The Chances are high that it would look like a warm cup of hot chocolate if it were ever possible to personify a heartfelt hug. The universal mascot for comfort and coziness, and cold winter days; hot chocolate has been a presence on kitchen shelves for over two millennia. Through the years, changing tastes and trends have led to adaptations to the classic beverage. There have been alterations in everything from ingredients and presentation style to packaging.
So when all the hot beverages in the market jumped onto the single-serve bandwagon; hot chocolate refused to be left behind. Today we’re here to walk you through the top eight hot chocolate K-Cups currently stocked in every-ones pantries.
A little about K-cups
The year is 2020. And while futuristic movies of the past have always hinted at flying cars and possible flying saucers by this time. They’ve been a little hazy on what hot beverages will look like. Turns out the answer is K-Cups.
The Why, What and When of K-Cups
K-cups were launched as the solution to one of the most aggravating problems coffee drinkers in offices all across the world were facing at the time. Most workrooms had a large pot of coffee brewed, ready to serve everyone employed at the start of the day. It was often the only source of caffeine in the workplace. On more than a few occasions, however, there would be coffee leftover that would sit in the pot and get cold, harsh, and stale through the day.
The simple solution was for each person to brew a cup for themselves just the way they liked it. Whenever they fancied themselves in need of a pick me up. And so John Sylvan entered in 1998 as the messiah of coffee drinkers everywhere offering the world the invention of the single-serve disposable cups filled with fresh grinds of roasted coffee. The landscape of hot beverages has never been the same since.
Tastes and preferences can vary depending on everything from age and background, to something basic like the time of the day. The people at Keurig are very aware of the fact, offering over two hundred flavor profiles to pick from. While it’s true that K-Cups were first launched solely to solve the woes of coffee drinkers all over. It has been twenty years and now you can buy the K-cups in a range of teas, chocolate, and other hot beverages to brighten your day.
The Top 8 Hot Chocolate K-Cups
Too many options has always been a double edged sword. And so right here, right now, we’re here to help you navigate your way through the highs and lows of most sought after hot chocolate K-Cups out there.
1. Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa K-cups
One of the Best Flavors out there in the market for Cocoa lovers.
At the helm of our list we have the hot cocoa mix from Swiss Miss. This offering comes from a company that has been involved with the cocoa community for over seventy years. So don’t be surprised to find a delicate drink in your cup that goes down smooth. Don’t forget to jiggle the K-Cup a little before you insert it into your machine. It’s just to make sure there aren’t any lumps in the hot cocoa mix in your cup.
What’s Great
- The mixture is composed of non fat milk that is dried and then blended in. Ideal if you want to indulge a little, while keeping a watch on your waistline.
- The beverage also provides calcium equivalent to what you’d find in one cup of milk.
- These K-Cups are almost completely caffeine free.
What’s Not So Great
- The Swiss Miss Mix lies on the milder side of the flavour scale. If you’re expecting a strong burst of chocolate flavour with every sip, you might find yourself a little disappointed.
- While the sugar content is low, the artificial sweetener used in its place does impair the overall taste of the drink a little.
- There aren’t a lot of flavour options available apart from hot cocoa and milk chocolate.
Why Buy
- There is no added sugar in the blend making it one of the healthier options in its category.
- The Swiss Miss K-Cups are one of the more reasonably priced options on the market.
- A single cup constructed with a Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix K-Cup will yield a drink that contains 70-calories.
2. Cafe Escapes Cafe Mocha
- A blissful balance of cocoa and coffee
- Contains Milk
- Tasting Notes: A blissful balance of cocoa and coffee
- Keurig Quality: If it doesn't have the Keurig logo, it's not...
Next in we have the Cafe Mocha coffee offered up by Cafe Escapes. A company that is dedicated to providing delectable drinks through K-Cups.
Working well with both the Keurig 1.0 and 2.0, the cafe mocha combines coffee and cocoa to give you the best of both worlds. Put your mind at ease with the fact that the blend is both gluten free and doesn’t contain any trans fats. The mixture is sweetened by combining both natural and artificial sugar.
What’s Great
- The people at cafe escapes offer up fourteen flavour profiles including options like caramel, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla and even a chai latte.
- Relatively affordable to buy.
- Taste great!
What’s Not So Great
- There are a few who claim the mix is too sweet. If you’re a fan of a stronger or more intense flavour, it is blip you can solve by opting for their decadent dark chocolate variety instead.
Why Buy
- Each serving will lead to 60 calories in your cup.
- Each box holds twenty four single K-Cups.
3. Victor Allen Coffee, Milk Chocolate
- Contains 1 box of 42 pods of Victor Allen's Milk Chocolate...
- Treat yourself to this rich and creamy milk chocolate...
- Victor Allen’s Coffee offers a wide selection of coffee...
- Brand Story: Since 1979 Victor Allen has been proud to bring...
