Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix – Air Fryer

This super healthy Instant chocolate mix is absolutely nutritious and a tasty mix when mixed with hot milk. The BEST chocolate drink you can ever make for your kids. Homemade chocolate drink mix is soo much better than store brought Instant mixes. If your kids love chocolate drinks, as a mom I highly recommend to try this chocolate mix. I have included four different kinds of nuts in this recipe, so this chocolate mix is also an excellent way to make the kids eats nuts in their favorite way. Make sure they’re are not allergic to nuts before giving this. This Instant chocolate drink mix is perfect for anyone, so fillings for a quick morning breakfast, and it has the delicious chocolate flavor. A must try recipe, I am sure you’ll love it after you have made it!!

This recipe includes,

• Air frying the nuts using the Air Fryer
• Stepwise pictures of how to make chocolate mix
• Pan frying the nuts
• Tips – FAQ’s, serving suggestions, and storing Instructions.
• How to make hot chocolate drink?

Who doesn’t like chocolate milk, if it is healthier it is even better right? My kids are addicted to chocolate drinks and want them every single day. I am sure that is the case in many houses. I use to feel so guilty when I use to buy all kinds of Instant chocolate mix, you can literally name the brand, I have bought every single one of them!! But after I started making this mix, I am totally in love with it and so do my kids. Mainly they do not think or find out if the nuts were added to their chocolate drink, how cool is that?

This cocoa mix can be introduced from the toddler age, that’s what I did with my kids. Make sure they are not allergic to nuts before giving it. If they’re not allergic, then this is the best hot chocolate drink. To make hot chocolate, simply add two to three teaspoons ( or as required) of this chocolate mix to hot milk , stir well and serve warm. Hot chocolate tastes best when served warm to kids and hot for adults.

How to make Hot Chocolate with the prepared chocolate mix?

• Microwave the milk until hot, add one to two teaspoons or as required in the hot milk, stir well and serve immediately. No extra sugar is required because I have already added sugar in the mix. Check and add extra sugar if needed.
• If you’re making it in bulk, Boil the milk in a big pan on a stove top or heat the milk in the microwave, then add required amount of this prepared chocolate mix, stir well and serve immediately. No extra sugar is required because I have already added sugar in the mix. Check and add extra sugar if needed.

Is the chocolate mix an Instant powder mix?

Yes, it is an instant chocolate drink mix, no extra cooking is needed to make the chocolate milk. Simply mix the prepared chocolate mix with the hot milk and serve.

Why do I Air Fry the nuts instead of pan frying it?

I have been making this chocolate mix for many years now and have pan roasted it many time on the stove top before getting my Air Fryer. I have failed many times to make a smooth texture chocolate mix, as a result chocolate milk will be grainy and not smooth consistency. Nothing wrong in the taste, but kids wont drink and ask me what I mixed with the milk. The reasons why pan roasting the nuts might go wrong is listed below,

• The flame of the stove might be high or low while roasting the nuts
• You can over roast the nuts and brown too much
• You’ll not get even roasted nuts if you pan fry, you might sauté more on one side and not the other.
• But if you Air fryer you don’t have to worry about all the above listed points. You will get perfectly even roasted nuts.

As a result of this, nuts will start to leave oil and the mix will become heavy and wet while grinding and sifting the mix will become very difficult. You will not get a good smooth texture mix and when you mix it with hot milk, chocolate milk taste will be good, but milk will be grainy.

Can I substitute different nuts or skip few nuts in the recipe?

Yes you can, but each nuts has different texture and may need different process before grinding it. Also nuts may required different sauté time, some nuts may require blanching before dry roasting. So I recommend to make in small batches and see how it turns out.

Is sugar added in the chocolate mix and what variety sugar to use?

• I have added sugar to the mix. It is not very sweet when mixed with milk, it tastes mildly sweet. You can decrease or increase the quantity of sugar depending on your personal preference. But I recommend adding some amount of sugar for the chocolate mix texture.
• Also I highly recommend using granulated white sugar, because I find the consistency of the mix turns out perfect when grinding the nuts with granulated white sugar.
• You can try with other variety sugars like palm sugar, confectionary sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar – if you try it, please do post your review in the comments section below. It will be useful for other readers, thank you!

Why to blanch almonds and pistachios ?

Blanching process – briefly immerse (an item of food) in boiling water, especially as a technique for removing the skin from nuts or fruit or for preparing vegetables for further cooking. It helps to peel the skin of the nuts easily. Almonds and pistachios has a thin layer of skin, by removing the skin from the nuts, it will help to get a smooth and fine texture. Otherwise you’ll get coarse texture while grinding the nuts and it will be difficult to sift as well.

What cocoa powder to use for the mix?

I used Organic, Fair Trade Cocoa powder unsweetened from Costco. But you may use other brands like HERSHEY’S Cocoa or any other brand as well. You can find cocoa powder from any groceries store in baking section isle, stores like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Safeway etc carry it or you can find it in Amazon Online.

What is the yield from this recipe?

To the given quantity in the recipe card below, you ‘ll yield 362 Grams of chocolate mix or 12.75 Ounces.

