Vegan Hot Chocolate (With VIDEO!)

Looking for Vegan Hot Chocolate? This paleo or vegan hot cocoa is a healthier take on a cozy classic. Naturally sweetened, dairy free, and downright delicious!

The weather is chilly, and I’m craving all kinds of warm, cozy dishes. Soups, stews, and plenty of hot chocolate are all at the top of the list. It can be so hard to find a good dairy free hot chocolate, and I’ve been testing recipes for the last few months to come up with a version I love.

This paleo or vegan hot chocolate recipe is IT. It’s chocolatey and rich without being too heavy, and uses better-for-you ingredients. I love that you can toss everything into the blender to grind it and store it in an airtight container for at least 1 month at room temperature (more like 2 months in the refrigerator).

It’s perfect for gift-giving, or making a quick cup on a chilly day. Let’s make some!

HERE’S WHAT I PUT IN MY VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE:

DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CHIPS. I struck a really tasty balance of hot cocoa vs hot chocolate by combing a bit of each in this recipe. You’ll grind down the chocolate chips so they melt REALLY easily when combined with warm milk. These and these are my two favorite brands of dairy free chocolate chips. (You can also use stevia-sweetened chocolate chips or a lower sugar dark chocolate bar.)

UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER. I love the depth of unsweetened cocoa powder and love that it’s so easy to keep on hand. It keeps this vegan hot chocolate from being *too* decadent.

NATURAL SWEETENER. Other than the sugar in the chocolate chips, the only sweetener I add to this vegan hot cocoa mix is coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is scores lower on the glycemic index, which means it won’t impact your blood sugar as quickly as white sugar. When I’m just making this for myself, I add less sugar since I like it a little darker and richer, but the amount listed below is perfect for the rest of my family and is great for gift giving. (Need a different option? Check out the FAQ below!)

VANILLA POWDER, VANILLA BEAN OR VANILLA EXTRACT. If you can find it, vanilla powder is a great addition to this recipe. I love that it’s a really fresh, concentrated vanilla flavor (made from ground vanilla beans). But, it’s not always easy to find or budget-friendly. In this case, you can scrape out the seeds of a vanilla bean or add a few drops of vanilla extract when you’re mixing the hot cocoa mix with milk.

DAIRY FREE MILK. You definitely want to mix up your vegan hot chocolate with milk not water. The mix distributes better and tastes better with milk. Pinky promise. You can use whatever you drink–almond, oat, cashew, etc. (Not dairy free? You can make it with dairy milk!)

MIX IT UP! TRY ONE OF THESE YUMMY WAYS TO FLAVOR YOUR VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE:

The other thing I LOVE is that I can do so much to change up the flavors in this vegan hot chocolate mix to mimic my favorite store-bought varieties. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• ORANGE: add a tiny bit of orange zest to your mix (a little goes a long way, so start small and more as desired).
• ALMOND/AMARETTO: try adding a 1-2 drops of almond extract per serving
• PEPPERMING: Add 1 drop of food grade peppermint essential oil to your mix, or a few drops of peppermint extract to your cup.
• SALTED CARAMEL: Add a drizzle of vegan caramel and a pinch of salt to your cup.
• DARK CHOCOLATE: Either use less sugar (my preference), or substitute dark chocolate for the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE: add 1 tsp cinnamon to your dry mix or a pinch to each cup.

I love topping ours with marshmallows (these ones and Trader Joe’s are vegan), a little coconut whipped cream (homemade or store-bought),  crushed candy canes (these ones are dye free!), natural peppermint sticks (I find them at World Market or Sprouts), or a little grated chocolate.

I hope this vegan hot chocolate brings as much chocolatey joy to your family as it has ours!

FAQ + TIPS ON THIS VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE:

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUGAR? You can use white sugar or raw turbinado sugar instead of coconut sugar in your vegan hot cocoa, but do know this will taste sweeter if you do. Just something to keep in mind!

HOW LONG WILL THIS VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE MIX KEEP? In an airtight jar or container, this vegan hot chocolate mix will stay good for about 1 month unrefrigerated and about 2 months refrigerated.

WHAT KIND OF MILK CAN I USE FOR VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE? You can use any kind you like! I’ve tried it in almond, cashew, and coconut milk. I prefer almond or cashew because the flavor is more neutral, but use what you like. I feel confident that you could add it to soy, rice, oat, or dairy milk without any trouble, depending on your dietary needs.

HOW DO I MAKE 1 SERVING? Simple! Add 1 1/2-2 Tablespoons of the dry mix and combine with 8-10oz of milk. Heat (on the stove or in the microwave) and stir or whisk until completely dissolved and melted. Then, top with your favorite toppings!

PSST! PALEO? TRY THIS! For my non-vegan friends, I love adding a bit of collagen powder for added protein. You can’t taste it and it’s the best tasting “protein drink” I’ve ever had!

IF I’M MAKING THIS FOR MY FAMILY… I’ll make a half batch, add the milk right to the blender and puree it all together. You can easily double, triple, or quadruple this recipe for gift giving, or so you have a batch on hand at all times (basically an essential in the cold months).

MORE COZY HOLIDAY RECIPES TO LOVE: 

• Gluten Free Gingerbread Waffles
• Paleo Ginger Cookies
• 3 Superfood Holiday Drinks
• Paleo or Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
• Gluten Free Peppermint Brownies

HELPFUL FOR THIS RECIPE:

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