• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Vegan 8

  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • My Cookbooks
    • The Vegan 8 Cookbook
    • Oil-free Dressings and Sauces
    • 8 Ingredient Desserts Ebook
  • Workout Plan
  • SHOP
You are here: Home / Beverages / The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate!

The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate!

24.9Kshares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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!

Large mug of vegan hot chocolate with whipped cream

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!

Pouring vegan hot chocolate from pot into a mug

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.

Hand squirting soy whipped cream from a can on hot chocolate

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.

Closeup view of vegan hot chocolate with cream and chocolate sprinkles

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.

Overview of vegan hot chocolate and whipped cream in mug

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

Best vegan hot chocolate in mug with whip cream

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 44 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 4 mins
Total Time 9 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.

Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast, Chocolate, Christmas, Dessert, Gluten-free, Kid Friendly, Nut Free Tagged With: chocolate, Coconut milk, Drink, Hot

Previous Post: « Cinnamon Caramel Bundt Cake (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Next Post: 8 Ingredient Vegan Desserts ECookbook! »

Reader Interactions

Comment and Rate This Recipe Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Niki

    January 28, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    Made this with my three yo this am as a last minute request bc I forgot to restock her mix. Well we won’t be restocking her mix! She loves helping and letting her dump stuff into the blender and flip the switches (with supervision) is a way we can be together in the kitchen. She’s delighted with both the making AND the taste! She’s carefully carrying her mug announcing this is MY VEGAN HOT COCOA!! It’s nice bc I wasn’t a huge fan of the mix and she really didn’t like the taste that much anyway!! I’ll definitely be checking out more on your blog and from your book which I actually had gotten but hadn’t had a chance to look through!! N

    Reply
  2. Caroline

    February 20, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    5 stars
    My whole family has gone dairy free and I was feeling guilty because every vegan hot chocolate had been awful and I just wanted my kids to have hot chocolate on snow days 😝. Small things. This was it! The best! And we do not kiss the dairy. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. charlie west

    March 7, 2021 at 3:41 pm

    I’ve tried making this with lite coconut milk from a can and it tasted really coconutty in my opinion. Lovely texture, and still enjoyable but the coconut was too prominent.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 7, 2021 at 8:12 pm

      What brand are you using? I find brands to vary greatly in flavor.

      Reply
  4. Elizabeth Cornelsen

    March 9, 2021 at 8:50 pm

    5 stars
    We tried this quick recipe on a whim, and it was phenomenal! The 3 year olds went nuts! Incredibly creamy & frothy, and I subbed a little orange extract vanilla on round 2. Great variation.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 10, 2021 at 6:03 pm

      So wonderful to hear this Elizabeth!

      Reply
  5. Lisa

    November 11, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    4 stars
    This hot chocolate is absolutely decadent. I didn’t want the coffee flavor so only omitted that from the recipe. Perhaps it was because of this that I ever so slightly tasted the coconut. But it was just a nice mild flavor that adds to the drink. I could only drink half however. It was extremely rich and I calculated that in one portion only there is 21 grams of fat, slightly higher than what is written on the recipe. Not a huge difference but I don’t have a strong stomach for rich, high-in-fat foods or drinks. So, I’ve kept the other half for tomorrow and I’ll definitely keep doing this recipe but I’m going to try mixing half coconut milk and half a non-dairy milk. I think for my sensitive stomach that’ll cut down the fat and richness and, for me, it’ll be a better alternative. But it’s definitely delicious as is!

    Reply
  6. Nicole

    November 18, 2021 at 8:18 am

    Do you taste the coffee in this recipe? I wish I enjoyed the taste of coffee but I just can’t. I just want to know if I should omit it.
    Thanks, I am so excited!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 18, 2021 at 10:19 am

      In my opinion, not at all, just super chocolatey. Espresso just enhances the rich flavor, but you can leave it out if you like.

      Reply
  7. Andrew

    December 2, 2021 at 4:55 pm

    Hello!

