I like to give my cupboards a deep-cleaning during the spring and upon doing so the other day I ran across a ridiculous amount of hot cocoa mix. Wondering if there was anything I could do with this stuff besides drink it, I went sleuthing online. Turns out, I'm not the only one with this question. Here's what I found on thekitchn.com:

1. Dip bananas in it for a quick and tasty snack.

2. Add it to milkshakes or sprinkle it over ice cream.

3. Use it to make chocolate pudding.

4. For a special breakfast treat, sprinkle it over cooked oatmeal.

5.

Use it to make "Cake In a Mug," a hot, delicious, fresh-baked chocolate cake in minutes! And all it takes is a microwave, some hot chocolate mix, and a couple of ingredients you've probably got in your kitchen.

CAKE IN A MUG (enough for one enormous serving)

4 Tablespoons flour

9 Tablespoons hot chocolate mix

1 pinch of salt

1 egg

3 Tablespoons water

3 Tablespoons oil

Cooking Spray

Spray a little cooking spray into the mug. Measure out the flour, hot chocolate mix and salt into the mug. Stir. Crack the egg into the mug. Stir a bit after adding the egg so the cup doesn't overflow. Add water and oil. Stir until thoroughly moistened. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mug with your spoon to avoid any leftover pockets of dry ingredients. Put the mug in the microwave on high and set the timer for 3 minutes.

The handle of the mug may be hot, so use a potholder to remove it from the microwave. Tip your cake cylinder out of the mug into a dish. Your cake may look a little damp and wrinkled. This is normal.

6.

Rim glasses with it for fun frosty drinks of milk.

7. Warm glazed doughnuts in the microwave for 10 seconds then dip them in the cocoa powder for a delicious texture and taste addition to an already wonderful treat.

8. If you have individual packets of cocoa, hand them out for Halloween. It's a nice break from the proverbial candy.

9. Mix your leftover cocoa into yogurt cups. Yummy!

10.

Fold hot cocoa mix into beaten whipped cream. Then use this to top chocolate pie or cheesecake, or to fill cream puffs, or for dipping fresh strawberries.

11. Sprinkle cocoa mix atop warmed brownies for an extra chocolatey kick and pretty presentation.

12. My neighbor mixes it into her homemade granola. The milk powder in the cocoa mix creates a creamy flavor when the granola is eaten dry.

13. Add it to your morning coffee for a sweet and quick chocolate mocha latte.

14. You can use hot cocoa mix as a substitute for baking cocoa in recipes. Just use more of it and eliminate the sugar called for. The cake and cookies will turn out fine.

15.

Finally, hold an end-of-winter party with a hot cocoa bar as part of the festivities!

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com