The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate
The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate- Made with just 5-ingredients, this dairy-free hot chocolate has a luxurious creamy texture and is packed with nutrients. Each servings has 12 grams of protein!
I’ve been making this vegan hot chocolate every year for over a decade and it will forever be my family’s favorite. While it might be *slightly* more involved than microwaving a packet of Swiss Miss, I promise the effort is worth it.
This dairy-free hot chocolate not only has a luxurious creamy texture but packs superfood nutrients to boot. We’re talking antioxidants, minerals, healthy fats, protein and even fiber. It will give you all the feel good vibes of a rich hot chocolate without the awful sugar crash afterwards.
The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate Ingredients
- Cacao Powder- Cacao is raw and minimally processed which helps it maintain all of those wonderful antioxidants and minerals. It tends to taste slightly more bitter compared to cocoa powder but the sweetness from the dates helps offset the bitterness.
- Medjool Dates- Because we’re using dates, you will need to use a high speed blender to break them down properly. Be sure to remove the pit prior to adding them to the recipe.
- Tahini- I love the subtle nutty flavor of tahini in this hot chocolate. It’s also key to giving it a rich and creamy texture while also imparting healthy fats and minerals. If you don’t have tahini, almond butter makes the best substitute.
- Dark Chocolate Chips- To keep the recipe vegan, be sure your chocolate chips are dairy-free. You can use sugar-free chocolate chips if you want the hot chocolate to be refined sugar-free.
- Dairy-free Milk- I like to use soy milk for its high protein content but any kind of non-dairy milk works. Just be sure it is unsweetened otherwise your hot chocolate will be on the sweeter side.
How to Make Dairy-free Hot Chocolate
- Place everything in a pot over medium-low heat. Cook until simmering then shut off heat. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender (such as a NutriBullet, Beast or Vitamix) and blend until smooth and creamy. If your blender is small you may have to blend it in batches.
- Divide into 2 mugs. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows, if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
More Vegan Holiday Treats To Try
- The Best Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Vegan Gingerbread Loaf
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-free Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-free Gingerbread Men
The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate
Made with just 5-ingredients, this dairy-free hot chocolate has a luxurious creamy texture and is packed with nutrients. Each servings has 12 grams of protein!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 20 ounces dairy-free milk, 2½ cups
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon tahini , or almond butter
- pinch of salt, optional
- dairy-free whipped cream or marshmallows , for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Warm over medium-low heat until gently simmering. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste test to see if you prefer a pinch of salt and adjust accordingly.
- Pour into separate mugs then garnish with desired toppings. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts are an estimate and may vary depending on specific ingredients you choose. They do not include toppings.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 0.1mg, Sodium: 109mg, Potassium: 725mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 629IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 394mg, Iron: 5mg
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
Mmmmmmm!! I love thick creamy hot chocolate, and to have some that is actually good for you? Win win!! Here’s to a cozy rainy weekend with a big mug of chocolatey goodness! :)
I hope you’re having a great weekend, Melissa! Cheers! :)
Sounds like a great tradition! David and I are starting a tradition of drinking mulled wine while we decorate the tree. We’ll see how long it lasts once we actually have kids — haha. I hope the rain continues, too! Though I’m seeing it’s not gonna rain again until Sunday, which is okay with me because we’re heading to Anderson Valley tomorrow for some wine tastings with friends! Have a great time decorating. :)
I saw you guys making mulled wine on Snapchat and the slow-mo snap was hilarious! I had a good laugh at that one. Oh and btw, David is right, you are saying mulled wrong, lol. That’s okay though, it sounds cuter the way you say it. ;)
I hope you guys had a great time in Anderson Valley!
I love cashew milk for drinks like these because it’s so creamy! I bet the tahini makes it even creamier. Genius!!
Oh yes! Between the two, it makes it so creamy. Thanks Emilie! :)
Chocolate, dates, and [almond butter]?!? That basically speaks to my soul <3 I adore hot chocolate, but I'll admit that I never would have thought to add dates to the mix… and that just sounds absolutely brilliant. I love the idea of throwing some tahini in there too! Have I ever told you that you're a genius? ;)
I figured you would like this one! All it needs it some oats, right? ;)
Wow this looks delicious and the shots are absolutely stunning! :D I love that you added tahini, never thought of that before. I eat tahini almost everyday – I’m obsessed with the stuff :D
Thank you so much, Nadia! :)
Thanks Jill! I hope you love it. Have a great weekend! :)
We usually decorate at night but if it were during the day, there would definitely be some mimosas involved. They’re my favorite!
Tis’ the season! ;)
Thanks Medha! The tahini makes it so creamy. You should definitely give it a try sometime!
Thanks Stef! I hope you love it! :)
Haha, I always use the rain as an excuse to it inside and watch tv too! I haven’t had hot chocolate yet this season but I think I smelled some the other day at work and it really made me want some! I love your vegan version!
Something so wonderful about late Fall and Winter is that I have time to watch movies that’s been on my list since summer… I don’t spent as much time in doors during summer… so now’s the time! And yeah… it’s been pouring here too! What a delicious recipe, Sarah. I’m curious about the tahini.. what a great way to get some healthy fats in while enjoying a delicious cup of hot cocoa… while watching a movie!
Hi!
I made this last night for a dinner party to go with a desert also on this website. It was amazing!
However as a side note id like to warn people that my blenders lid popped up due to heat and pressure (which i didn’t think about before hand) and hot liquid went everywhere! So please be careful!
Oh no! I’m so sorry that happened. Hopefully you are okay!
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