Striding in the third we a milk chocolate concoction contributed by Victor Allen Coffee. One of the pioneers of specialty coffee, the company carries its quality and professionalism into its K-Cup endeavors. They also offer some of the best cappuccino k-cups, if you have a soft side for that beverage.
Each cup offers a rich flavor with a smooth finish. The mix is sweetened with the use of both natural sugar and artificial replicants. The milk used inside is non-fat dry milk and not any artificial replacement.
What’s Great
- Personifying value for money, each box holds forty-two individual K-Cups and doesn’t hit too hard on the wallet.
- A cup of Victor Allen Coffee’s milk chocolate is both gluten-free and Kosher.
What’s Not So Great
- There have been a few complaints of the blend tasting a little too watery which is not to everyone’s tastes.
- There sadly aren’t that many flavour options offered up yet.
Why Buy
- The single serves are compatible with all Keurig 2.0 Brewers.
- A single cup serving holds 70 calories.
4. Dunkin’ Donuts Hot Chocolate K-Cups – Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa
Have you ever been terribly tempted to pop down to your local Dunkin’ Donuts for a cup of their steaming hot chocolate? Have you changed your mind and settled from something ordinary? Has it been a frustrating compromise cause you don’t want to leave the comfort of your couch?
We have the perfect solution traipsing in halfway through our list.
The Dunkin’ Donuts milk chocolate hot cocoa K-Cups offer the exact same rich creamy goodness. It will make you believe you’ve been transported to one of their Dunkin’ family branches.
What’s Great
- The drink has been certified as Kosher by the Orthodox Union, the largest Kosher certification agency in the world.
- Its not just the taste, the fabulous fragrance that hits you while the cup is being prepared makes it a treat for all your senses.
What’s Not So Great
- There have been a few people who find the beverage too sweet for their taste.
Why Buy
- Can be used on both Keurig 1.0 & 2.0 Brewers.
- Each Box holds twenty-four single K-Cups.
- You’ll be treated to 70 calories per serving.
5. Starbucks Hot Cocoa K-Cup Coffee Pods
- PREMIUM COCOA IN A K-CUP POD: Starbucks delivers exceptional...
- STARBUCKS HOT COCOA: Made with real cocoa, Starbucks...
- CAFÈ QUALITY: Starbucks adheres to the highest quality...
- MAKE IT YOUR OWN: Perfect for adding personal touches of...
Storming into its seat on our list next is a brand that has through the years grown synonymous with coffee. And while Starbucks is primarily known for the caffeine concoctions they offer, their hot chocolate definitely deserves its place on the throne as well. The k-cups by Starbucks are very popular among quick coffee lovers.
Ticking all the boxes you’d want in your hot chocolate, the Starbucks Hot Chocolate K-Cups offer a drink that is rich and creamy with a tantalizing velvety finish.
What’s Great
- In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, the company has moved to make their K-Cup packaging recyclable and thus reduce its harmful impact on the earth.
- The K-cups hold a mixture of dried non-fat milk, staying away from its artificial supplements.
What’s Not So Great
- With each box being home to only ten single serve K-cups. It is slightly on the higher side of the price scale.
- There have been a few people who’ve voiced the opinion that the drink is too sweet for their tastes.
Why Buy
- Each K-Cup serving is home to 90 calories.
- Sits well with both 1.0 and 2.0 Keurig coffee makers.
- The K-Cups contain real and good quality cocoa.
6. Copper Moon Cocoa Single Serve Pods
Sweeping through next we have Cocoa Single Serve Pods offered up to us by a company that’s always striving to reach the moon with every creation.
Copper Moon Coffee has succeeded in creating a blend that is rich and creamy with a smooth finish. It’s not just the feel of the drink that is getting people hooked. The cocoa single-serve pods have an intoxicatingly delicious fragrance making it a treat for all the senses. They are committed to ensuring that each sip you take can be celebrated like a delightful event.
What’s Great
- The pods are gluten-free, kosher certified, and only contain minuscule amounts of caffeine.
- With an aim to watch their impact on the environment, Copper Moon coffee sources and processes their beans in a sustainable fashion.
What’s Not So Great
- There are people who find the flavoring of hot cocoa to be on the milder side of the scale. So if you’re looking for something stronger you might need to head somewhere else on the list.
- It is fair to warn you, there have been grievances. Even though they are very few. But people claim a taste of something artificial in their cocoa cups.
Why Buy
- Runs well on both 1.0 and 2.0 Keurig Brewers.
- Each box holds twelve single serve K-Cups.
- Environmentally conscious while creating the blend.
7. Amazon’s Happy Belly Hot Cocoa Pods
- This product was previously a Solimo product. Now it’s...
