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If you have 5 minutes, and a few pantry staples you can have this delicious dairy free Hot Chocolate in your mug warming you up, right now! It’s so much healthier than anything from a packet and so much tastier.
Easy Dairy Free Hot Chocolate
In case you didn’t know, hot chocolate is really easy to make at home, with ingredients any well stocked pantry will have. Homemade hot chocolate is so rich and delicious and so different from any powders from a packet! You can customize this dairy-free hot chocolate to suit your tastes (extra dark, a bit more sweet, thick and chocolate-y) and have it in your mug in about five minutes. And don’t forget those marshmallows!
Vegan Hot Chocolate Ingredients
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (good quality makes a big difference here)
- Dark or Milk Chocolate
- Maple Syrup or Coconut Sugar
- Salt
- Dairy-Free Milk
- Vanilla Extract
Dairy-Free Milk Options
We make this with a few different dairy-free milks, including almond milk, oat milk and coconut milk. Coconut milk makes the thickest and richest hot chocolate. I recommend replacing half of the coconut milk with water if you are using that dairy-free milk and do not want it very heavy. Likely just about any dairy-free milk or regular milk should work here.
How to Customize this Drink
Make this drink the way you like it! If you like it extra dark, add less sweetener or more cocoa powder. You can switch up the type of cocoa powders by getting a really dark one, or one that is less bitter. Change up the type of chocolate you add. Add in some extracts, spices such as cinnamon or a sprinkle of sea salt to change the flavor profile. Adjust the sweetness to your likening by adding more or less syrup. There is really a lot of room to get creative here. Taste as you go to adjust.
Topping Options
My favorite part about homemade hot chocolate? The toppings! Top it with marshmallows (homemade or store-bought) or get really creative and make some homemade marshmallow fluff, you won’t regret it!
How to Make this as a DIY Gift
How to Make this as a DIY GiftWant to give somebody a homemade packet of cocoa? You can make little packages with all of the dry ingredients (cocoa, chocolate, salt and coconut sugar) with instructions attached to it of what ingredients to add (such as milk and vanilla extract) and how to make it. Such a sweet way to let somebody know you love them this holiday season.
If you like this festive winter recipe, check out these others:
- Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Muffins
- How to Make Creme Brûlée (Dairy-Free)
- How to Make Pecan Milk
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles
DAIRY FREE HOT CHOCOLATE
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chopped (or chocolate chips)
- 2-3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2-½ cups dairy-free milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat while whisking. Heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pot.
- Check the taste and adjust with more chocolate or sweetener.
- Pour into two mugs and add marshmallows or fluff, if desired.
What is dairy free milk?
Nut milk – oat, almond, etc.
I loved it! So delicious and easy to make. But I did add a little bit of cinnamon and cut the sugar (coconut sugar) in half because I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. Thank you!
Made this for Christmas night and honestly, it was THE BEST hot cocoa I think I’ve ever had!!! I did put in a little less cocoa powder because I have family members who are sensitive to too cocoa. We did lots of toppings and it was just delicious!!! I’ll keep this one forever!!!!!
For the DIY cocoa bags, how much coconut sugar would you add for the 2 servings portion?
for two servings give 3-4 tablespoons coconut sugar a try!