We Asked 3 Chefs to Name the Best Hot Cocoa Mix, and They All Said the Exact Same Brand (Not Swiss Miss)

Yes, you can make your own hot chocolate, and it’s delicious. But hot cocoa from a pouch is quick, nostalgic, and just as delicious. Grocery stores are full of hot cocoa mixes this time of year, and we were curious to see which ones chefs grab when they’re shopping for the holidays.

So I asked them! I reached out to a few chefs and asked them to share their favorite store-bought hot cocoa mixes. One brand, Ghirardelli, kept coming up — specifically Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix. Here’s why.

Pastry Chef Elise Russ of Clementine in San Antonio says her go-to hot cocoa mix is Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix. She insists the real secret is in the preparation: “I always make it with milk and add homemade whipped cream, holiday sprinkles, and lots of marshmallows. I think sometimes my kids add more marshmallows than hot chocolate.”

Kristina Lavallee, chef and founder of The Cake Girl, adores the hot cocoa mix too. “If I am craving hot chocolate, Ghirardelli is always my favorite. The chocolate flavor does not taste artificial and feels luxurious without any extra work,” she says. “I love that it is not overly sweet. Plus, it has that nice deep quality cocoa taste that few store-bought mixes have.”

Buy: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix, $14.99 for 10 (.85-ounce) pouches at Amazon

What’s your favorite store-bought hot chocolate mix? Tell us about it in the comments below.