Cocoa Ratios and Techniques
How to Customize Your Craft Hot Chocolate
Your Cocoa, Your Way
Joy Craft Cocoa is crafted to bloom, whisk, and melt into a cup that’s entirely yours. Once you know our standard method, ratios and techniques become your secret tools for creating a cup that’s richer, creamier, or brighter—depending on your mood and moment.
This isn’t guesswork. It’s craft. And you’re invited.
Understanding Cocoa Ratios
The Baseline
Our standard starting point is 3 tablespoons of cocoa for every 6 ounces of liquid. This ratio creates a balanced cup: deep enough to taste every layer of chocolate, but light enough to sip without heaviness.
Adjusting the Ratio
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More cocoa: Thicker, more indulgent, and intensely chocolate-forward. Perfect for cozy nights or dessert cups.
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Less cocoa: Lighter, subtler, letting notes of spices or botanicals shine. Great for mornings or multiple cups in a row.
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Scaling for mugs or pitchers: Keep the proportion consistent to maintain depth and sweetness.
Think of this as your palette—the more you play, the more nuanced your cup becomes.
Liquid Choices & Their Impact
Water-Based Cups
Using all water highlights the cocoa’s natural brightness. It’s clean, aromatic, and perfect for spiced or botanical blends.
Milk of Choice
Want a milk chocolate-style cup? Use all milk—oat, almond, soy, coconut, or traditional dairy milk. The cocoa softens, the sweetness rounds, and the result is indulgent, silky, and rich.
Water + Milk Blend
For the best of both worlds: 4 ounces water + 2 ounces milk. Depth and complexity from the water, creaminess from the milk. This method is perfect for a balanced, everyday cup.
Tip: Our cocoa becomes milk chocolate naturally when prepared with milk. No separate milk chocolate blend needed.
Techniques That Transform the Cup
Whisking vs Frothing
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Whisking: Smoothly dissolves cocoa, releasing aroma and creating a cohesive cup.
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Frothing: Adds lift, texture, and a touch of drama. Use when you want a café-style top.
Blooming Your Cocoa
Pour hot water over cocoa first. Let it bloom. This step releases chocolate aromatics, deepens flavor, and wakes the cocoa up for your milk or milk-water mix. Skipping it? You’re missing the first layer of craft.
Working With Spiced & Botanical Blends
Some blends, like the Intention Collection, Month Collection, and Chai Hot Chocolate, have spices or botanicals that don’t fully dissolve. That’s intentional.
Straining for Smoothness
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Prepare as usual.
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Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean mug.
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Enjoy a silky, spice-kissed cocoa.
Straining elevates texture without losing flavor. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
Scaling & Sharing
Making multiple cups? Keep ratios consistent, whisk carefully, and bloom each batch. The difference between good and great cocoa is always in the details.
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Large mugs? Adjust cocoa and liquid proportionally.
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Pitchers for guests? Stir in stages to maintain aroma and depth.
A Micro-FAQ for Curious Cocoa Lovers
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Can I use a frother instead of a whisk? Yes! Froth adds air and lift. Whisking produces smoothness and bloom.
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Can I adjust sweetness? Absolutely. Start with the recommended ratio, then tweak to taste.
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Can I make this ahead of time? We recommend fresh preparation for bloom and aroma, but gentle reheating works in a pinch.
Experiment & Enjoy
Cocoa is craft. Cocoa is ritual. Cocoa is personal. Once you know the ratios and techniques, the rest is yours to explore. Try water, try milk, try both. Whisk, froth, strain. Savor the aroma. Bloom. Taste the depth.