The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate!

Learn how to make the Best Vegan Hot Chocolate EVER! Even readers agree! Just 6 ingredients and ready in 5 minutes! This is better than the dairy versions I used to drink. Semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder are what gives a rich chocolate flavor!

Today I’m sharing the absolute best hot chocolate I’ve ever had, vegan or not! It is so creamy, so rich and so decadent and nobody would guess it’s vegan. The same goes for my Homemade Vegan Chocolate Milk.

This recipe is the dairy-free chocolate of my dreams and very exciting to share today.

I haven’t posted here in about a month and I don’t think I’ve ever done that since I started this blog in 2013. However, I had been working nonstop and posting new recipes weekly and was feeling a bit tired. Then I got into a really bad car wreck and got pretty bruised up and really sore. I’m completely healed and fine now, but my car was totaled. I’m truly the most thankful that my daughter was in school and not in the car with me!

I also am back with this delicious best vegan hot chocolate recipe! This dairy-free hot chocolate recipe was a creation from last year and shared a snap of it on this Instagram. I never got around to sharing it on my blog, but now that the weather is cold again and I’m drinking it again, now is the time.

WHY THIS IS THE BEST VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE

I’m very, very picky when it comes to hot chocolate. Too many recipes are too watery, too bland, not chocolatey enough or sweet enough for me. I’ve tried so many. I don’t want my hot chocolate cloyingly sweet, but I don’t like it too bitter either.

Well, this dairy-free hot chocolate is my favorite ever.

It’s rich, creamy and a rich, decadent chocolate flavor, as well as perfectly sweetened. It’s not too thick, in other words, it’s not a French hot chocolate, haha. I’ve had a French hot chocolate in Paris many years ago and it’s VERY thick and rich and like drinking straight chocolate. Yummy, yes, but a bit too much for when I want to sit down and enjoy a full cup of hot chocolate.

THE BEST INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE

So, to achieve my perfect Vegan Hot Chocolate, I used:

• semi-sweet chocolate
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• maple syrup
• canned “lite” coconut milk (forget almond milk, not creamy enough and too strong of a flavor)
• ground espresso
• vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Lite coconut milk leaves no flavor whatsoever of coconut, but is the perfect creamy base for this.

The need for chocolate chips is because they contain cocoa butter and that is what helps make this a rich chocolate flavor, as well as thicken it up when it heats up. My favorite brand is Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, because they are vegan. Just cocoa powder is hot cocoa, but this is hot chocolate. It should be richer and creamier. I see many often get them confused, but they are definitely different.

See those delicious cookies in the photos? They are my DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE CRINKLE COOKIES and are to die for! Get them here!

The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate!

Brandi Doming

Learn how to make the BEST Vegan Hot Chocolate EVER! Even readers agree! Just 6 ingredients and ready in 5 minutes! This is better than the dairy versions I used to drink. Semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder are what gives a rich chocolate flavor!

4.98 from 49 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 minutes mins

Total Time 9 minutes mins

Yields 2 cups/mugs

Ingredients

• One 13.5 oz can "lite" coconut milk (this truly is the best milk to make hot chocolate, I would advise against subbing as others I've tried were not good. Lite leaves NO coconut taste!)
• 2 tablespoons (12g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 heaping tablespoons (40g) semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)
• 1-2 tablespoons (20g) maple syrup, depending on your sweet-o-meter, I did 2
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground espresso or instant coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Optional: whipped cream, shaved chocolate, marshmallows, etc.

NOTE

• I recommend Thai Kitchen brand for the lite coconut milk. It is amazing and always so smooth and creamy, not watery. Many brands can be rather watery and not smooth.

Instructions

 

• Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for a few minutes on high until completely smooth and frothy.
• Add the mixture to a pot over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, whisk continuously for about 4 minutes until well heated, the chocolate has completely melted and has thickened just a bit. You don't want to overcook it, or it will get too thick.
• I found this to be the perfect level of sweetness, but if you want yours a tad sweeter, add a little more maple syrup. Remove and pour into mugs and add whipped cream, shaved chocolate, marshmallows, cinnamon, etc. Enjoy!
• This makes enough for 2 mugs. If you are just wanting 1 serving, then place the rest in the fridge and when you are ready to use it, give it a good whisk and reheat on low.

Notes

COCONUT MILK: Using lite coconut milk yields the perfect creamy texture and taste. It is neutral in flavor (the lite leaves no coconut taste) and it is neither too thick or too thin of a milk. However, if you are allergic, I would suggest to try a high quality really creamy oat milk instead. Other milks like almond and rice milk will be much more watery and less rich, and will not taste nearly as good in both flavor or texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mugCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 31.3gProtein: 2.5gFat: 18.5gSaturated Fat: 14.3gSodium: 132mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 3.3gSugar: 21.5gCalcium: 48mgIron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!

Sadly, this recipe keeps getting stolen and posted on other sites. If you make this recipe, please do not re-post it on your site, please link to me instead giving proper credit. If you are inspired by this recipe, again, please give proper credit and do not simply post it on your site.