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Set up the appropriate cooking equipment. Choose your mixing liquid. Whisk in the chocolate. Add a sweetener. Boost the flavor of your hot chocolate.

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If you're planning on making homemade versions of hot chocolate, make sure you have the right cooking utensils.  Many recipes will tell you to make your hot chocolate in a small pot or sauce pan on the stove.  This allows all the ingredients to get heated evenly and the chocolate to melt. You'll also need a heat-proof or microwave-safe mug.  Some materials, like glass, may not be microwave- or heat-safe.  They could break or crack when hot liquid is added or when heated in the microwave.  Look at the bottom of your mug to see if there is any notation of whether or not it's heat- or microwave-safe. Although a plain wooden spoon will do, a whisk is a great tool to help incorporate all the ingredients in your hot chocolate. The main ingredient in hot chocolate is the liquid.  If you're looking to make a healthier or lower-calorie version of hot chocolate, heat up 6 – 8 oz of these lower-calorie liquids:  Water.  This is plain-jane, but is zero calories.  This will help you get a very low-calorie hot chocolate. Skim milk.  This offers you a little more creaminess, protein and calcium.  For a 6 – 8 oz serving, you'll total about 80 calories.r If you have a milk allergy, are lactose intolerant, vegan or just want to add some creaminess without using dairy, try unsweetened soy, almond, or coconut milk.  They have about 30 – 40 calories. Although hot chocolate is mostly milk or water, the tastiest ingredient is the chocolate.  Mix or whisk in your desired amount of any of these types of chocolate:  Dutch processed cocoa powder.  This is a fairly common form of chocolate to add to hot chocolate recipes.  Dutch processed cocoa powder is naturally low in calories, dissolves well in liquids and has a very intense chocolate flavor.  Add anywhere from 1 –3 tablespoons per serving depending on your flavor preferences.  Chocolate chips or solid chocolate.  Use about 2 – 4 tablespoons of chocolate chips or chopped solid chocolate per serving.  Choosing a dark chocolate or 70% cocoa solid chocolate bar is best as it's lower in calories and higher in antioxidants.  Carob powder or chips.  These vegan chocolate chips are all natural, lower in calories, fat, sugar and caffeine compared to regular chocolate, but offer a very similar flavor.  They can be substituted one for one for either chocolate chips or cocoa powder.  You may want to consider even adding in chocolate protein powder.  This is an easy way to add an extra hit of protein to your hot chocolate without changing the flavor. If you're making hot chocolate from scratch, you also have the ability to choose what type of sweetener and how much you use to make your chocolate the perfect treat.  You'll most likely only need a sweetener if using a cocoa powder which is naturally unsweetened.  Try out your desired amounts of any of these sweeteners:  Agave syrup.  This is an all natural sweetener that's made from the sap of the agave plant from Mexico.  It still has calories like regular sugar, but is significantly less processed.  Maple syrup.  Although this will impart a distinct flavor to your hot chocolate, maple syrup is another all natural sweetener you can use. Honey. A tablespoon of honey can naturally sweeten up your cocoa. Just be sure not to serve anything containing honey to children under 12 months. Sugar substitutes.  These are no-calorie sweeteners that vary widely in their level of processing; however, if you're looking to really minimize the calories in your hot chocolate, you may consider adding a sugar substitute or artificial sweetener. Most hot chocolate recipes are fairly simple; however, you can spice up your hot chocolate while still making it healthy and low-calorie.  Try these flavorful no calorie mix ins:  Vanilla extract Instant coffee powder Cinnamon Cayenne or chili pepper Orange rind Chai spices