This Is The Best Thing To Make With Hot Cocoa Mix That Isn't Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa mix is one of those items we tend to pick up and always have on hand in the back of the pantry. While it's an easy mix for quick hot chocolate during cooler months, the sweetened, chocolatey, pre-packaged item serves as a good base for other dishes, too.

When it comes to hot cocoa mix, the blend is usually made up of unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and powdered milk. That's already a few of the necessary ingredients to make a lot of delicious sweet treats (via The Pioneer Woman).

With several ingredients already packed into hot cocoa mix, you really only need a few other items on hand, and boom, you can whip up yummy desserts and more. But, to keep things in one mug, this mix can be used to create a chocolate brownie mug cake for a single-serve treat you can dig your spoon into (and not share, ha!). Not a bad substitute for hot chocolate, if you ask us (via Hy Vee). Just add flour, milk, and butter, microwave, and top with ice cream.

While the idea of a chocolate brownie in a mug with a scoop of ice cream is always tempting, there are quite a few other recipes that use hot cocoa mix. It mixes into almost any batter that could use a mildly-chocolatey boost, though you might want to add some more cocoa powder and sugar for a more intense flavor.

According to Kitchn, waffles benefit from the addition of hot cocoa powder for a lightly sweet and chocolatey taste. Most any waffle batter works. Then, add another 1/4 cup of granulated white sugar, and you'll be well on your way to a delicious breakfast. Whipped cream optional, but highly recommended.

The mix can also be added into ice cream or used to make hot fudge sauce. It should add that signature mild chocolate flavor to your favorite ice cream. For hot fudge, combine a pack with 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate, 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2/3 cup of boiling water, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (via Kitchn).

So, do some research and get creative with different recipes that you might be able to swap in a packet of hot cocoa mix. Definitely don't waste those old packets, especially if you have a sweet tooth.