- Amy Hyslop
- Last Updated On January 1, 2024
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We have written this article for the sweet tooths out there! If you are anything like us sometimes you just need something sweet and comforting to end out the night, and what better way than a mug of creamy, rich hot chocolate topped with whipped cream!
The handy thing about Keurig or single serve coffee machines in general, is that they can cater to this very craving. Single serve machines including Keurig can brew anything from coffee to tea to chai lattes to hot chocolates, basically just any hot drink that can be placed inside a K-Cup.
As you will know with Keurig there are a whole heap of different coffee brands of K-cups available and the same is true when it comes to choosing a hot chocolate K-cup. There is everything from organic hot chocolate K-cups, to flavored hot chocolate k cups! That’s why we have compiled this list of the best Keurig hot chocolate K-cups to help you find your favorite brands.
Buying a Keurig Hot Chocolate K-cup?
We have put together a brief buying guide of things to consider when choosing a Keurig hot chocolate K-cup…
Keurig Compatibility
The first thing to consider when buying a hot chocolate K-cup is to ensure that it is actually compatible with your Keurig model or single-serve coffee maker. With the huge range of brands available, you may find that some of the generic brands do not fit as well in your machine as the actual Keurig brands. Additionally, some of the machines such as the Keurig 2.0 can only use the Keurig branded/ licensed K-cups.
Price
While the price difference between the most and least expensive hot chocolate K-cup on our list is only about 50 cents, this may be something to consider especially if you are going to be consuming a lot of pods, such as in an office environment. There are generic brands such as Gourmesso which have K-cup pods at very affordable prices. However generally the cheaper hot chocolate K-cups end up producing a watery hot chocolate which doesn’t taste the best. If you aren’t going to be consuming a huge amount we recommend opting for one of the brands on our list which are the best hot chocolate K-cups when it comes to taste. If you are concerned about price the other option would be to invest in a my K-cup and just fill it with your favorite powdered hot chocolate mix.
Check Ingredients
When it comes to buying a hot chocolate K-cup it pays to check the ingredients. Things you should be considering include, is the K-cup naturally or artificially flavored? What type of sweetener is used? Does the K-cup contain powdered milk? How many calories are in the K-cup?
Natural vs Artificial Flavoring
Natural flavoring is when the flavoring occurs naturally as opposed to using artificial flavors that are developed in a lab. Some people are concerned with the chemicals used in these processes. Generally some of the crazy flavored K-cups may contain artificial flavoring. If you aren’t sure, it is safe to opt for an organic hot chocolate K-cup or one that advertises it only uses natural ingredients. Organic K-cups contain no artificial ingredients, and in addition no pesticides or chemicals are used in their production.
Type of Sweetner Used
Hot chocolate K-cups can be sweetened using either sugar or artificial sweeteners such as sucralose. While sugar free hot chocolate K-cups may seem like a good option some research shows that artificial sweeteners don’t satisfy the brain the way real sugar does and may result in weight gain by causing people to indulge more.
Powdered Milk in a K-cup?
While most K-cups are dairy free, the hot chocolate K-cups often contain powdered milk. If you are lactose intolerant it pays to check the ingredients before buying hot chocolate K-cups.
Calories in a Hot Chocolate K-cup?
If you are just having the occasional hot chocolate as a treat this is not too much of a concern, however if you are going to be consuming a lot of hot chocolate K-cups it pays to check the calories in the K-cup. Generally a hot chocolate K-cup contains anywhere between 60-80 calories per serving or 2-3g of fat. To put this into perspective the recommended daily calorie intake is around 2000 calories (this varies based on sex and age).
Check expiry date
This won’t really be an issue if you are consuming a lot of hot chocolate K-cups like in an office setting, but if you are only having the occasional one it is worth checking the expiry date on the K-cups before you buy them so you don’t find them going off on you! You should also just buy a small quantity at a time.
Flavors
Aside from your traditional milk hot chocolate K-cup there are a whole range of flavors available these days:
- Peppermint hot chocolate K-cups
- White hot chocolate K-cups
- Salted caramel hot chocolate K-cups
- Raspberry hot chocolate K-cups
- Hazelnut hot chocolate K-cups
If you are not sure what flavors you prefer there are a whole heap of variety sampler packs allowing you to sample a wide range of different flavored hot chocolate K-cups so you can discover your favorites.
Richness of Cocoa
The final thing to consider is how rich the hot chocolate is. The best tasting hot chocolate K-cups are rich, smooth and full bodied. You may find the cheaper brands and weak and watery tasting which isn’t pleasant!
The Best Hot Chocolate K-Cups 2024
Swiss Miss Milk Hot Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 12, 24, 28 or 44 pods
- Naturally and Artificially flavored
- Kosher certified
- 60 Calories (2.5g fat)
Swiss Miss is a well reputed brand in the hot chocolate world, known for producing rich, creamy and delicious drinks. Many report however that the flavor of their hot chocolate K-cup is somewhat lacking when compared to their powdered version. This is most likely due to the fact that their K-cup is made with water rather than milk. Their K-cups contain real dairy milk that is dried and then mixed with premium cocoa to produce a rich and creamy cup of chocolatey goodness. They do use some artificial sweeteners in it (sucralose) which makes it lower on calories. While their K-cup may not live up to the powdered version it is still a good option with a smooth, velvety texture and rich chocolatey flavor.
Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cups
- Pack size: 10 pods
- Naturally Flavored
- 90 Calories (3g fat)
Starbucks Hot cocoa K-cups make it possible to enjoy a sweet starbucks beverage from the comfort of your own home. Made with real cocoa and non-fat milk they produce a velvety, smooth, sweet, chocolaty drink that is rich and creamy. Starbucks hot cocoa is one of the better tasting K-cups, however it is more expensive than a lot of the other options on this list. Another bonus with the starbucks K-cups is that they are now recyclable.
Cafe Escapes Dark Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 24, 72 or 96 pods
- Artificial and natural flavors
- 60 Calories (1.5g fat)
Cafe escapes Dark chocolate K-cup is a dark, decadent and delicious drink. Being a dark chocolate flavor, it isn’t as sweet as some of the other K-cups on our list so is the perfect treat for adults to enjoy. This K-cup is also gluten free and contains no trans-fat. If you are looking for a bitter sweet, creamy drink Cafe escapes may be the K-cup for you!
Crazy Cups Seasonal Premium Hot Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 20, 30, 40 or 50 pods
- Naturally and artificially flavored
- Certified Kosher
If you are into flavored drinks then Crazy Cups variety sampler pack is a great way to try a range of crazy flavors. They have all sorts of unique hot chocolate flavors from molten chocolate souffle to peanut butter to salted caramel or red velvet. Each cup contains 15g of cocoa mixed with different flavorings to create a unique drink. The K-cups themselves are also recyclable.
While these are a fun option especially for children, the hot chocolate is somewhat lacking in richness and some of their flavors can be a bit watery.
Victor Allen Coffee’s Milk Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 42 pods
- Naturally and artificially flavored
- Kosher certified
- 70 Calories (3g Fat)
Victor Allen’s Milk chocolate K-cups are a great value option. They come in a bulk pack of 42 cups so are good for those who consume a lot of hot chocolate. They use both sugar and Sucralose to sweeten the K-cup. However as is common with a lot of budget hot chocolates, the beverage can be somewhat watery and not as rich as you might like.
Dunkin Donuts Hot Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 60 or 88 pods
- Naturally and Artificially flavored
- Kosher certified
- 70 calories (3g fat)
If you love the taste of Dunkin Donuts classic hot chocolate then you will love their K-cup too! This K-cup produces a delicious cup of hot chocolate that is rich, creamy and smooth-everything you could want in a hot chocolate. While Dunkin donuts is more on the expensive side we believe the taste and quality of the hot chocolate produced is well worth it!
Junior Mints Hot Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 40 pods
- 60 calories (1.5g fat)
If you are into flavored drinks then this peppermint hot chocolate K-cup may be just the thing for you. This candy flavored K-cup is both refreshing and delicious. It produces a rich, smooth cup of hot chocolate with a burst of mint, and leaves no synthetic aftertaste. The only issue some users have found with this K-cup is that it doesn’t always mix in completely.
Mountain High Foods All Natural Hot Chocolate K-Cups
- Pack size: 12 or 60 pods
- All natural ingredients
- 80 calories (4g fat)
Mountain high foods stand apart in that their hot chocolate K-cups are all natural and contain no artificial flavorings. Made with premium cocoa, natural sugar and non-fat milk, they produce a rich cup of cocoa that is creamy and delicious. Their capsules are also recyclable and BPA free. Given that they only have sugar in them (no artificial sweeteners) you will notice that they contain more calories than the other K-cups on this list so may not be the best option for those on a diet!
How To Make Hot Chocolate With A Keurig Coffee Maker
Using a hot chocolate K-cup to make a hot chocolate with a keurig coffee maker is very simple and convenient.
- Select your favorite hot chocolate K-cup and give it a shake before using. This prevents the powder mix from clumping and makes a nicer tasting drink.
- Open the lid and put the K-cup in the chamber
- Fill the water reservoir
- Close the lid, place your mug under the machine, select your cup size and then hit the brew button
- Voila! A comforting mug of rich, creamy hot chocolate in less than a minute!
- For a real treat top it with whipped cream or marshmallows!
FAQs
Can you put Milk in a Keurig?
Everyone knows hot chocolate tastes better when made with milk so can you put milk in your Keurig coffee maker? Unfortunately this is a big no-no unless you have the Keurig K cafe! Milk is too thick to pass through the system and clogs it up. Additionally it is very difficult to clean away all the milk residues in the machine… and you know how quickly milk goes off! Your subsequent drinks will smell and taste bad.
Are there Sugar Free hot chocolate K-cups?
As far as I know there are no sugar free hot chocolate k-cups available. Most of them have sugar in them or a mixture of sugar and artificial sweeteners. If you are looking for a sugar free hot chocolate your best option would be to invest in a my K-cup and then you can fill it with sugar free hot chocolate powder. There are a few brands like Stephen’s No Sugar Added Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa or Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Flavor No Sugar Added Hot Cocoa Mix which have no added sugar.
Amy Hyslop
I am the designer and content manager of The Coffee Folk. I love going on adventures with the kids, tracking down the best cafes, and coffee at the beach.
