Ever been to Italy? Was it cold outside? If your answer is yes, chances are you may have had a life-changing cup of Italian hot chocolate.

two cups of Italian hot chocoalte

Italian hot chocolate is unlike any other hot chocolate you will have in your life. It’s thick, creamy, and tastes (almost) like you’re drinking pure liquid chocolate. Do we have your attention?

close up view of a cup of Italian hot chocolate

After enjoying several glasses of this delectable hot beverage, we decided it was time to develop our own recipe, so that you can make Italian hot chocolate at home. We studied ingredients in our favorite store-bought brands of Italian hot chocolate and found a common theme (keep reading).

Italian Hot Chocolate Ingredients

Italian hot chocolate is unfussy and simple. The thickness almost always comes from potato flour or potato starch. In the States, you can find potato starch at your local grocer (Bob’s Red Mill is our favorite brand).

  • Semisweet chocolate (we recommend high-quality chocolate for best results)
  • Whole Milk
  • Potato Starch
  • And a little bit of water
spoonful of Italian hot chocolate

How To Make Italian Hot Chocolate

This recipe takes less than five minutes to make. Simply heat the milk over medium-high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Watch your milk carefully so it doesn’t scorch (aka burn). Once you add the chocolate, lower your heat to medium-low and whisk continuously. In a separate cup, whisk together a small amount of water and potato starch, until the potato starch is seemingly dissolved into the water. Add to your chocolate mixture and continue to whisk for a few seconds more, then remove from heat. That’s. It.

small child's hands holding a mug of Italian hot chocolate

The potato starch and water mixture will keep your hot chocolate smooth yet the perfect consistency. If you don’t have potato starch, you can 100% still make this hot chocolate recipe! Just don’t expect a classic, thick, almost pudding-like consistency.

Lastly, it’s ideal to serve this Italian hot chocolate in a small teacup. This recipe is good for 3-4 people, so using a classic hot cocoa or coffee mug may make your hot chocolate serving seem small (trust us when we say that a little goes a long way!). But by all means, if you only have mugs that will work great, or if you want a large, indulgent cup of hot chocolate, don’t let us stop you.

More Delicious Chocolate Recipes

Italian Hot Chocolate

5 from 5 votes
Brooke Eliason
Print
Servings: 4 servings
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Sinfully delicious and made of just three ingredients, this Italian Hot Chocolate recipe will change your life.

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup (6 oz.) high-quality semisweet chocolate*
  • 1-4 teaspoons potato starch**

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the milk to a soft boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Add the chocolate, lower the heat to medium-low, and whisk continuously until the chocolate has completely melted.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of water and the potato starch (see notes) until smooth, and the potato starch has dissolved into the water. Pour the potato starch mixture into the saucepan and cook for as little as 30 seconds and up to 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, until the hot chocolate has thickened. Remove from heat, divide evenly between 3-4 small teacups, and serve immediately.

Notes

*Using baking chocolate or chocolate wafers is the best option for this hot chocolate recipe (Guittard is our preferred brand). If you do not have access to either, you may use a high-quality 6 oz. chocolate bar.
**If you desire a sippable yet still luxuriously thick cup of hot chocolate, 1 teaspoon is the perfect amount, whereas if you desire a thick, pudding-like consistency similar to how the hot chocolate is often served in Italy, use 4 teaspoons (1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon).
Many readers have asked if corn starch may be substituted for potato starch. Short answer: absolutely. Long answer: yes, but we strongly prefer the results with potato starch over corn starch. Potato starch lends to a more velvety, creamy hot chocolate, most similar to what you’ll find in Italy. Potato starch can be found in the baking aisle in most grocery stores (Bob’s Red Mill is our preferred brand).

Did you make this recipe?

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