Homemade Chocolate Milk

Chocolate milk is a delicious drink. It is also very nutritious, it provides all of the same nutritional benefits as white milk.  Many athletes drink chocolate milk after strenuous activity to refuel, replacing lost calories, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. Chocolate milk has been proven to be better than most sports drinks, it contains all of the required vitamins and minerals. Chocolate milk, which is essentially the perfect combination of chocolate and low-fat milk, contains just the right balance of nutrition. It contains protein, calcium, carbohydrates and many other vital vitamins. I really like chocolate milk, although I usually don't drink it after exercising, just with an afternoon snack when I feel like it. It goes exceptionally well with most baked goods. Unfortunately, we were out of chocolate milk at our house. So I decided to try making some of my own. I searched for an easy recipe on the internet and found one. There are also many recipes out there for drinking chocolate, which was the original way in which chocolate was consumed, and is more like melted chocolate. It is much thicker and richer than chocolate milk. That was not quite what I was looking for. I found a simple recipe using cocoa, sugar, water, and milk. I will try a recipe for drinking chocolate another day. Of course, you could always use the chocolate milk powder or syrup to make chocolate milk, or make your own chocolate syrup or sauce to add to milk, or just melt some chocolate chips, and you would probably also have something similar to chocolate milk. 

Homemade Chocolate Milk
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar
1/2 cup warm water*
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
*warm water helps to dissolve the cocoa and sugar and keep the milk smooth

In a tall glass or a pitcher, whisk together the cocoa and sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in the warm water. Gradually whisk in the milk. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
Note: Recipe amounts can be adjusted for different quantities and different tastes. The key is to use equal amounts of cocoa and sugar, and half as much water as milk. Use as much ingredients as you need for the number of people you are serving. If you like your chocolate milk sweeter, add more sugar. If you like it richer, use less water and more milk (or use warm milk in place of the water). If you like it thicker, use a higher ratio of cocoa and sugar to water and milk.

This chocolate milk recipe is pretty good, but it is definitely not the same as store-bought chocolate milk. This recipe is thinner, and probably not quite as sweet. It also is not as smooth - you need to make sure to sift the cocoa, and whisk everything well to make it nice and smooth. Even then, you may end up with a few lumps still, or the milk may be slightly gritty. Not a bad substitute though.