Peppermint Hot Cocoa Layered Mix

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When the Christmas season rolls around I start thinking about tinsel and trees, strings of lights and Christmas carols, and . . . layered mixes in jars. I can’t help myself. I start drifting toward my shelf of canning jars and imagine how cute they could look with layered ingredients in them. Nothing says Christmas like a layered mix in a jar! 🙂

Peppermint Hot Cocoa - can be used as a layered mix in a jar for gift giving - free printable label too!

Last Christmas I had fun making a layered mix for blondie bars that had a holiday flair using mint green chips. This year’s recipe for a hot cocoa mix has a festive touch too, thanks to the layer of crushed candy canes. I kept the decorations for these jars simple and just used a ribbon around the lid so that the layer of candy canes could still show through. (I like to use these plastic storage caps on the tops of my jars).

One item of note in this mix is that it includes mini chocolate chips. When making a cup of cocoa, the chips add a very nice chocolate flavor but they don’t always melt up right away. Sometimes they want to glop together. If this is a concern, you can simply leave out the layer of mini chocolate chips. And as you will read farther down in the instructions you don’t even necessarily have to layer this mix. It can work just mixed all together too.

Here’s how to do it:

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Nesquick (or other chocolate drink mix)
  • 1/2 cup Malted Milk Powder
  • 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
  • 6 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Powdered Creamer
  • 1 cup Dry Milk Powder
  • 1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
  • 1/3 cup Crushed Candy Canes

In a bowl, mix together the Nesquick, malted milk powder, and the cocoa powder. In another bowl mix together the powdered sugar and the creamer. Now your ingredients are ready to layer into jars.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa - can be used as a layered mix in a jar for gift giving - free printable label too!

To make layered jars: This recipe will make enough for two (pint size) jars – OR – one (quart size) jar.
{If making two smaller jars, just divide the ingredients up equally between the two jars when layering}

1st layer: Milk Powder
2nd layer: Nesquick Mixture
3rd layer: Chocolate Chips
4th layer: Powdered Sugar Mixture
5th and final layer: Crushed Candy Canes

Peppermint Hot Cocoa - can be used as a layered mix in a jar for gift giving - free printable label too!

If you don’t want to take the time to layer – OR – you want the recipient of your gift to be able to easily use the mix without the extra step of them having to mix the layered ingredients together, then you can just pre-mix all the ingredients yourself and pop them in a jar (see the photo below). It’s all good!

Here’s a link for a printable label too. This includes a label to use with layered jars as well as a label to use with non-layered jars.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Printable Labels

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix - includes option for layering the mix in a jar too - plus free printable label!

Click here to see more of my – – > Canning Jar Ideas

Click here for my – – > Everyday DIY Hot Chocolate Mix

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5 Comments

  1. Delicious. My sister gave this to me for an early Christmas gift. I couldn’t wait to try it. I used 2x recipe instructions for a heaping mug. (I did top with my own whipped cream). Yes, the mini chocolates did not quite melt, but it was a nice chocolaty last sip at the end. Even my husband thought it had a very nice smooth flavor. I’m not a huge fan of peppermint, but when I drank this, I became a fan. My jar came to me premixed, which I thought was nice as all I had to do was pour into a measure straight from the jar. I thought the pictures you have here that show the layers was very pretty, but…I’m actually glad mine was premixed.
    I am going to make some for guests that are coming for a New Year’s Eve party. Terrific gift idea!

    1. Nesquick has some sweetener in it too so if cocoa powder is substituted for the Nesquick the mixture might not be as sweet, or the powdered sugar ingredient might have to be increased a bit more.

  2. I am wanting to make these for a Christmas wedding favor in 4 oz jars. Would it be best to mix or ok to layer? Would 4 oz be too much for one mug of cocoa?

    1. I think they would look cute layered, and a 4 oz jar should be just right for an 8 oz mug of cocoa. I have a recipe for 4 oz jars, although they are not peppermint. You could maybe tweak that recipe to add a teaspoon or two of malted milk powder and/or cocoa, and substitute crushed candy canes or mini chips for the marshmallows. Here’s the link to that 4 oz jar cocoa recipe: Mini Hot Cocoa Jar Mix