Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix with just 3 ingredients makes a creamy dairy free hot chocolate. Perfect for gifting, or enjoying by a crackling fire.
This post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. I love working with Enjoy Life, and my family always has their products in our pantry because they are safe for all of us. All of Enjoy Life's products are free of the top-8 allergens, plus sesame and sulfites. Their Baking Chocolate is one of our favorites. Thank you for supporting the companies that I work with.
Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe
I still remember the first time I had real hot chocolate. It was better than any hot cocoa I'd ever had. Just a touch sweeter, and rich and creamy. It was served after a caroling event at my family's church when I was a teen.
Everyone raved about it, and asked for the recipe. Soon after, the hot chocolate recipe became a well-guarded secret but I managed to get my hands on the recipe.
The ingredients are simple. Milk, chocolate, and sugar. That is all you need.
It is very simple to make a vegan dairy free hot chocolate, if you have access to dairy free milk and vegan chocolate. If you have those ingredients, you can make this vegan hot chocolate mix right now! I combined the ingredients into an easy mix, so I can quickly make just a cup or two of dairy free hot chocolate.
If you've never made real hot chocolate, you are in for a treat! Especially if you are dairy free or vegan!
Before we get to the recipe, I have to clarify something.
What is the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?
Hot cocoa (vegan or not) is a thinner drink made with milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Hot chocolate (vegan or not) is creamier and richer because it is made with milk, sugar, and chocolate (and sometimes a little cocoa, for extra chocolaty measure). If it is "hot chocolate" it needs to actually have melted chocolate in it or it is just a good hot cocoa.
It often feels like "hot cocoa" and "hot chocolate" are used synonymously. This is a tragedy, because they really are very different. (And people calling "hot cocoa" "hot chocolate" is one of my pet peeves!)
You can't substitute cocoa for chocolate chips in a gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe, right? Of course it will turn out differently.
How do you make vegan hot chocolate mix?
It is surprisingly easy to make this vegan hot chocolate powder recipe.
You just need 3 ingredients to make this vegan hot chocolate recipe:
- Vegan Chocolate. I used Enjoy Life's Dark Chocolate Morsels since they only have 2 ingredients and are not only certified gluten-free, they are also certified paleo and are tested to ensure they are free of the top-8 allergens (including dairy, nuts, and peanuts).
- Sugar. I switch back and forth between coconut palm sugar and white sugar, both work great. You can use whichever works best for your diet. Really, any powdered sweetener would work, so you can try a stevia or monk fruit sweetener if you'd like.
- Cocoa powder. Really, cocoa powder could be skipped if you don't have it. I love mixing some in because it helps to add another layer of chocolate flavor. If you have dutch processed cocoa powder, this is the perfect time to pull it out. Dutch processed cocoa powder has been alkalized so it has a less acidic, sweeter taste. I think it actually tastes more chocolaty! Regular baking cocoa powder also works great.
The ingredients need a quick pulse in the blender or food processor, and then you can scoop your vegan hot chocolate powder into a jar to gift, or use yourself.
As an allergy-mom, I know I have am hesitant to accept food gifts even from those I know and trust unless there is an ingredient list attached.
To make it super easy for you to make and gift vegan hot chocolate mix, I created a printable homemade vegan hot chocolate mix label complete with directions and ingredients. Just write "to" and "from" on the back.
Click here to download the printable vegan hot chocolate mix label!
Click here to download the printable label using coconut sugar.
If you have a high-powdered blender, be careful to not process it too much, it can heat up and melt the chocolate. I have a Blend-Tec blender so I'll pulse it a few times, wait a few minutes, and then pulse it some more.
How to make homemade dairy free hot chocolate?
Once your vegan/ dairy free hot chocolate mix is ready, all you need to do to make a steaming mug of dairy free hot chocolate is to heat up your favorite dairy free milk and then mix in a scoop or three of dairy free hot chocolate powder.
I usually fill a mug with milk and heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. You can also heat milk in a small saucepan on the stove until it just starts to steam.
Don't forget some vegan marshmallows to top your dairy free hot chocolate!
If you are in the mood for a flavored dairy free hot chocolate, try my friend Cindy's Orange Hot Chocolate. I love adding orange zest to my morning latte, so her recipe sounds right up my alley!
How to make vegan hot chocolate creamy?
You are already using real chocolate, and blending the ingredients so they quickly melt into rich and creamy vegan hot chocolate.
Here are a few tips to make your vegan hot chocolate extra creamy:
- Use a frother. I like to use my battery powered milk frother to get it mixed up really well. It arates the milk, which make your vegan hot chocolate more creamy. I bought milk frother at Ikea, but they are also available at other stores and on Amazon.
- For super creamy, frothy vegan hot chocolate, you can use your blender to mix it up. It will froth the milk up, similar to a latte.
If you have a high-powered blender, like a Blend-Tec or Vitamix you can blend the dairy-free milk and milk free hot chocolate mix on the "soup" setting and then you don't have to even heat up your milk.
When I'm making creamy vegan hot chocolate for the whole family, I will pull out my blender. If I'm making vegan hot chocolate for just myself, I stick with my battery milk frother.
How to make vegan hot chocolate with cocoa powder?
You really can't make vegan hot chocolate with cocoa powder alone. Technically, you need chocolate to make hot chocolate. However, you can make a pretty mean vegan hot cocoa with cocoa powder.
I do have a recipe to make vegan Mexican hot chocolate using cocoa powder, I thickened it up with some cornstarch to make it thicker, like a hot chocolate.
My friend Megan from Allergy Awesomeness created a vegan hot cocoa mix using just sugar, cocoa powder, and a vanilla bean. Check out her recipe, because she has some tips and tricks so that you get the best, creamiest hot cocoa.
Make my dairy free hot chocolate mix recipe:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe
Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix with just 3 ingredients makes a creamy dairy free hot chocolate. Perfect for gifting, or enjoying by a crackling fire.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in your blender and pulse until combined into a powder.
- Store in an airtight container or jar.
- Don't forget to print off my free printable vegan hot chocolate label.
Notes
To prepare a cup of hot vegan hot chocolate, add a few tablespoons of vegan hot chocolate mix to a cup of steaming milk and mix to combine. Top with vegan marshmallows, or vegan whipped topping, if desired.
Don't forget to print off my free printable vegan hot chocolate label.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 3 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving Calories 241Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 2mgSodium 7mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 3gSugar 29gProtein 3g