Storing suggestion

I use a clean, dry, air tight glass jar with rubber sealed rings on the lid ( like the one shown in the pictures). Recommend using the same or something similar. Store the jar in the cool dry place right in your pantry, away from sun light. Refrigeration not needed. Chocolate mix stays good for up to three months when stored and handled properly. Use a clean dry spoon every time you use it. Also make sure to sun dry / air dry the glass jar without moisture before adding the mix.

Serving suggestions

• Using this chocolate mix, you can make healthier hot chocolate. This is my number one preference, and I mainly make the mix to mix it with hot milk for my kids breakfast, or after school milk time. It is a very filling and nutritious drink.
• You can also use this chocolate mix in any recipe that calls for chocolate mix / cocoa powder.
• I also add it to make healthy chocolate pancakes. Add required quantity of mix to the pancake batter.
• Other recipes you can add is, while making a chocolate cake, cupcakes, any chocolate desserts, fillings, smoothies, milkshakes, fudge, brownies etc.

Check out the other Air Fryer recipe below, I have listed few, for the complete collections of recipes, check the link here – Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Crispy Tofu In Sweet Chili Sauce   – Sauce made using the Instant Pot, organic sauce recipe, so fresh & delicious
• Chipotle Inspired Veggie Burrito Bowl Using The Air Fryer  – Made with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe
• Best Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe  – I Air Fried the tortilla strips

Looking for some spice mix and pickles recipe ? check out the link here Instant Spice Mix & Pickles Recipes

• Gongura Thokku | Pachadi | Pickle – Made with Sorrel Leaves / Pulicha Keerai

How to pan roast the nuts on the stove top? ( please check below for Air Fryer version)

• First blanch both almonds and pistachios as given below in the recipe Instructions. Then air dry the nuts on a paper towel.
• Heat a pan in medium flame for few seconds. Add the blanched – dried nuts, pistachio – almonds in the heated pan and dry roast ( without adding any oil). Roast the nuts until “slightly” brown, approximately 2 minutes and remove from pan. Then add the other two nuts cashew nuts and walnuts in the same pan, and dry roast until slightly brown, this will be quicker than the blanched nuts, so make sure to keep an eye on the nuts while roasting it. Remove from pan and let the nuts cool down.
• Do not over roast the nuts, it will start to leave oil and you’ll not be able to grind it smoothly or sift it.
• In a mixer add all the four nuts with the white granulated sugar and ONLY PULSE / WHIP the mixer until ground, approximately 10 to 15 seconds only. Then add the cocoa powder to the ground nuts and again PULSE / WHIP only for 10 seconds or less ( just until everything is mixed). Over running the mixer will also make the nuts leave oil and become wet and heavy mix.
• Use a fine meshed sifter for a smoother consistency chocolate mix. Sieve the mix well. The remaining big particle in the sifter, transfer to mixer again and pulse few seconds only and sieve again. The chocolate mix is ready now.

Stepwise pictures of how to make the chocolate mix

Ingredients required – Count nuts / measure ingredients and keep it ready – pistachio nuts, almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, cocoa powder unsweetened, granulated white sugar.

Blanch Nuts

Add water in a bowl, boil the water, and switch off the flame. Add almonds and pistachios to the boiled water, cover with lid and let the nuts sit / soak for 5 minutes. Drain the hot water fully, and add cold tap water to the nuts. Now peel the skin from the almonds and pistachios (skin will easily peel away from the nuts). Air dry the peeled nuts on a paper towel / cloth ( until the nuts is not wet , may be 5 mins or so).

Air fry the Nuts

I used Gourmia 8 – Quart Air Fryer. Preheat air fryer to AIR FRY option to 350 F (once the pre heating is done, you’ll get a beep sound). Once the fryer is ready, add all the nuts ( blanched and peeled almonds, pistachios, and walnuts, cashew nuts). I used a small baking tray that fits inside the air fryer, then evenly spread all the nuts in the baking tray. Place the baking tray inside the air fryer basket, and air fry the nuts for 3 minutes ( until “slightly” brown – do not spray any oil). Note – if you don’t have any baking tray that fits the air fryer, then use a aluminum foil inside the basket , then spread nuts on the foil and cook or you may add the nuts directly to the air fryer basket. Cool down the air fried nuts a bit.

“Pulse” the air fried nuts in the mixer

In a food processor / Mixer , add air fried nuts, granulated white sugar, and “ONLY PULSE / WHIP” for few seconds ( just until the nuts and sugar is ground, approximately 10 to 15 seconds).

Then add cocoa powder to the ground nuts – sugar, and ” AGAIN ONLY PULSE / WHIP” the mixer for few seconds ( just until everything is combined, approximately 10 seconds and under).

Sieve the ground chocolate mix

To get a fine and smooth chocolate mix texture – use a “FINE MESHED STRAINER, or SIFT” and sieve the grounded mixture. With the remaining big particles in the sieve, add it to the mixer, pulse few seconds only and sift again. Repeat until the mix is fully sifted. Note – there will be a small portion of mix that will remain that cannot be sifted, you can still use the mix to add it in the hot milk. Super healthy chocolate mix is now ready. Simply mix the required chocolate mix to the hot milk and serve.