Vegan Hot Chocolate

This vegan hot chocolate is like a hug in a mug. It’s so creamy without a touch of dairy, perfectly sweet yet completely refined sugar free and surprisingly healthy! You’re going to be sipping on this recipe all winter long.

Picture yourself sitting by the fire, hot chocolate in one hand (topped with an excessive amount of marshmallows of course), a chocolate chip cookie in the other hand, a bowl of popcorn in front of you, completely blissed out that *almost* nothing in the world can bother you.

Or maybe you’re more into gingerbread cookies, but either way, I think that sounds like the most perfect winter day ever.

This vegan hot chocolate is rich, creamy and made with just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

With a few key techniques to make it incredibly frothy and smooth, you won’t miss the dairy one bit! And since Swiss Miss hot chocolate is not vegan since it contains milk powder, this homemade version is the perfect alternative.

How to make vegan hot chocolate

First, you’ll want to add the cocoa powder, cinnamon and a small pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp) to a pot and whisk together.

Salt might seem like a weird addition to hot chocolate, but trust me, it balances out the flavors SO well. I promise it won’t taste at all salty.

Stir in the canned coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. If you have an immersion blender, it really comes in handy with this recipe because it helps to combine all the ingredients and make it super creamy and frothy.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, a good old fashioned whisk will work just fine, or you can add all of the ingredients to a regular blender to get the same frothy feel.

Either way, heat everything up until it’s nice and warm, and pour into mugs. I like to top it off with some marshmallows or coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of fresh cinnamon.

Making it creamy

You might think it’s impossible to create a rich and creamy hot chocolate without a single drop of milk or cream. Well, I’m here to tell you otherwise!

This vegan hot chocolate is insanely creamy, rich, steamy, decadent, every (positive) adjective ever and it’s entirely dairy free. The key? Canned coconut milk!

Canned coconut milk is much richer than a carton of coconut milk (or any non dairy milk) because it hasn’t been watered down the way the cartoned stuff has.

The “lite” variety won’t give any coconut flavor to the hot chocolate, but will just yield a rich and creamy consistency like traditional cow’s milk would do.

What cocoa is best?

You can use whatever cocoa powder you have with great results, such as dutch cocoa or regular unsweetened cocoa powder.

Cacao powder also works, but is slightly bitter compared to cocoa so you may need to add a touch more maple syrup.

If you happen to be out of cocoa powder, you can also just use melted chocolate chips or a melted chocolate bar (about 3-4 tbsp worth) with great results.

The best kind of milk for hot chocolate

You can use full fat or light coconut milk for this recipe, but full fat will make a more luxurious and creamy texture, but it will also be a bit filling and almost too heavy for some.

I find light coconut milk (from a can) is the perfect balance of creamy without being too heavy and does not have any coconut flavor.

In addition to the canned milk, you need regular non-dairy milk from a carton. I usually buy almond so that’s what I use, but oat, coconut or soy all work.

How to store

This recipe is best served right away, but it will store for about 3 days if you want to make a big batch and save some for later! Just wait to top it with the marshmallows until you’re ready to serve.

If serving with marshmallows, I like to make the hot chocolate very hot and add the marshmallows on top so they melt in ever so slightly to the hot chocolate. SO good.

Try these next!

• Almond Flour Brownies
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Golden Milk Latte
• Marshmallow Cookies
• Chocolate Espresso Smoothie

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