Enjoy this easy 2-ingredient French hot chocolate recipe to make authentic French chocolat chaud, a Parisian chocolate drink. You are only 10 minutes away from the best of life's chocolate experience.

Whenever you look for a delicious dessert to finish your weekend brunch, come back from a ski descent to warm up, or need comfort on a weekday, French hot chocolate (Chocolat chaud in French) is your remedy and pure pleasure.
If you are a purist who pays great attention to what you eat and drink, you must bring the best hot chocolate into your life.
If you love French cuisine and consider it the best in the world, you will appreciate this Parisian hot chocolate drink.
And finally, if you are one of the true chocolate lovers, this chocolate intense paired with a beautiful hot chocolate quote will be enough to satisfy your craving.
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Jump to:
- What is hot chocolate?
- Why you should try this recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make French hot chocolate
- How to choose the best chocolate
- Recipe variations
- How to serve it
- Storage instructions
- Equipment
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- Love chocolate desserts? Try these next!
- Need to adjust your baking pan size?
- Recipe card
- Comments
What is hot chocolate?
Hot chocolate, hot cocoa, or le chocolat chaud in French, is a hot drink made with chocolate or cocoa powder (also sometimes sugar) added to milk or water.
You will love the sound of hot chocolate in French: 'chocolat chaud' [ʃɔ.kɔ.la ʃo]; listen to native French speakers.
The history of a chocolate-based drink can be said to date back to 2 thousand years ago when the Mayans first created it.
Over time, it became popular in Europe and had various adaptations.
Nowadays, hot chocolate is different depending on the country. For example, while it looks pretty diluted in the United States, Italian hot chocolate is quite dense.
French hot chocolate is rich and is made with milk and melted dark chocolate.
The French usually start the day with a hot drink (coffee or tea) which is the star of a French style breakfast.
Drinking hot chocolate takes third place among the breakfast habits of the French.
Why you should try this recipe
French hot chocolate is an intense chocolate-tasting experience to try and start making it regularly.
The delicious hot chocolate drink is perfect anytime: enjoy it for breakfast, have it as a snack in the middle of the day or finish your dinner as a dessert.
It is a comforting ritual to indulge in on cold nights in the middle of the winter and early mornings during rainy days.
You will fall in love with this easy 2-ingredient original hot chocolate recipe. It is guaranteed!
Finally, this liquid chocolate drink makes a romantic treat shared with your loved one by the fire.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.
Milk: to make the recipe below, use whole or semi-skimmed (in the UK). Please, avoid skimmed milk called in the UK and skim milk called in the States.
You can replace milk with vegetable milk (oat milk, for example), but do not switch milk for fruit, vanilla, or flavored coconut drinks since they modify the taste of chocolate.
Chocolate: the recipe calls for top-quality dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao). Purchase it as dark chocolate bars or chocolate callets.
Please do not use baking chocolate or chocolate chips for the best results.
How to make French hot chocolate
Chop chocolate into small pieces with a serrated knife and place it aside (photo 1). Pour milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot.
Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate to hot milk and stir with a hand whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Bring the pan back over low or medium-low heat for 1 minute, constantly whisking (photo 2). Pour the hot chocolate into the cups and serve immediately.
How to choose the best chocolate
Good quality chocolate is the key to making French hot chocolate. So what kind of chocolate is best?
The best is to go for bittersweet chocolate, between 60 and 70% cacao.
If you want to taste rich chocolate, do not choose the one below 50% cacao. But do not exceed 70% either; otherwise, the bitterness will dominate your hot chocolate drink.
Can you use a dark chocolate bar? Yes, it is easy to dose the chocolate due to its squares, and much more cream-like thanks to the butter in the bar.
Choose one of the top-quality dark chocolate bars: Ghirardelli dark chocolate 60% cacao, Scharffen Berger semi-sweet chocolate 62% cacao, Lindt dark chocolate 70% cacao, or Moser Roth dark chocolate 70% cacao.
In any way, choosing chocolate to make French-style hot chocolate, respect your tastes. According to the French Le Journal des Femmes,
Dark, milk, white, or other chocolate will be equally suitable, only the texture and intensity of the cocoa will be modified.
Recipe variations
While this recipe sounds basic, there are many variations to customize this drink.
The classic chocolat chaud recipe is made with milk, or/and water, and pure chocolate. Some recipes call for only milk; others replace half the milk with water.
Surprisingly, against popular belief, the French make hot chocolate with water too.
And it is not because they are short of milk and have no desire to get out to purchase milk at a grocery store.
The French consider hot chocolate without milk to be thick, it has a velvety texture and a powerful cocoa taste.
According to Marie-Laure Tombini, author of the French website Ôdélices, "milk strongly softens the taste of chocolate."
You might choose to make your favorite chocolate drink with water.
Now, do you want to drink it as it is, or do you want to flavor it?
A little touch with warm spices, even a pinch of cayenne pepper, makes a difference to French sipping chocolate.
Add a pinch of cinnamon or scraped vanilla seeds of vanilla bean pods to soften the taste of your hot chocolate.
Use a bit of ground pepper, anise, or/and cloves to make your drink spicy, especially during cold winter days.
Add ground ginger and cardamom to make a tangy hot chocolate.
But adding spices to the hot chocolate, be careful with their amount; otherwise, spices will mask the taste.
How to serve it
To get the whole French experience, serve Parisian hot chocolate warm, or let it sit for a few hours to enrich the chocolate taste. Reheat it before serving if needed.