- 24 Milk Chocolate flavored single serve hot cocoa cups
- For best results, shake cup before brewing
- Compatible with 1.0 and 2.0 k-cup brewers
Slipping into the seventh slot we have a contribution from the world’s largest online retailer towards the coffee community. The people at Happy Belly are so sure you’re going to love the hot cocoa pods, they provide a satisfaction guarantee. While this blend first belonged to Solimo. It was absorbed into Amazon’s patented line of coffee products.
Happy Belly promises an impressive cup of comforting goodness with a blend that is rich and creamy leaving you with a smooth finish.
What’s Great
- You can opt for either a milk chocolate flavour. If you want something extra for a special occasion you can choose the salted caramel flavour instead.
- The blend incorporates real milk as part of its ingredients. Opting to stay away from any artificial dairy impersonators.
What’s Not So Great
- If you forget to wiggle the K-cup before putting it into the machine, chances are you might have a few lumps in your cup.
- There have been a few who find the flavour a little too mild for their tastes.
Why Buy
- Can be used on both 1.0 and 2.0 k-cup Keurig brewers.
- One box holds twenty-four single serve hot cocoa K-cups.
- If you’re unhappy, the cocoa pods are returnable for up to a year after purchase.
8. Two Rivers Chocolate Hot Cocoa Pods
Rounding up our list with a bang we have the incredible Chocolate Hot Cocoa Pods Single Serve Variety Sampler Pack offered up by Two Rivers.
The company has ensured that with the incredible quantity, comes high quantity. From the mint and peanut butter to the Mexican chili and chocolate truffle; each cup of hot cocoa is contracted with care. You will be treated to a rich blend of high-quality ingredients that results in a cup of creamy rich delight no matter what you choose. Get a K-cup holder to arrange the assortment in a minimum spilled manner.
What’s Great
- The sure volume of variety offered allows you the option to experiment with flavor profiles you would have never dreamed of otherwise touching before you invest completely in a blend.
- All the K-cups are Kosher.
What’s Not So Great
- While it is good to be open to options. There might be blends in there that simply don’t suit. You don’t really have much of a choice in this case. You don’t have the freedom to pick and choose as per your tastes.
Why Buy
- Up to forty different flavor profiles to test.
- Compatible with all 2.0 Keurig K-Cup Brewer.
- In a move to be more environmentally conscious, all the K-Cups offered are recyclable.
Buying Guide
We live in a time where we can’t take anything at face value. Before investing your money in a purchase of any sort, it always helps to know as much as possible about the product. Don’t let the ball slip when it comes to hot chocolate k-cups. Be sure you’ve crossed all your I’s and dotted all your T’s before walking down the check-out aisle.
Let’s take a walk through some of the things that should be on your radar.
Count Your Calories
Hot chocolate is for many, the guilty pleasure of hot beverages. Since cocoa, sugar, and milk are among your key ingredients. A few calories are expected. But don’t let yourself go crazy. It’s fairly easy to get yourself a hot chocolate K-cup that houses something between sixty to eighty calories. Anything that holds more than that in a single serving seems like an unnecessary attribute. So be sure to take a peek at the nutrition label before you make a purchase.
Natural Vs Artificial
You don’t need to be a science whiz to know that fresh trumps artificial any time of the day. While it may be cheaper for a lot of brands to opt for a chemically constructed alternative to some of the key ingredients, look for brands that offer the real deal. Artificial flavors not only mess with the taste and also impact the texture and overall enjoyment of the drink.
Flavor Options
Would you classify yourself as someone who is adventurous when it comes to your culinary exploits? While we understand that there are many who find comfort in the classic milk chocolate variety. It might be fun to set your sights on a brand that offers that with a side of something a little more exciting. A lot of brands venture out with flavor profiles including dark, mint, raspberries, and other more fruity offerings.
Price Matters
One of the main reasons people opt to brew coffee or any other hot beverage at home is the benefit of cost-cutting. Be sure to take a good long look at how many single-serve hot chocolate k-cups’s you’re getting in a single order. Also, make note of the quality you receive for the price you’re paying. Are you getting pure good quality cocoa for example, or just a cheaper artificial replica?
At the End of the Day
Hot chocolate is for many people a sinful pleasure. For others, it’s their cold-weather companion. And for others still, it is their alternative to caffeine. While coffee is still the king of K-cups. Hot chocolate offerings are slowly but surely paving their way to the top.
FAQs
K-cups are sealed through a process that ensures a long shelf life. While in general, you can expect your hot chocolate K-Cups to remain usable for anything between five months to up to a year. If your palate tells you otherwise, it might be time to bid them adieu.
Yes, there are K-cups in the market that are for all intents and purposes sugar-free. They do contain artificial sweeteners however as a replacement.
You will find the sugar substitute named sucrose on most hot chocolate K-Cup nutritional labels.
Hot chocolate tends to clog the machine so we suggest shaking the pod before using it. The second thing, run the machine twice to completely use the K-cup as it’s a little sticky. For example, run the 4 oz twice to get an 8 oz drink.