drink. Whether you call it chocolate is a matter for philosophers and pedants.
Sources: The Spruce Eats · Wikipedia · Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
