I took the easy way out on this one. I bought Nesquik in single serve packets. It is pre-measured for both the cocoa and sugar, and the cocoa in Nesquik does not clump at the bottom of the mug the way baking cocoa does. Other than the Nesquik, I used powdered instant milk, powdered non-dairy creamer, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows, all of which I had on hand for our own cocoa mix in a jar. The Nesquik came from Dollar Tree. These cute cellophane cones were in my stash from a previous year.
The total hands on time was about 15-20 minutes, and my cost (including ingredients that I had on hand) was about $1.70 for two cones, each making 12 ounces of rich drinking chocolate.
I like the layered look, so I made up each cone separately. Working with the cone in a drinking glass (to keep it upright), I first scooped in 1/3 cup of instant milk. On top of that, I added 2 tablespoons of non-dairy coffee creamer. Then, I poured in a packet of Nesquik.
I chopped 3 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips for each cone, spooning in on top of the Nesquik.
I wrapped about 1/3 cup of mini marshmallows in a piece of plastic wrap and placed on top of the drinking chocolate mix. These cones are secured with a twist tie.
My goal with the tins is to average about $2.00 to $2.50 per each tin. So far, I'm under that goal, leaving some extra in the budget for tomorrow's tin.
Cocoa mix in a jar or baggie is a great last-minute gift idea or stocking stuffer that doesn't take much time or expertise.