    For the ground espresso/instant coffee ingredient – are you literally adding the ground beans/instant granules or the shot of espresso made from them.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 2, 2021 at 9:04 pm

      Hi! The dry grounds of instant espresso 🙂

      Reply
  8. Linda

    December 5, 2021 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  9. Terri Lolly

    July 28, 2022 at 12:30 am

    5 stars
    Perfect! Couldn’t have found a better flavor anywhere. The texture is so authentic and old fashioned.
    Bravo!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 28, 2022 at 6:55 pm

      Aww thank you so much!!

      Reply
  10. Mrs. Cod

    August 22, 2022 at 12:36 am

    Hi Brandi,

    Is it possible to make this without the ground espresso?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 22, 2022 at 2:54 am

      yes!

      Reply
      • Mrs. Cod

        August 24, 2022 at 2:12 am

        Oh that’s great, thanks!

        Reply
  11. Onyx

    October 5, 2022 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    I’m confused on the instructions on Step 2. If we have a Vitamix blender do we add in the chocolate chips, blend, then heat over the stove, but adding in (MORE?) chocolate chips? Or is the Step 2 for those w/o the Vitamix?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      October 5, 2022 at 7:52 pm

      Hi, sorry for any confusion! I edited the directions.

      Reply
  12. Valerie

    December 25, 2022 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    I made it this morning for a Christmas treat. SUPER Delicious!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 25, 2022 at 9:57 pm

      SO wonderful!!

      Reply
  13. DENIA

    December 29, 2022 at 11:47 pm

    5 stars
    Best hot chocolate I have ever made. Made this for my vegan bf but will continue to do this for myself.

    I am going to make it for my family and see if they notice it’s vegan

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 30, 2022 at 3:37 am

      Yay, really glad to hear that!

      Reply
  14. Fanni

    March 2, 2023 at 9:01 am

    5 stars
    Hi! 🙂 Random question…once I blended all the ingredients.. can I use a milk frother/steamer to bring the drink to warm temperature, or does it have to be heated over the stove?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 2, 2023 at 8:31 pm

      I’m not sure it would thicken properly with just a frother!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Search this blog…


I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. The majority of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! read more →

ORDER NOW!!

Join 414,119 Followers!

FacebookInstagramPinteresttumblr

The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

MOST POPULAR POSTS!

WHAT’S IN MY VEGAN PANTRY

THE BEST VEGAN FLUFFY PANCAKES

Fluffy vegan pancakes stacked on plate

THE BEST VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE

Best Vegan Garlic Alfredo on white plate

THE BEST VEGAN QUESO

Hand dipping chip into bowl of vegan queso

VEGAN STUFFED RICOTTA SHELLS

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Spinach

VEGAN THAI GREEN CURRY

Bowl of vegan thai green sweet potato curry

CHEESY MEXICAN TORTILLA BAKE

Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake in casserole dish

CLASSIC VEGAN NOODLE SOUP

Classic Vegan Noodle Soup in turquoise bowl

THE BEST VEGAN RANCH DRESSING

Best Vegan Ranch Dressing pouring over a salad

THE BEST OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Vegan Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked

THE BEST VEGAN FUNFETTI CAKE

Slice of Vegan Gluten-free Funfetti Birthday Cake

THE BEST VEGAN SNICKERDOODLES

Vegan Gluten-free Snickerdoodles stacked on plate

BEST VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

scattered vegan chocolate chip cookies on white board

Recent Posts

  • Vegan Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Vegan Egg Roll In A Bowl
  • Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes (Gluten-free Options!)
  • Vegan Apple Crisp In A Mug
  • 4 Week Workout Plan
  • Oil-free Dressings and Sauces EBOOK
  • Vegan Almond Sesame Tofu
  • Vegan Protein Smoothie (To Curb Sugar Cravings)
  • Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Smoothie
  • Easy Oil-Free Pumpernickel Bread

Copyright The Vegan 8 © 2023 · Privacy Policy

  • 480
  • 24.4K