Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Hot Chocolate Is A Grand Choice From A 158-Year-Old California Chocolate Company
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
On a chilly day, everyone has a place in their heart — and hands — for a steaming hot cup of cocoa. It doesn't matter if you're a connoisseur or someone who just dabbles around the holidays: Hot cocoa always hits the spot, and even more so if it's from a top-quality brand. There's nothing wrong with a cheaper packet, but expect a noticeable difference between an everyday grocery store hot chocolate and a high-end cocoa from a specialty chocolatier like Guittard, the beloved California chocolate company that's been in the game for over 158 years.
Consumer Reports named Guittard Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate the best hot chocolate, with evaluators in 2022 deeming it the richest at-home mix available. The independent testing agency recommended the cocoa for its balanced sweetness level and smooth and creamy texture, ranking it above the likes of Swiss Miss and Dandelion Chocolate, a San Francisco-based craft chocolatier that made Tasting Table's list of the best chocolate shops in every state.
The Consumer Reports evaluators did note that they needed to use a lot of the Guittard mix to make a flavorful cup, but they appreciated that the recipe was adaptable and that the powder blended easily into a variety of milks. The mix, which is made with finely ground grand cacao premium chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa powder, has an intense chocolate flavor and dark color that both testers and customers seem to love.
Guittard hot chocolate was created in 1900
Guittard has deep ties to the Bay Area. French immigrant Etienne Guittard ventured to California for the Gold Rush, but saw a better opportunity in opening his first chocolate store in San Francisco in 1868. The company flourished, becoming an integral part of the community. One local business that used the products was the famous Cliff House restaurant, which added Guittard hot chocolate to its menu in 1900.
Guittard is still a family-run company today, and although the Cliff House has closed, other establishments continue to serve it. The Grand Cacao Drinking Chocolate is available from most major retailers for home use too, including Walmart and Amazon, where customers say they use it in their coffee to create a creamy mocha flavor or add creamer to it. One Amazon shopper also recommends whisking it, saying, "Its ability to form and hold a head of foam with a bit of whisking allows the flavor and aroma of very good chocolate to roll through your senses."
A Reddit user called the drinking chocolate "top-notch," while another said, "I absolutely love it. ... It's dark and intense and so good." It is important to note that this isn't a very sweet hot chocolate. It has a deep, slightly bitter flavor that people who like dark chocolate would enjoy, but it might be better to use some other hot cocoa mixes for the kids. Or try your hand at making your own classic hot chocolate.