BEST Frozen Hot Chocolate {Dairy Queen Copycat!}

5 from 8 votes
21 Comments

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Nostalgia has never been this good! This Frozen Hot Chocolate will definitely bring back your fondest memories.

A mug of frozen hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Frozen Hot Chocolate

I remember walking up to our local Dairy Queen and getting these with my friends. It was so nice that everything was pretty much within walking-distance where we grew up. Now, with just 7 ingredients, I recreate this recipe at home for my kids.

Nothing else beats drinking this cool, creamy, chocolatey drink on a hot summer day! Our Frozen Hot Chocolate tastes like the fancy drink you can get in New York City at Serendipity but a lot cheaper and easier to make at home.

If you want more refreshing drinks for your crew during the summer, you should try our 5-Minute Slushies (Slushy Magic) or our delicious Disneyland Mint Julep Copycat recipe. Tastes just like the original!

Three mugs of frozen hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
Frozen Hot Chocolate


Ingredients in Frozen Hot Chocolate

The ingredients for this frosty-frozen drink are probably in your pantry and refrigerator right now! So if a chocolate craving strikes, whip up a batch of this chocolate frozen daiquiri today!

  • You’ll need about five ounces of chocolate – We love Ghirradelli squares or Marabou from Ikea.
  • Hot cocoa mix – Our favorite is Stephens brand cocoa powder mix, or any instant hot chocolate packets work great!
  • Sugar – regular white sugar is ideal for this recipe.
  • Milk – use whatever milk you have on hand. I actually really like almond milk in this recipe.
  • Ice cubes – regular ice cubes work great. Or, to give the drink a creamier texture, use frozen milk cubes.
  • Whipped cream – use any kind you like, or we have a delicious homemade whipped creamrecipe below that’s a cinch to make!
  • Chocolate shavings – get fancy and make chocolate curls out of some quality dark chocolate or use chocolate sprinkles to dust on top of the whipped cream. 
  • You can also drizzle chocolate syrup or caramel on top as a garnish.

What Type of Chocolate to Use

For this recipe I like to use semi-sweet chocolate. I like the way the bitterness balances out the sweetness in the other ingredients. However, if you are a milk chocolate fan and you love the sweetness that totally works too! You can use chocolate chips, baking chocolate, or chocolate bars. Anything that melts well. I typically use Ghirardelli baking chocolate bars.

chopped chocolate in a small glass bowl

Ideas for Serving

  • In my opinion this tastes best in either a frosted mug with a fun straw or a in a Styrofoam cup. 
  • If you want to make it more like a frozen hot chocolate shake, add more milk and a scoop of chocolate ice cream – yum! 
  • Switch things up and try different flavors of cocoa. I have used both mint and raspberry-flavored cocoa and they are both delicious in their own ways. I liked the mint slightly better, just because I love mint and chocolate. It kind of tastes like a grasshopper shake. Give these a try! You will love them!
three mugs of frozen hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Make Your Own Whipped Cream

While it is convenient to use whipped cream out of a can (and believe me WE DO), homemade whipped cream tastes so delicious! You can use either to top off your mugs of Frozen Hot Chocolate. Try our homemade whipped cream recipe below.

Homemade Whipped Cream

  • 1 pint Whipping Cream
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form.

Other Hot Chocolate Recipes

Are you more of a hot chocolate traditionalist? As in, you like your hot chocolate actually hot? Well, then these recipes are for you!

What Readers are saying about this Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe

“OH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I thought I was the only one who had ever heard of these before. I crave them all the time in summer!!!! They are the best- can’t wait to try this recipe out!” – The Ceder House

“When I used to tell people how amazing the frozen hot chocolate from Dairy Queen was, they’d just stare at me with a blank expression. ‘How can hot chocolate be frozen?’ usually came next. I’m so glad someone finally understands.” – Becky

“I love the DQ frozen hot chocolate. I could have one every day and never tire of it. I’m so glad to find a recipe that is near perfection to it! I think DQ’s is sweeter but I’m perfectly content with this recipe. I made my milk cubes from chocolate milk and used skim milk for the other milk to trick myself into thinking that it must be better for me than DQ’s.” – Mary

How to Make Frozen Hot Chocolate

A mug of frozen hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Frozen Hot Chocolate

5 from 8 votes
I LOVE this Frozen Hot Chocolate recipe. I used to get these drinks from Dairy Queen in high school and now I can make them at home!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Drink
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Blendtec Blender

Ingredients

  • 5 oz chocolate we like Marabou from Ikea and/or a few different kinds of Ghiradelli
  • 2 tsp. hot chocolate powder mix I like to use Stephens-brand hot chocolate mix
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • 3 c. ice to make it a little more rich, use frozen milk cubes
  • whipped cream for serving
  • Chocolate shavings for serving

Instructions

  • Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Melt in a double boiler or by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each time, until fully melted.
    chopped chocolate in a small glass bowl
  • Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar to the melted chocolate. Stir until blended.
    Sugar and hot cocoa mix added to melted chocolate in a glass bowl
  • Slowly add half a cup of the milk, and stir until smooth.
    Milk, melted chocolate, sugar, and cocoa mix stirred together in a glass bowl
  • In a blender, place the remaining cup of milk, the chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth.
    frozen hot chocolate mix in a blender with ice
  • Pour into cup or mug and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
    Three mugs of frozen hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Nutrition Information

Calories: 492kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 5gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 101mgPotassium: 264mgFiber: 2gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 1013IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 153mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My kids have been wanting to try frozen hot chocolate and they loved it! It was so delicious and perfect for a hot day!

  2. 5 stars
    Oh man, this was amazing! Living in AZ I miss hot chocolate terribly during the summer…and most of the rest of the year.:) But this was the perfect way to calm that craving!

  3. I love the DQ frozen hot chocolate. I could have one every day and never tire of it. I’m so glad to find a recipe that is near perfection to it! I think DQ’s is sweeter but I’m perfectly content with this recipe. I made my milk cubes from chocolate milk and used skim milk for the other milk to trick myself into thinking that it must be better for me than DQ’s.

  4. I'd have to agree… styrofoam cup. It's kinda the same sort of thing where I can't eat my favorite yoplait yogurt without a plastic spoon. Stainless steel makes it taste weird. I remember these and haven't had one in years until now! Thank you!
    ~Jean

  5. When I used to tell people how amazing the frozen hot chocolate from Dairy Queen was, they’d just stare at me with a blank expression. “How can hot chocolate be frozen?” usually came next. I’m so glad someone finally understands. I love these, I’ll have to try your recipe soon!

  6. OH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I thought I was the only one who had ever heard of these before. I crave them all the time in summer!!!! They are the best- can’t wait to try this recipe out!