Hot Chocolate
Occasionally, I like to drink hot chocolate — that is, real hot chocolate, from pure cocoa powder and whole milk; not some (sugared, flavored) drink mix.
So, I was somewhat devastated when I learned that the venerable, time-honored Droste (those of the Droste Effect) seems to have gone tragically out of business.
Some replacement was required: at least as good as the original, and satisfying my various purist predilections.
The Competition
Trying to find a cocoa powder for hot chocolate, one is faced with an “embarrassment of riches”: there are dozens of products on the market. To narrow down the field, I applied the following criteria:
- pure cocoa, no additives
- dutch (alkali) processed (the favored choice for hot chocolate)
- price point comparable with the baseline (that is, Droste)
Prices can vary drastically, from product to product, but also from one vendor to another. Sometimes the identical product is sold by different vendors for twice (or half) the price.
Generally, I disregarded any product asking for what struck me as “fantasy” prices — anything that was more than (say) twice the final cost of Droste cocoa.
Many of the “premium” products are only sold in larger quantities: one pound or even more. (By contrast, Droste Cocoa was sold in a handy 250g, half-pound package.) Some of the larger packaging sizes seem to be intended for commercial customers, not for individual consumers.
Comparing product was surprisingly difficult: in contrast to wine, there is no established terminology or typical characteristics for cocoa (that I am aware of, that is). It helps to have an existing reference frame when talking about taste.
Prices and Vendors
The prices I give are very approximate, and were valid when this post was written (Jan 2026).
Unless where otherwise marked, all the products are generally available from a variety of general, consumer-facing retailers, on the Web and elsewhere.
This post was not sponsored or supported by anyone: All products were purchased through regular retail purchases. Nothing here should be construed as an endorsement of any one particular vendor or retailer.
The Candidates
Droste
The baseline; now existing only in memory.
Price: $1.25-1.50/oz
Barry Callebaut Extra Brute
Easily, the winner of the competition: rich, smooth, creamy, balanced. An obvious premium product.
It is also basically not sold as a consumer product: the smallest standard packaging size is one kilogram (two pounds) — that’s a lot of cocoa to go through for an individual (or even a family). Clearly primarily intended for professional, commercial chocolatiers.
One place that sells smaller quantities in re-packaged form is Jane’s Cake and Baking Supply (no endorsement); at $1.70/oz.
Price: $1.25-1.50/oz (when buying a 1kg package)
Bensdorp
This is an odd entry, and almost “out of competition”, because it is really quite different than all the other candidates.
In addition and on top of the regular chocolate flavor, this cocoa has a strong perfumey aftertaste that might best be described as “vanilla” or “butterscotch”. (If it was a Chardonnay, I would call it “oaked”.)
The experience is quite unique, but a bit of an acquired taste. For me, it was essentially “too much”.
With “Bensdorp”, I am not sure whether this refers to a specific brand and manufacturer, or whether it indicates a particular style. Products labeled “Bensdorp” are available from many different vendors; usually in a re-packaged, own-label form. I got mine from Simpson and Vail (no endorsement).
Price: $1.25/oz
King Arthur Double Dark
This items stands out from the rest because it is not strictly alkali processed: it is a blend of a dutch processed and a “black” cocoa.
It is the by far the darkest cocoa on the list: dark, intense, and a little bitter.
If Barry Callebaut Extra Brute is the ultimate milk chocolate, then this cocoa is an excellent dark chocolate.
Price: $1.00/oz
Cocoläat
This brand presents itself a bit as “extra premium” (with the swank, somewhat unmotivated metal umlaut), and the highest regular retail price among all the candidates, so I was curious how their product might be.
It was… fine. The taste is a bit tannic (astringent), which can come across as a little dull — that may be an acquired taste. Not rich or creamy.
The experience is also a bit grainy; more so than any other product on the list.
Price: $1.66/oz
Modern Mountain Cocoa
This one comes across as mellow and a little dull or stuffy; it also has a slight sour note, which diminished the overall impression.
Price: $1.00/oz
Ghirardelli
As compared to the other items, this is a “budget” product.
Given it’s modest price, I thought it actually quite good, free of strange aftertastes or other unpleasant impressions.
The flavor profile, however, is rather coarse and unrefined, not elegant or complex. A basic product for basic needs.
Price: $0.75/oz
Whole Foods 365 Hot Cocoa
Another budget entry. The resulting drink comes across as rather thin: to get a good result, one really has to heap it on (easily, twice as much as any of the other cocoas — which somewhat eliminates the price advantage).
Other than that, the flavor is fine. Unspectacular and generally pleasant.
(With this one, however, I wonder about consistency across batches. I doubt very much that Whole Foods tries very hard to deliver a consistent flavor quality across seasons, harvests, and suppliers. But I did not buy it frequently enough to be able to tell.)
Price: $1.00/oz
Other Candidates
The following products I did not have a chance to taste, but they are serious contenders as well, and I’d be curious how they compare:
- Barry Callebaut Plein Arome
- NuNaturals Cocoa Powder
- Anthony’s Culinary Grade Cocoa Powder
- King Arthur Bensdorp Cocoa
- King Arthur Burgundy Cocoa
I would be curious how the Barry Callebaut “Plein Arome” differs from the Barry Callebaut “Extra Brute” that topped the present list. (It is amusing that the manufacturer provides official technical fact sheets for them: Extra Brute and Plein Arome. Unfortunately, they do not really answer the question.)
And I wonder whether the two King Arthur products are just repackaged and relabeled — in particular the “Burgundy” might well be one of the Barry Callebaut cocoas.
How To Make Hot Chocolate
- Pour about 0.5 inch of milk into a regular mug.
- Microwave until hot (about 45 seconds).
- Add 1-2 heaping teaspoons of cocoa; sugar to taste.
- Mix well (a small, bar-style whisk works much better than a spoon). Heating the milk first makes mixing much easier.
- Top of with milk.
- Microwave until hot (about 1:45 minute). Make sure it doesn’t boil over, otherwise it creates a mess — not to mention, wastes the materials.
- For extra indulgence, add heavy cream or Rum.
- Drink… but… very carefully…