If you’ve ever wrapped your hands around a Panera hot chocolate on a snowy morning, only to wish you could sip it ice-cold in summer too, this one’s for you. The Panera Frozen Signature Hot Chocolate is a rich, icy blend of real chocolate syrup, half-and-half, and a crown of whipped cream, somewhere between a milkshake and a frozen cocoa dream. This copycat version brings all that wintry comfort into a blender-friendly treat you can enjoy year-round.
I first tasted the real thing on a road trip layover, halfway between two deadlines and one bad motel breakfast. Panera’s café was playing soft holiday jazz, and someone in front of me ordered the frozen hot chocolate with a casual confidence that made me curious. I added one to my order, took a sip while still standing near the pick-up counter, and instantly forgot every to-do list. It was like the hot chocolate I drank as a kid, just blended and fancy. That first sip, creamy, cold, chocolatey but not too sweet, stuck with me. This copycat brings that exact vibe back whenever I need it.
You only need about 5 minutes, a few pantry basics, and a decent blender.
Table of Contents
How to Make Panera Frozen Signature Hot Chocolate
Start by making a glossy homemade chocolate syrup. It’s rich but simple, with Dutch-process cocoa and a little corn syrup to mimic that velvety “chocolatey sauce” Panera uses. You’ll blend it with cold half-and-half, a splash of milk, and plenty of ice until it’s thick and creamy. The texture lands somewhere between a shake and a frozen mousse, just like the café version. Spoon it into a chilled glass, top with whipped cream, and you’re there.
Nutrition Facts (per 16 oz serving)
Calories: 490
Total Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Sugar: 57 g
Protein: 6 g
Ingredients (1 serving, 16 oz)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
For the Chocolatey Sauce (makes ~1 cup, use ½ cup per drink)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin (for smoother mouthfeel)
For the Frozen Hot Chocolate
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ¼ cup 2% milk (cold)
- ½ cup chocolatey sauce (from above, cooled)
- 3 to 3½ cups ice cubes
- Whipped cream, for topping
Tools You’ll Need
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Blender (high-powered is best)
- Tall 16 oz glass
- Spoon or piping bag for whipped cream
- Straw
Instructions
Step 1: Make the chocolatey sauce (5 minutes)
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once it starts bubbling lightly, whisk in the cocoa powder and salt. Let it cook for 1–2 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla (and glycerin if using), and let it cool completely.
Step 2: Blend the frozen base (2 minutes)
Add half-and-half, milk, and ½ cup of your cooled chocolatey sauce to a blender. Top with 3 cups of ice. Blend until thick, smooth, and creamy, about 20–30 seconds. If it looks too thin, add the extra ½ cup ice and pulse again.
Step 3: Serve and top (1 minute)
Pour into a chilled 16 oz glass. Top with a generous swirl of whipped cream. Optionally, drizzle a little extra sauce or dust with cocoa powder for flair.
Tips
- Use Dutch-process cocoa for that classic café flavor.
- Let your sauce cool fully before blending or it’ll melt the ice.
- Blend just enough to get a soft-serve-like texture, don’t overmix or it’ll go watery.
- Chill the glass beforehand to keep the drink colder longer.
What to Serve With
Cozy pairings
• Cinnamon-sugar donuts – These add warm spice and crunch, echoing the sweet creaminess of the drink.
• Chocolate croissants – The flakiness of pastry paired with that chilled cocoa feels like a luxurious café breakfast.
• Mini marshmallow brownies – Dense, chewy, and nostalgic. A bite of brownie with a sip of frozen hot chocolate? Pure joy.
Savory contrast
• Buttery grilled cheese – A salty counterpoint to the sweetness. Kids love this combo, but let’s be honest, so do adults.
• Everything bagel chips with cream cheese – Crisp, tangy, and unexpected. The creamy chocolate balances the garlicky edge beautifully.
• Breakfast sausage patties – If you’re serving this for a quirky brunch treat, salty sausage links or patties make a bold but tasty match.
Lighter bites
• Fresh strawberries or raspberries – Their tartness slices through the richness and gives your taste buds a refreshing pause.
