Date-Sweetened Hot Chocolate (with Fiber!)

date hot chocolate with coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Date-Sweetened Hot Chocolate (with Fiber!)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: vegan

Keyword: blender hot chocolate, date-sweetened hot chocolate, vegan hot chocolate

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 5

Servings:

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Yes, you can make hot chocolate with dates. And no, it doesn't taste weird at all. It's actually some of the best hot chocolate I've ever made! Whether you're looking for an alternative to coffee in the morning, or a comforting treat on a chilly night, this recipe is one I make on repeat. It's ridiculously easy and delicious!

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Ingredients

8 to 12 ounces water
1 teaspoon almond butter (or any other nut/seed butter)
1 tablespoon cacao powder
2 Medjool dates , pitted (or 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup)

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. While you wait on that, add the almond butter, cacao powder, and pitted dates to a high-speed blender.
When the water is done boiling, measure out one cup, pour it into the blender, and secure the lid. Note: Cover the vent in your blender's lid with a thin dish towel to allow steam to safely escape without splattering you. This is not the time to use a bullet-style blender, as there's no way for the steam pressure to safely escape.
Blend until the mixture looks smooth and creamy, with no visible pieces of dates. Pour it into a mug right away and enjoy. If you don't have a powerful blender, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer on the way to your mug, to catch any date pieces that might have been missed.

Notes

Any nut butter should work well for this recipe, but I think almond and cashew butter have the most neutral flavor. If you use peanut butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter, their flavor may be slightly more prominent, so just keep that in mind.
When I make this for my kids, I sometimes use only 1 teaspoon of cacao powder instead of a full tablespoon. (This gives it more of a "milk chocolate" flavor.) I also use 1/2 cup of boiled water and 1/2 cup of filtered water from my fridge, so the temperature is easier for them to drink right away.

Nutrition