Christmas Gift: Hot Chocolate Mix with Shortbread Cookies

I am a hot chocolate girl--always have been.  It has to be made with milk or it's no good!  My personal favorite is Swiss Miss--perfectly sweet and chocolaty.  I stumbled across this hot cocoa recipe in a jar recipe as an idea for gifts for my co-workers.  I loved the fact that it was easy and made with chocolate pudding (who would have thought!). 

{Easy and simple gift!}

I altered the recipe a bit because I'm not a fan of non-dairy creamer (soooo many chemicals and such!) so I increased the dry milk powder and sugar.  I have tried this several times (with water AND milk), and both are delicious although with milk it is definitely rich.

{Pour milk powder into a food processor or blender}

{Run the milk powder through alone because it cuts the volume in half.  I made two batches which is why there is some brown in this milk powder picture (just FYI)}

{Add remaining ingredients to the food processor or blender}

{Mix everything together}

{So delicious!}

Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes 4 pint jars

Ingredients

5 cups nonfat dry milk powder

1 3/4 cups sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 (4 ounce) package instant chocolate fudge pudding

1. Put milk powder in a food processor or blend and pulse until a fine powder is created.
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until mixed and a fine powder is created.
3. Place in 4 jars. 
4. Add a tag saying :  Hot Cocoa Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup mix to an 8 ounce mug of boiling water or milk.
5. Present to co-workers, friends or family (or keep all for yourself). 

What's homemade hot cocoa without cookies?  NOTHING!  That's what!  :o)

These shortbreads are very easy.  Just mix it, roll into a ball, flatten and bake.  The longest part is the baking, but don't skip it!  The dried out shortbread cookie is perfect for dipping into hot chocolate!

{Cream butter and sugar until INCREDIBLY light and fluffy!}

{Dough should just come together}

{I used a cookie scoop to get my cookies into even balls, and then I hand flattened them}.

Shortbread Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cups sugar
1 egg, room temperature

2 1/2 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 275.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add flour and mix until just incorporated.
4. Roll dough into balls and flatten a bit.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with sugar when out of oven

So there you go!  A simple Christmas gift for friends, co-workers (which is what I did!) or family.  The hot chocolate recipe is kid friendly, and the reward is yummy hot chocolate at the end!

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