"I love this mix. I use Valrhona cocoa powder (a high quality Dutch cocoa and Nida whole milk powder (a Mexican product found in many Wal-marts and Targets here in the West. I add cinnamon and up the cayenne a bit 'cause I like it spicey. I find the sweetness and creamy texture (from the whole milk to be just perfect for the cocoa powder I use. If your mix tastes bland or bitter, you either forgot the salt in the recipe or you need to find a better cocoa powder. If you don’t care for non-fat dry milk powder (I don’t, you just might like the whole milk powder. It smells like sweet cream. Also, you can’t substitute granulated sugar for powdered sugar here. Not only will your hot cocoa have a grainy texture, but it’ll be too sweet.

"I love this mix. I use Valrhona cocoa powder (a high quality Dutch cocoa) and Nida whole milk powder (a Mexican product found in many Wal-marts and Targets here in the West). I add cinnamon and up the cayenne a bit 'cause I like it spicey. I find the sweetness and creamy texture (from the whole milk) to be just perfect for the cocoa powder I use. If your mix tastes bland or bitter, you either forgot the salt in the recipe or you need to find a better cocoa powder. If you don’t care for non-fat dry milk powder (I don’t), you just might like the whole milk powder. It smells like sweet cream. Also, you can’t substitute granulated sugar for powdered sugar here. Not only will your hot cocoa have a grainy texture, but it’ll be too sweet.