Luxurious Vegan Hot Chocolate for a very delicious homemade treat yourself moment. It's very rich, sweet, ridiculously thick and creamy, and SO satisfying!
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4 words. Incredible Vegan Hot Chocolate.
This has been my winter companion for years and it's about time I shared the recipe with you. Bring on the hot chocolate cozies!
It's a bit of a game changer because once you've tried this utterly decadent, very THICK, creamy, supremely chocolatey hot chocolate, there will be no going back to a container of ready-made hot cocoa powder...You have been warned.
Not a chocolate fan? Give my warm and cozy Apple Crisp Macchiato or Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte a try instead!
Ingredients
Here is what you will be needing to make this heavenly homemade Vegan Hot Chocolate recipe:
And a few of ingredient notes:
- Chocolate - You can use dairy-free chocolate chips or the same quantity from a chocolate bar.
- Sugar - Any will do such as vegan white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar. You can use maple syrup or a granulated sweetener if you prefer.
- Cornstarch - This is what makes this hot chocolate extra special. It thickens the drink and makes it feel altogether more decadent. Almost like you're drinking melted chocolate!
- Milk - Use your favourite non-dairy milk. I recommend unsweetened although you could use sweetened then adjust the sugar in the recipe. The creamier the milk the more luxurious your hot chocolate will be!
- Salt - Don't skip it! It accentuates sweetness and suppresses bitterness, while also bringing out the flavor in the chocolate. It's really key to balancing the flavours.
Feel free to add a few drops of orange or peppermint extract to your vegan hot cocoa, or even a shot of espresso to make it a rich, decadent, mocha.
How To Make Vegan Hot Chocolate
You can be settled down, enjoying a mug of pure indulgence, in under 10 minutes. Here's how it's done:
- Warm the plant-based milk in a pan.
- Mix up the cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar and sea salt with a tiny bit of milk in a small bowl.
- When the pan of milk is just coming to a boil add the cocoa mixture and whisk constantly until thickened.
- Add the chocolate chips and as soon as they are melted remove from the heat, add the vanilla and pour into mugs.
The amount of chocolate chips to add is just a guide. In this recipe I advise measuring them with your heart ;O) The more you add the richer it gets!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover hot chocolate in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Warm gently in a pan on the stove. Add a little more plant milk to thin if necessary.
Topping Ideas
This is a very rich hot chocolate, that literally feels like drinking liquid chocolate. All it really needs is a dollop of vegan whipped cream. If you really want to push the boat out though, try topping with vegan marshmallows such as Dandies mini marshmallows, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, vegan chocolate sauce, or a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, cocoa or cinnamon.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using a creamy unsweetened dairy-free milk. The best ones to use are cashew milk, coconut milk, homemade almond milk, or oat milk (not homemade). Canned coconut milk is a great choice if you want an even thicker, richer, hot chocolate. Do not use homemade oat milk in this recipe because it becomes really thick and slimy when heated. Store-bought oat milk is fine to use though.
If you want to make your vegan hot chocolate ahead of time there are 2 options. Either let it cool and store covered in the fridge. Warm it through very gently in a pan on the stovetop when you're ready for it. Add a little more milk to thin if necessary. OR when freshly made and hot, pour into a slow cooker and set it to the keep warm setting for up to 2 hours. You can even double or triple the recipe if you're expecting a crowd!
Recipe
Incredible Vegan Hot Chocolate
Author:Ingredients
- 2½ cups (600 mls) creamy non-dairy milk , divided
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder , unsweetened
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch , or arrowroot
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt , not table salt
- 6 tablespoons (about 60 grams) chocolate chips , (or similar amount from a chocolate bar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- vegan whipped cream , for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the milk to a saucepan, reserving 2 tablespoons for the next step. Heat the milk in the pan over medium heat.
- While it’s heating, in a small bowl mix the cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add the 2 tablespoons of milk that you set aside and stir until thick, creamy and lump-free.
- When the milk has just reached a gentle boil, scoop in the cocoa mixture making sure to scrape the bowl out well so as not to waste any, and give it a good whisk.
- Keep whisking the hot chocolate gently (don't stop) for about 2 to 2½ minutes until it thickens up nicely.
- Add the chocolate chips, whisk until completely melted then turn off the heat and add the vanilla. Give it another quick whisk then serve immediately.
NOTES
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Chris says
Made this for the fam on Christmas Eve and everyone LOVED it!
MichelleO says
Decadent. Made exactly as written with almond milk. With 60 gm of dark chocolate, this is a special occasion beverage.
Will try this with monkfruit next time to eliminate the sugar.