Homemade Dairy Free Hot Chocolate | Healthy Recipe

Rich and creamy dairy free hot chocolate made only with nourishing, simple ingredients. The perfect guilt-free treat on a cold winter day!

Fall is officially upon us and I'm loving the cool, crisp mornings and yellow leaves. My 18-month-old has discovered the joy of crunching the dry, dead leaves under her feet and also throwing them up in the air. Isn't fall great?

I also love the transition in the kitchen that seems to happen almost naturally. More soups, squash, and in general, just warm and comforting foods. Cinnamon and spice oatmeal is the perfect nourishing fall breakfast, ground beef and quinoa skillet is a delicious and hearty dinner, and who can forget pumpkin pie? (a healthy version, of course!)

It's also a time to preserve the abundance that can be found at the farmer's market or in your own garden. This year we dehydrated peaches for the first time and loved them!

And then, there's hunting. Lots of butchering, wrapping and freezing of wild meat and fat to render and preserve.

I truly do enjoy this time of year, even though it's very busy and there's lots to get done! We can always find joy in the little things and feel gratitude for our blessings.

With the chilly weather comes a want for cozy warm drinks, but for me, they still need to be made with healthy, whole foods and less sugar. This dairy-free hot chocolate is a great one to whip up in the fall and winter months. It's a guilt-free way to warm up and indulge after being out in the cold.

If you're looking for something a little lighter, try my chocolate mint tea latte or hibiscus tea recipes!

What's In Dairy Free Hot Chocolate?

Coconut milk (lite) - I got the recommendation to use lite coconut milk only from thevegan8.com. It was great advice! It provides a wonderfully creamy base, but there isn't an underlying coconut flavor. Just perfect to make a classic cup of hot chocolate.

Coconut milk is high in fat and many vitamins and minerals. It's important to look for canned coconut milk without any additives (like guar gum) and packaged in cans that do not contain BPA (a chemical that can lead to cancer and reproductive problems...). The more simple and natural the better, so make sure you read the label!

Cocoa - Rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants also found in some fruits and vegetables! These polyphenols may decrease blood pressure, decrease inflammation in the body, boost heart health and increase blood flow to the brain.

Maple syrup - A natural sweetener containing a small amount of minerals. The less you use, the better since it is still sugar.

Can I Use a Different Dairy Free Milk?

There are many types of non-dairy milk out there (oat milk, soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, etc) and you can use any of them to make vegan hot chocolate, but as most of them contain a lot more water than coconut milk, the resulting drink won't be as creamy. But that's totally your preference! Unsweetened almond milk would be my top recommendation for a substitution.

Can I Use a Different Sweetener?

You can easily substitute any liquid sweetener (honey, date syrup, etc). Granulated sugars like coconut sugar will take longer to dissolve and incorporate, but you could still use them. Avoid white sugar if you can, though!

What Can YOu Add to Hot Chocolate?

The toppings and flavor add-in options are really endless for hot chocolate! Here as some ideas:

Toppings

• Coconut whipped cream (this is a great recipe)
• Shaved dark chocolate
• Dark chocolate chips
• Cocoa powder
• Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
• Homemade marshmallows

Flavor Add-Ins

• Peanut butter (or other nut butter) - Add 2 tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter and stir it in after removing from heat. Best when served hot. As it cools, the nut butter tends to clump up
• Cinnamon - Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or allow a cinnamon stick to steep in your mug of hot chocolate for a more subtle cinnamon flavor
• Peppermint - Add ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract or allow a candy cane to melt in the hot cocoa
• Mexican - Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a (very small) pinch of cayenne pepper
• Dark - Add more cocoa or use less sweetener

Tools You May Need

Small saucepan

Whisk

Immersion blender (optional)

How to Make Dairy Free Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 1 can (400ml) lite coconut milk (don't use the cartoned coconut milk, it's too watery)
• 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cocoa butter (optional)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk constantly until the mixture is heated through and well mixed. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. Remove from heat. If using cocoa butter, add it now and stir until it melts.

If you have an immersion blender, give it a whirl to further blend everything and froth it up!

Pour into mugs and serve hot.

How to Store Dairy Free Hot Chocolate

Store any leftover hot chocolate in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Did you try this recipe and love it? If so, I would so appreciate a 5-star review and your comments below! Thanks!

More Nourishing Drinks

• LOW SUGAR LEMONADE
• SUN TEA
• CHOCOLATE MINT TEA LATTE
• CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK
• HIBISCUS TEA

More Dairy-Free Recipes

• DAIRY-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH SPROUTED WHEAT
• EGGLESS PUMPKIN PIE
• DAIRY-FREE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
• SPROUTED WHEAT CRACKERS
• CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE WITHOUT ICE CREAM