Vegan Hot Chocolate Recipe from Scratch (2024)

An easy vegan hot chocolate recipe made from scratch using 6 wholesome ingredients, including cocoa powder and almond milk.

Bonus, this recipe is also gluten-free with sugar-free, low-carb options!

Table of contents

I love everything hot chocolate, from my Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe to my Protein Hot Chocolate with Protein Powder, but I often just want the classic. A vegan hot chocolate.

It’s super easy to make hot chocolate vegan and dairy-free at home! All you need are 6 simple ingredients, one saucepan, or a microwave.

Let me share below my tips to make the most delicious vegan hot chocolate with cocoa powder.

Ingredients for the best vegan hot chocolate

• Unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened cacao powder – this refers to 100% cocoa/cacao powder, with no added sugar and no added dairy milk powder. Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar, and both options work well in this recipe. Cacao powder has a bitter aftertaste because it is made from fermented beans that have not been roasted. Cacao powder also creates hot chocolate with a lighter color but with higher nutritional properties. Choose your favorite powder.
• Coconut sugar – or any crystal sweetener you love, including xylitol or erythritol for vegan keto hot chocolate. Keep in mind that these two sugar-free sweeteners have a slightly minty aftertaste and might upset your guts. Other options are unrefined cane sugar or maple syrup. Also, always start with the minimum amount of sugar and increase later to taste to avoid an overly sweet drink.
• Vegan chocolate chips, preferably dark chocolate chips, boost the cocoa flavor of your drink and avoid too sweet hot chocolate. This ingredient is optional, and you can skip it to make a vegan hot chocolate with cacao powder only! But your drink won’t be as thick, sweet, and chocolatey. You may also have to increase coconut sugar if you remove the chocolate chips.
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Soy milk or oat milk, or coconut milk – I highly recommend combining both almond milk and creamier non-dairy milk to create a smooth thick hot chocolate. Of course, you can also make this recipe only with almond milk. A vegan hot chocolate recipe with almond milk is a great option if you are after a lighter hot chocolate with fewer carbs.
• Vanilla extract or scrape vanilla seeds from vanilla beans.

How To Make Vegan Hot Chocolate

There is nothing easier. Add all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring over medium heat.

Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until the hot chocolate starts simmering, and the chocolate chips are melted.

How To Make A Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix

You can use the following recipe to prepare your own vegan chocolate mix powder.

For 12 servings of vegan hot chocolate mix, bring all the dry ingredients below into a sealed mason jar, shake the jar to evenly combine the ingredients, and store in the pantry for up to 3 months.

• 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened cacao powder.
• 1/3 cup of vegan dark chocolate chips.
• 1/3 cup of crystal sugar of choice – coconut sugar or unrefined cane sugar.

Using Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix

Place 2 tablespoons of the mix above in a saucepan along with 2 cups of non-dairy milk.

I always recommend 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk and 1 cup of creamier non-dairy milk like soy milk or oat milk.

Warm 2-3 minutes, stirring often, and serve with a touch of vanilla extract, cinnamon, or extra sweetener.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don’t have time to make this homemade vegan hot chocolate recipe or want to enjoy one on the go, let me answer a few important questions.