• Vanilla yogurt with granola – A semi-healthy contrast if you want balance without giving up on creamy textures.
Variations
Peppermint Frozen Hot Chocolate
Add ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract to the blender. Top with crushed peppermint candies for a holiday spin.
Mocha Shake Style
Replace 2 tablespoons of the chocolate sauce with 2 tablespoons of cold brew concentrate. Not quite coffee, not quite cocoa, but very drinkable.
Double Dark Cocoa
Add 1 extra tablespoon cocoa powder when making the syrup and ½ teaspoon espresso powder for a grown-up, bittersweet flavor.
Salted Caramel Swirl
Before pouring the drink, ribbon the inside of the glass with a spoonful of caramel sauce. It melts slightly into the blend and gives a gorgeous marbled look.
Protein Power Shake
Replace half the half-and-half with vanilla protein shake or oat-based protein milk. You still get the creamy vibe, but with added fuel.
Boozy Café Version
Add a shot of chocolate liqueur, coffee liqueur, or bourbon for an adult-only take. Serve in a chilled cocktail glass with cocoa on top.
Ingredient Substitutes
Half-and-half
Original: Half-and-half
Swap with: Heavy cream + 2% milk (50/50 mix), whole milk for lighter texture, or oat milk barista blend for dairy-free
Chocolatey Sauce
Original: Homemade with corn syrup
Swap with: Hershey’s Special Dark syrup, ganache made from chocolate chips and milk, or store-bought bittersweet sauce
Corn Syrup
Original: For gloss and sweetness
Swap with: Honey (adds a floral note), glucose syrup (same shine), or 2 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp water
Dutch-process cocoa
Original: Deep cocoa flavor, low acid
Swap with: Natural cocoa (slightly more bitter and lighter), black cocoa for extra dark twist
Vegetable glycerin
Original: Optional for mouthfeel
Swap with: 1 tbsp condensed milk or leave out entirely. Glycerin gives café-style silkiness, but it’s not essential.
Whipped Cream
Original: Canned or homemade
Swap with: Coconut whipped cream, Cool Whip, or skip it for a cleaner finish
Ice
Original: 3–3½ cups ice
Swap with: Crushed ice for smoother texture or frozen milk cubes to reduce dilution
Honest Review
After a few spins in the blender, this version of the Panera Frozen Signature Hot Chocolate really hits the mark. The texture is spot-on, creamy, thick, and just icy enough without tasting watered down. That homemade chocolatey sauce gives a rich, bittersweet flavor that’s surprisingly close to what you’d get in the café. Add the whipped cream on top, and it’s basically a frozen dessert disguised as a drink.
Is it a perfect replica? Not 100%. Panera probably uses stabilizers or commercial-grade blenders to get that ultra-smooth finish and shelf-stable syrup. But this gets ridiculously close, especially in flavor. It’s bold, cocoa-forward, and comforting in a way that makes you pause mid-sip like, yep… that’s the one.
If you’re craving that drive-thru frozen hot chocolate fix but want it without the drive, or the price tag, this one’s a total keeper. I’ve made it twice in the same week and didn’t regret a single calorie.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin (for smoother mouthfeel)
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ¼ cup 2% milk (cold)
- ½ cup chocolatey sauce (from above, cooled)
- 3 to 3½ cups ice cubes
- Whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
In a small saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water, then warm over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to gently simmer. Whisk in the cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, letting it cook for a minute or two until it turns thick and glossy. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and glycerin if you’re using it, and let the sauce cool completely before using.
In a blender, combine half-and-half, milk, and half a cup of the cooled chocolate sauce. Add three cups of ice and blend for about twenty to thirty seconds until the mixture is thick, smooth, and creamy. If it’s too thin, toss in another half cup of ice and pulse again until it hits that frosty sweet spot.
Pour into a chilled sixteen-ounce glass and top with a generous swirl of whipped cream. For a little extra flair, drizzle some of the remaining chocolate sauce over the top or dust it with cocoa powder before serving.
Notes
Calories: 490 Total Fat: 22 g Saturated Fat: 14 g Carbohydrates: 64 g Sugar: 57 g Protein: 6 g
