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This healthy hot chocolate is a delicious, naturally sweetened recipe that comes together as quickly as the hot chocolate mixes from the store. And it tastes even better!
Why You’ll Love It
When you make homemade hot chocolate, you get to customize the flavor. If you prefer a dark chocolate drink, you can add more cacao powder, and if you prefer a sweeter drink, you can easily add more sweetness.
A pinch of salt will help balance out the flavor, and since you can taste this mixture as you go, it’s practically foolproof!
When you make this hot chocolate recipe with dairy-free milk, it’s gluten-free, vegan & Paleo friendly. But, cow’s milk or any other milk can be used for this recipe, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For a dairy-free hot chocolate recipe, try using unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk. You can also use hemp milk or soy milk for extra protein, or cashew milk, if you’d like.
I tend to keep raw cacao powder in my pantry, but Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work flavor-wise.
Note: Don’t use homemade oat milk for this recipe, because it will thicken up when heated. Store-bought oat milk usually has additives that will prevent this, though. (Especially if you buy a “barista” style milk option.)
How to Make the Best Hot Chocolate
Add the almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and salt to a small saucepan. Over medium heat on the stovetop, whisk the mixture often, until it starts to simmer and the lumps dissolve.
As soon as the hot chocolate looks creamy and is as warm as you’d like, it’s ready to serve.
Carefully taste it (don’t burn your mouth!) and make any adjustments, as needed. Then pour it into a mug and add any toppings you love.
Mini marshmallows, vegan marshmallows, or coconut whipped cream are all delicious options. Or try it with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, for a little spice.
Store leftover hot chocolate in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will separate when stored, but it will quickly come together again when you whisk it in a saucepan.
Looking for an easy make-ahead option? Try my Hot Cocoa Mix, which can be stirred into hot milk and makes a great DIY gift idea.
Frequently Asked Questions & Variations
Yes! I’ve tested a Peppermint Hot Chocolate with peppermint extract if you’d like a minty variation made from scratch.
Yes! You can use honey if you don’t need a vegan hot cocoa recipe, or try agave, coconut sugar, or any other sweetener you love. Zero-calorie sweeteners will need a different amount, so be sure to start with less, and add more to taste as you go.
I have a date-sweetened hot chocolate recipe made with hot water if you’d like to give that a try. (You’ll need a high-speed blender, in that case, to help break down all the fiber in the dates.)
Cocoa powder is vegan, but if you want to add chocolate chips or shaved chocolate on top, be sure to check the label to make sure it’s dairy-free.
Looking for more warm drink ideas? Try my easy chai latte, pumpkin spice latte, or cozy London Fog drink for more options.
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir, using a whisk to break up any lumps. Keep stirring until smooth and piping hot.
- Pour the hot chocolate into a mug right away and serve warm. Top with coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired, or any other toppings you love.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this dairy-free hot chocolate recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
Love your recipes! I love adding a heaping tablespoon of the Artisana organic raw coconut butter to my hot chocolate as well
Hello! I live in Illinois and this is what I have every morning during the winter. I love it because the cocoa gives me a bit of a lift which I need since I gave up caffeine. I add a couple of disks of cocoa butter to give added richness. Also, a teaspoon of coconut oil tastes great as well as a drop of hazelnut extract.
Could I make this with coconut milk (due to tree nut intolerances)?
Yep, I bet that will be delicious!
yummm, looks so good!!
Yum, I’m trying this tonight.
I make something similar to that hot chocolate at home,but I never thought about using maple syrup! I am going to try it tonight. 🙂
a detox hot chocolate?! Whoa, sign me up! 🙂
Right, I’m confused as to what’s detoxifying about maple syrup, added sweeteners/artificial sweeteners/coconut oil/butter/whipped cream/shaved chocolate!
Is it more cost effective to make your own almond milk or buy it? Almonds are expensive nowadays!
I think homemade is a bit cheaper– I recently bought a BIG bag of almonds for about $10 at Whole Foods, but it’s made 3 jugs of almond milk so far, and there’s still enough left to make at least 3 more! I started using a ratio of 1 cup almonds to 5 cups water, so I get more “bang for my buck.” (The cartons I used to buy had 4 cups of almond milk for $1.99, I think)
Also, I prefer the taste of homemade and love that there are no “fillers” in my milk!
I too make my own so it’s yes, cheaper, but also better. PLUS, save the almond pulp and make almond flour, and then it’s REALLY cost effective. 🙂
Sharyn, do you have a recipe for turning almond pulp into almond flour?? That’s an awesome idea!
Place almond skins & pulp on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel & allow to completely dry. Then run it through a food processor until it’s finely ground into powder/flour. This can be used as a thickener as well as a baking flour.
Do you have a recipe for your almond milk you make ?
Yes, here you go: https://detoxinista.com/how-to-make-homemade-almond-milk/
I love your blog! I’ll have to try that hot chocolate recipe. It sounds delicious. I have a raw chocolate syrup (made from cacao and agave), but I’ve never thought to use it to make hot chocolate. I’ll have a big cup after I get home from the stressful snowy drive home.
Oh my goodness, send some sunshine please?! And this sounds delish, I’ll be making this tomorrow during Snowmageddon:)
You have changed your recipe?
Was it not two teaspoons of cacao and a pinch of salt
Yes, you’re the only one who has noticed! 😉 I was finding the two teaspoons not “chocolatey” enough, and I had received other feedback feeling the same way, so I added an extra teaspoon to the recipe. I don’t think I actually meant to remove the salt, so I’ll add that back in!
so it is supposed to be 2 teaspoons or two tablespoons because you have tablespoons in your recipe
The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of cacao powder, which is the equivalent of 3 teaspoons.
Hi thanks I had cacao in the cupboard but no maple syrup or vanilla
So I used uht organic almond milk a tablespoon of honey and a sprinkle of nutmeg mixed in
Absolutely delicious and fortified .my tummy said yummy