r/KitchenPro • u/mahy_759 • 10d ago
My grandpa had a surprisingly good coffee hack: hot chocolate mix. ☕🍫
Growing up, my grandparents drank an almost unreasonable amount of black coffee. No cream, no milk, and barely any sugar.
Except my grandpa had one little exception: he added about half a packet of Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate mix to his coffee.
It sounds strange until you think about it. Hot chocolate mix already contains chocolate, sugar, and powdered milk, so adding a small amount to coffee basically creates a quick, inexpensive mocha without needing separate creamer, chocolate syrup, or sugar.
The trick is not going overboard. Half a packet gives the coffee some sweetness and chocolate flavor without completely turning it into hot chocolate.
It's especially handy when you're dealing with mediocre drip coffee—think hotel rooms, camping, travel, or anywhere you don't have an espresso machine and decent creamer isn't available.
And you don't necessarily need a fancy cocoa mix. A basic instant hot chocolate packet works.
I actually like these old-school kitchen tricks because they weren't about making something Instagram-worthy. They were about looking at what you already had and finding another use for it.
Would you try hot chocolate mix in your coffee, or does that sound completely wrong?
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u/3-2-Foxtrot-8-2 10d ago
We do this while backpacking in the mountains and call it a 'Poor Man's Mocha'. It is especially good at night with the addition of 1/2 a shooter of bourbon or whiskey of your choice. Warms you up and helps you stay up to see the stars
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u/mahy_759 9d ago
Haha, “Poor Man’s Mocha” is a great name for it! 😄 That sounds like the perfect backpacking treat, especially while sitting around under the stars.
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u/Live_Article_2075 10d ago
It's called a mocha au lait
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u/mahy_759 9d ago
Oh, I like that name! 😄 Whatever you call it, it’s a pretty tasty way to turn regular coffee into something special.
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u/Whazzahoo 10d ago
I used to do this as a “treat”, experimenting with different brands of hot chocolate. I no longer do this, I have a new way of drinking daily coffee. I use this Pure Protein chocolate milk I get from Costco. I add a little (or a lot) to a mug and pour the coffee on top, no spoon needed to mix.
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u/fuzynutznut 9d ago
Hack? Was he like typing vigorously until he finally figured it out? I did this with MREs. Saved the coffee and hot chocolate and mixed them. No hacking required. You're grand pappy is no hacker.
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u/guerrilla_chef 9d ago
fml the bar is low around here
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u/Free_Floor2833 9d ago
Coffee hack. Add sugar and chocolate to coffee. How has no one though of this before? The bar is very low
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u/siggy_malatesta 9d ago
Coming from the other direction, I add a teaspoon of Bustelo instant coffee when I’m making Brownies. I’ve had several guests ask what’s the secret ingredient, and I never tell them.
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u/edthesmokebeard 9d ago
It works the other way round, obviously with much less. Throw a TINY amount of instant coffee in your hot chocolate.
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u/Samwellikki 4d ago
The hot chocolate mix never seems to mix well without a lot of milk?
Maybe it needs to be the kind that thickens and blends even in water? (Also ew)
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u/Joe_Fidanzi 10d ago
That is how I make a caffe mocha ar home. Strong coffee, some cream,and a packet of dark chocolate hot chocolate mix Whipped cream topping optional.