And then serve your drink in the most beautiful cup and enjoy.
The French usually serve hot chocolate in small cups: demitasse cups, coffee cups containing about 2 to 3 fl. oz. or 60 to 90 ml. or pretty tiny teacups.
You can serve your chocolate drink plain, add a few drops of vanilla extract or a few flecks of coarse salt or fleur de sel to accentuate the flavor.
You can also add granulated or brown sugar, honey, caramel, espresso powder, you name it.
Top your hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream for an irresistible gourmet touch. Flavor it with a bit of ground cinnamon if you desire.
Or add a few pieces of mini dehydrated marshmallows, duo chocolate curls, or chocolate vermicelli sprinkles. And why not add all three?
Enjoy your hot chocolate drink with French madeleines or financiers. Yes, you want to indulge and feel like you are in Paris.
And it is not surprising why French and Parisian hot chocolate are used interchangeably.
Storage instructions
You can store the leftover hot chocolate in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Film your chocolate drink with plastic wrap or pour it into a sealed container and refrigerate it. To reheat, use a microwave or low heat.
Equipment
To make French hot chocolate, you will need minimum equipment such as a medium saucepan and a hand whisk.
It makes this recipe even more attractive because there is no dishwashing involved when preparing it.
Expert tips
- Use top-quality chocolate, ideally bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao).
- Make sure to add chocolate off the heat to make the hot chocolate smooth.
- Top your hot chocolate with whipped cream if desired.
- Decrease the amount of chocolate, but not less than 2.5 oz./70 g, according to your taste.
Frequently asked questions
You can replace milk with water. It will be less creamy and thick than the milk-based chocolate drink, but it will be lower in calories if you watch them out. You can also use half the milk and half water if you desire.
To thicken hot chocolate, add more chocolate or bring a saucepan with hot chocolate to a low boil, stirring for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens. You can also use whole milk and heavy cream to make your drink creamier.
You can keep hot chocolate in a sealed container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Love chocolate desserts? Try these next!
- French Chocolate Cake
- French Dark Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Cherry Financiers
- Royal Chocolate Cake – Trianon
- Browse all the Cake Recipes
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Recipe card
Chocolat Chaud (French hot chocolate)
Enjoy this easy 2-ingredient French hot chocolate recipe to make authentic chocolat chaud, a Parisian chocolate drink to enjoy any time of the day. You are only 10 minutes away from the best of life's chocolate experiences.
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 demitasse cups 1x
- Category: No-Bake Desserts
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 3.5 oz. (100 g) bittersweet chocolate
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- Chop chocolate with a serrated knife and place it aside. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate and stir with a hand whisk until the chocolate is melted.
- Bring the pan back over low or medium-low heat for 1 minute, constantly whisking. Pour the hot chocolate into the cups and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use high-quality bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao).
- Make sure to add chocolate off the heat to make the hot chocolate smooth.
- Top your hot chocolate with whipped cream if desired.
- Decrease the amount of chocolate, but not less than 2.5 oz./70 g, according to your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 demitasse cup
- Calories: 362
- Sugar: 18.4 g
- Sodium: 58 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Fiber: 4.3 g
- Protein: 8.4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: French hot chocolate, chocolat chaud, chocolate drink, French hot chocolate recipe
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
Tara says
What a decadent and gorgeous hot chocolate! I love that it comes together with only two ingredients. So perfect for this chilly day.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks for stopping by, Tara! I would be happy to hear that you made it. 🙂
Denay DeGuzman says
My husband spoiled me this morning with breakfast in bed, and this delicious French hot chocolate! It was so good. This recipe's a keeper!
★★★★★
Irina says
What a morning surprise you had! WOW! My thanks to you and your husband, Denay!
Noelle Simpson says
This is the perfect wintery drink, absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, it is, Noelle. Please, enjoy the recipe!
Kate says
Ahhh, there's nothing like a proper French chocolat chaud in cold weather - it reminds me of skiing when it is freezing but gloriously sunny. Now I can make it at home - thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Irina says
I feel the same getting home from skiing; it is amazing, I know, Kate. :)Thanks for your comment.
Priya says
I love how this is perfect for the cold weather! It looks so good and tempting.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Priya. Please, enjoy the recipe!
Jeannette says
I can't believe how easy it is to make such a deliciously comforting hot chocolate! Some fantastic tips on how to get it perfect 😀
★★★★★
Irina says
Jeannette, thanks for stopping by. Please, enjoy the recipe. It is effortless to make. 🙂
Adrianne says
This post is so comprehensive; I love it and love that you have included the pronunciation! Give me a 2 ingredient hot chocolate any day, and I will drink it, yum!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks a lot, Adrianne! Please, let me know if you made it. 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I now have a craving for a mug of delicious hot chocolate. Mmmmm!
★★★★★
Irina says
Jacqueline, I hope you will make it! Please, enjoy!
Kay says
The best hot chocolate so rich and thick, and of course, I had to go with your suggestion of adding whipped cream on top!
★★★★★
Irina says
Kay, I am so happy to hear the recipe worked for you! Thanks!
Claudia Lamascolo says
I love the subtle differences of using bittersweet with the milk, and my son is a huge fan of hot chocolate. I am making this right now to surprise him when he wakes up!
★★★★★
Irina says
Oh, Claudia, it is so sweet! I wish my mom was close to me now... She lives so far away!
Marie says
This is amazing ❤️ Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Irina says
You are very welcome, Marie! Happy holidays!!