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!
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
Nutrition
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.
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I have been vegan for over 1 year now and it’s been pretty easy besides really missing a cafe mocha from Starbucks. Not only because of the dairy but they just have too much sugar in them. This cocoa is incredible, it’s exactly like a cafe mocha or when poured over ice an iced cafe mocha. I’m so grateful to all of the incredible vegans out there that share their talents and recipes with all of us, you make living cruelty free so much easier!!!!
Awww, thank you so much Tina for such a lovely comment! So very happy to hear how much you loved this and wow, that sounds heavenly over ice. I need to try that!!
Why did I take so long to try this?! It is delicious, so gosh darn good! And of course I made it when I was alone so I had both cups ahahaha!!! Great job!
Haha! Awesome! More for you!
We are transitioning to a vegan lifestyle and this hot chocolate was a hit with our kiddos, 10 and 5 yrs old. Thanks so much for posting this. I’m so excited about getting healthy and feeling well.
That makes me so happy to hear Shannon, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
This hot chocolate recipe is amazing, the best hot chocolate I have ever had. Thank you so much for creating it. It is so much healthier then chemical filled hot cocoa powders and yet so much better. You can’t go wrong here. I haven’t gotten my roommate to try it yet but I have no doubt that everyone will love this recipe, vegans, non-vegans, everyone. I don’t think one person would be able to tell it was non dairy. So delicious best ever. Your recipes are always such a sure hit.
Yay! I’m so glad this is the best you’ve ever had! Thank you so much for the amazing feedback Christina! You really made my day!!
Thanks so much for posting Brandi! We will totally have to use this recipe and share it with our peeps! It still amazes us how many people don’t know that there are great vegan hot chocolate alternatives! Tis the season!
Wonderful! Let me know what y’all think of it!
This recipe is freaking delicious. You are right about adding the coffee. It really intensifies the chocolate and I love that the recipe is not too sweet.
Awesome Robin!! Yes!! Thank you for the feedback!
Ok, I made this for me and my teenage boys last night and we were all in heaven! It was so delicious! I used full-fat coconut milk though because that is what I had. (A coconut taste is never a bad thing to me.) I made one batch and it made three small (sake cup size to be exact, lol) servings which was all we needed. It was so decadent. I had mine plain and the boys with a few mini vegan marshmallows. Honestly, it reminded me of the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had in my life which was in Lausanne, Switzerland. 🙂 I will be making it again. (What’s also great is that I always have these ingredients on hand.) Thank you for the delicious and simple recipe. Happy holidays!
So so wonderful to hear Nicole! Thank you so much for the amazing feedback!
This was hot chocolate was the BOMB.COM!!! ❤❤❤
Haha, so glad you loved it! Thank you for making it!
Yet another great recipe! Loved it!
Glad you are ok as well!
Thank you so much Gina, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Wow! This hot chocolate looks so delicious. I really need to try this soon. 🙂
I made this hot chocolate this afternoon and it was so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!!!
So glad you loved it Giulia, thank you so much for taking the time to come and leave feedback here!
My 15 yr old said its the BEST hot chocolate he’s ever had. I let him read the recipe when I picked him up from school and he bugged me all night to make it. Definitely worth the wait.
Woohoo! Love hearing that, especially from a teenage boy, haha! Thank you so much for the feedback Estee!
You just cannot beat a steaming mug of hot chocolate! Yours sounds so delicious and rich and I love the espresso addition. It’s just perfect for bringing out the chocolate flavour even more!
Thank you so much, Mel!! Espresso makes everything better!
It’s -37 C with the windchill here today. It’s pretty easy to feel down after days and days of this freezing weather but this hot chocolate is just the kind of cheering (and warming) up we needed. So rich and creamy! I have some really dark cocoa powder so I only used 1 Tbsp of it and it is just right. Thanks for another stellar recipe!
So wonderful to hear that Genevieve! So glad this hit the spot. Thank you very much for taking the time to leave feedback!
This sounds like such a wonderfully rich hot chocolate, just how I like it! Beautiful presentation, too.
Aww, thank you Alisa!
Brandi this is the BEST hot chocolate! It is so rich and decadent. I love it and will be making it a lot this winter! 😊
Yay! I’m so thrilled you loved it so much Debbie! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know!
ooooh, that action shot of the hot chocolate is heavenly! Our girls just finished hot chocolate, and now I want this one, lol!
Thank you so much, Dreena! Action shots are so tricky, but sometimes it’s super exciting when they do work out!
Oh Brandi I just got around to reading your post and I’m so sorry to hear about your accident. How awful but I’m so glad you’re feeling better. I can’t wait to hear about this exciting new project. As for the hot chocolate, you already know I’m digging it. European hot chocolate is way too thick for me and I’m more inclined to go this route. xo
Thank you Nissrine. Revealing details in a few days!!! 🙂 🙂 I totally agree, I love chocolate as much as anybody, that’s no secret, but yeah, I don’t want to drink a chocolate bar…the French hot chocolate is just a bit too much.
oh bajeezers! I just read your post about your car accident! I am so sorry to hear and I feel like an assjack for not sending my thoughts to you when I commented on your IG post of this incredibly irresistible mug of love . So Glad to hear you are healing and feeling better and all is well. So Crazy, I was hit by someone a month ago with my 2 kids plus the 3 I transport after school. It has been quite the ordeal considering it was her fault. We are just now getting money as they totaled the van, but no new car for us. All will work out, just tough when there is a time crunch and not much available in our price range. Those unforeseen things happen in life sometimes and we just have to keep moving forward. But what is most important is that no one was hurt!
Well I can’t wait to try this recipe, staring at it isn’t going to get it in my hands 🙂
I’m so glad that you are recovering! That must have been terrifying.
I’ve been working on a hot chocolate recipe too! ‘Tis the season for it, right? Yours looks so creamy and indulgent!
This seems like the perfect balance of chocolate and sweet flavors, I’m with you many chocolate recipes are to intense, or bland so this is a new amazing blend. And with that topping, so delicious!
I’ve been chugging hot chocolate here in the frigid Chicago area. I can’t wait to try your recipe. I’ve made it with coconut milk before but I could taste the coconut. That’s not a bad thing, but I have to be in the mood. It looks delicious!
Thanks, Linda! That’s precisely why I use “lite” coconut milk because it leaves NO coconut taste at all, unlike the full fat kind. It is creamy and rich like dairy milk, but no off taste to take away from the hot chocolate. I’ve tried pretty much all the non-dairy milks and it is the best. I definitely don’t want to taste coconut either in my hot chocolate!
Brandi, I am so sorry to hear about the car accident! I am so glad you and your family are safe! I hope your aches heal soon. How scary!! Glad to see you are staying cozy with hot cocoa, that’s one of my faves too!
So sweet of you to say that Karissa, thank you very much!
I’m sorry about the accident but glad you’re okay now. This recipe looks pretty amazing and I haven’t had a good hot chocolate in decades!
Thank you so much Mary, give it a try!
Glad you are ok! <3
Thank you so much Stephanie!