Easy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe
If you’re looking for the perfect dairy-free hot chocolate recipe that’s creamy, easy to make, and packed with chocolatey goodness, you’ve come to the right place! This hot chocolate is a game-changer for anyone avoiding dairy or refined sugar. With simple ingredients and a foolproof method, it’s the ultimate comfort drink for chilly evenings, Christmas morning, family gatherings, or a solo indulgence by the fire.
Servings: 6 cups
Equipment
Ingredients
Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- 5 cups plant-based milk of choice almond, coconut, oat (can sub regular milk)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk or heavy cream (if not dairy-free)
- 1 1/3 cup Lily's dairy and sugar free semi-sweet chocolate chips see notes for more subs
- 1/4-1/3 cup granulated monk fruit adjust to taste See notes for more substitutes
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional, to enhance flavor
High Protein Option
- 1-2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder You may need to adjust the sweetner if using protein powder
Instructions
Crockpot
- Combine Ingredients: In a crockpot, whisk together almond milk, coconut milk, cocoa powder, and salt until the cocoa powder is mostly dissolved.
- Add Chocolate Chips & Sweetener: Stir in the chocolate chips and honey (or your preferred sweetener).
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure the chocolate melts evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Add Vanilla: After 2 hours, stir in the vanilla extract, taste for sweetness and adjust sweetness or cocoa flavor as desired.
- Serve: Ladle into mugs, and top with dairy-free whipped cream or marshmallows if desired.
Stove-top
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the plant-based milk and unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk together over medium heat until the cocoa is fully dissolved.
- Stir in the full-fat coconut milk (or heavy cream) and continue heating until the mixture is warm but not boiling.
- Add the chocolate chips, stirring constantly to melt them evenly. Lower the heat if necessary to prevent scorching.
- Gradually add the granulated monk fruit sweetener, adjusting to taste. Stir until fully dissolved. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (if using). Taste and adjust sweetness or cocoa flavor as desired.
- Ladle into mugs, and top with dairy-free whipped cream or marshmallows if desired.
Notes
Substitutes: If you are not dairy free, sub heavy cream for the canned coconut milk and regular whole or 2% milk for the plant-based milk
If you are not sugar-free but dairy-free, below are great chocolate chips to sub
- Hu Kitchen
- Enjoy Life
- Honey – It adds a subtle floral note. Start with 1/3 cup and adjust to taste
- Maple Syrup – For a warm, earthy flavor. Start with 1/3 cup and adjust to taste
- Coconut Sugar – It has a mild caramel taste.
- Monk Fruit Sweetener – Use 1:1 for granulated monk fruit blends or adjust for pure monk fruit extract (much sweeter).
- Allulose – Use 1:1 for sweetness. Dissolves well and mimics sugar's texture.
- Erythritol – Use 1:1 for sweetness, though it may have a slight cooling aftertaste.
- Hot Chocolate Float: Rim a glass with dairy-free chocolate sauce and shaved chocolate. Add 1 cup of hot chocolate along with 1 scoop of dairy-free ice cream or a scoop of Halo Top Ice Cream for lower sugar (if not dairy-free).
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Add 1/2-1 tsp peppermint extract. Garnish with crushed sugar-free peppermint candies. 1/2 tsp for mild peppermint flavor or 1 tsp for strong flavor.
- Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate: Add 2-3 tbsp peanut butter.
- Mocha Hot Chocolate: Add 1 tbsp instant espresso powder.
- Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate: Add 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
- High-Protein: Add 1-2 scoops of your favorite vanilla protein. You may need to adjust the sweetner.
- Alcoholic: See the variations section in the blog post.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Fiber: 15g