A warm and cosy cup of cocoa deliciousness can be yours in just 5 minutes! We love this easy vegan hot chocolate with just 4 simple ingredients. Plus, you’ll have your own vegan hot chocolate mix to keep in the cupboard for next time.
For me, nothing beats a mug of hot chocolate! I don't drink tea or coffee, but offer me a cup of vegan hot chocolate and my eyes will light up!
This easy recipe is a great alternative to buying vegan hot chocolate powder. And because there's actual chocolate in it, it tastes way better!
We find it super convenient to keep a jar of this vegan hot chocolate mix in the cupboard, ready for when that chocolate craving comes calling. Enjoy!
Ingredient tips
All you need to make the hot choclate mix is some cocoa powder and sugar, plus some vegan chocolate for that extra richness.
Then of course you'll want some non-dairy milk at the time you want to enjoy a comforting cup of vegan hot chocolate.
Ingredients FAQ
It’s really up to you! Choose a plant based milk that you like the taste of.
∙ I personally really like oat milk in my hot chocolate, as it has a neutral taste and natural creaminess.
∙ Although we use soy milk a lot in our vegan baking recipes, I don’t like the taste of it in hot chocolate so much, but if you are a fan, give it a go!
∙ A milk such as almond, cashew or hazelnut adds a lovely nutty note.
∙ Canned coconut milk will make a thicker hot chocolate with a touch of coconut flavour. It’s especially convenient if you want to make hot chocolate when you are camping without a fridge - you can even get dried coconut milk powder too.
If your milk is sweetened, then you might want to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe.
A lot of dark chocolate is naturally vegan, just double check the ingredients to see that it doesn’t contain milk, butter or other animal products. For this recipe we recommend a good quality bittersweet or 70% cocoa content chocolate.
To find ethically produced vegan chocolate, The Food Empowerment Project’s Chocolate List is a great resource. We often use this organic chocolate.
For us the amount of sugar in this recipe suits our tastes perfectly, but if you know you are looking for a less sweet hot chocolate then reduce the amount in the mix to your taste!
If you are in the US, do check if your sugar is vegan, as bone char is sometimes used in the processing. Organic sugar, or sugar made from beets, is typically vegan.
If you want to make your vegan hot chocolate without regular sugar, then you can experiment with using alternatives such as coconut sugar in the hot chocolate mix, or adding maple syrup to taste when you are heating the milk.
Step by step
Here's a visual guide for how to make vegan hot chocolate. You'll find the full written recipe in the card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - Make the dry mix: Chop the chocolate and place it in a blender or food processor together with the cocoa powder and sugar.
Step 2 - Blend until everything is well mixed and there are no lumps of chocolate left.
Step 3 - Make vegan hot chocolate: Gently heat the plant-based milk in a saucepan or jug until hot and steaming, or until it just starts simmering.
Step 4 - Add and whisk in 3 tablespoons of dry mix per cup of plant-based milk.
Then simply pour into mugs and enjoy a warm cup of vegan hot chocolate!
Variations
We’ve kept our vegan hot cocoa mix really simple and delicious, but it’s easy to vary if you want to spice it up! Try adding some...
- Ground cinnamon, cardamon or a pinch of chili powder
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract or crushed vegan candy canes
Serving
This vegan hot cocoa is both delicious served plain or with some yummy vegan whipped cream and vegan marshmallows for extra indulgence!
If you are looking for a vegan brand of marshmallows, try Dandies or Freedom Mallows.
If you aren't planning to serve the hot chocolate immediately, then put a lid on the pan to keep warm and reheat if necessary. Or if you have a slow cooker you can use the keep warm setting.
Storage
The blended mix should be kept in an airtight jar and stored in a cool, dry place. It should keep well for several months.
More vegan chocolate recipes
We hope you enjoy this easy vegan hot chocolate! If you are a big fan of chocolate like me, I can also recommend these choco-tastic recipes:
This Easy Vegan Chocolate Tart (with just 4 ingredients)
Our Vegan Chocolate Fondue - it's oh so indulgent!
And these Chocolate and Orange Truffles that are just delicious. Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
Vegan hot chocolate mix (for 4 servings)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
- ¼ cup chopped (40 g) vegan dark chocolate
To make 1 cup of hot chocolate
- 1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk unsweetened oat, soy, almond...
- 3 tbsp vegan hot chocolate mix
Instructions
Make the mix
- Roughly chop the chocolate into small bits. This makes it easier to blend.
- Place the sugar, cocoa powder and the chopped chocolate in a blender or food processor. Blend until you have a fine, uniform powder.¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder, ¼ cup chopped (40 g) vegan dark chocolate, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Make hot chocolate
- Gently heat up plant-based milk of your choice (oat is our favourite) until steaming hot and just about simmering. See notes for different heating methods.1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk
- Add in the prepared dry mix and whisk until fully dissolved. Use 3 level tablespoons of dry mix per 1 cup of non-dairy milk.3 tbsp vegan hot chocolate mix
- Pour into mugs ready for serving. Optionally top and decorate with vegan whipped cream, vegan marshmallows, chocolate shavings, etc.
Notes
Heating up plant-based milk
The hot chocolate powder melts best when the non-dairy milk is properly hot. A microwave is a convenient way to heat up small amounts of plant milk in individual mugs, ideal for making just one or two cups of hot chocolate. Start with 1 minute on high power and continue in 30 second intervals (to prevent the contents boiling over) until the non-dairy milk is steaming hot. Careful when taking the mug out of the microwave, it might be very hot! To use the stovetop (hob) to heat up the non-dairy milk, place the liquid in a saucepan or heatproof jug suitable for use on the stove. If you are a lazy stirrer or distracted, use medium heat. You can use medium-high or high heat as long as you keep an eye on it and stir the non-dairy milk frequently to keep it from catching and boiling over. When the non dairy milk is hot enough to be almost simmering, turn off the heat and stir in the hot chocolate powder.Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
Elaine says
Is the chocolate you recommend palm-oil free? I try to avoid palm oil when I can - products never state whether the oil is sustainably sourced or not. Thanks
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Elaine, happy to say that this chocolate we recommend in the post is palm oil free, and great for cooking and baking.
Most vegan dark chocolate we get has only cocoa butter, cocoa solids, sugar, an emulsifier like lecithin, and perhaps some vanilla extract. That's all a good dark chocolate needs in our opinion 🙂 Enjoy!