Hot chocolate recipe made quick and easy without using a hot cocoa mix! Learn the ratio for the best hot chocolate made naturally and healthy with rich chocolate flavors of cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and your favorite milk!
We get so excited when Christmas rolls around because that means it is also hot chocolate season! This hot chocolate recipe takes less than 10 minutes to mix together and is so much more flavorful than any powdered mix.
When I was a kid, every Christmas I always loved going to the nativity scene at our Baptist church. It had live animals and was set outdoors where you walked through the scenes. My siblings and I loved it so much because as a treat we got go sip hot chocolate and hot apple cider along the way! And who doesn’t like a warming cup of hot cocoa when it’s cold outside?
That delicious Swiss Miss hot chocolate, I thought was the best hot chocolate drink in the world. Until I started making it from scratch.
This chocolate drink is beyond delicious and we love to top it with crushed peppermints and chopped milk chocolate morsels. You can melt chocolate chips into it to make it even richer, but I like to keep it low fat using just cocoa powder. Making this drink at home from scratch has become one of our favorite holiday traditions.
How to Make Hot Chocolate from Scratch
First gather your ingredients. For this hot chocolate recipe, you can use any milk you like. I make ours with almond milk because I prefer to keep it dairy free and vegan (less congestion!).
Here is what you need:
Milk: cow milk, goat milk or turn it into vegan hot chocolate using your favorite plant based milk such as almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk (not canned).
Cocoa powder: such as dark cocoa powder or baking cocoa powder that is unsweetened.
Maple syrup: which is a natural sugar and has antioxidants and minerals in it with fewer calories than honey.
Vanilla extract: just a little bit of vanilla compliments to chocolate. Only use this if the plant-based milk is unflavored.
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and heat on medium heat whisking continually. Heat until it is warm and the cocoa powder has dissolved into the milk.
Delightful Mom Food Tip: if you want it extra rich in chocolate double the amount of cocoa powder and add up to 1 more tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten to desired taste.
Is this hot chocolate recipe healthier than store-bought cocoa powder mix
Most hot chocolate mixes contain extra processed sugars and preservatives. Making homemade hot chocolate allows you to control how much sugar is added, plus there are no preservatives and only natural ingredients are used.
Favorite hot chocolate toppings
- Add crushed peppermint on top
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate shards
- Marshmallows
- Whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream)
My boys ask for hot chocolate all the time and it has started to be a nightly dessert treat if they finish all their dinner. I hope you enjoy this hot chocolate recipe as much as we do! Another great holiday drink recipe is my vegan eggnog for the adults 😊. Merry Christmas and Cheers!
Hot Chocolate Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk -unsweetened. Can use favorite milk such as cow milk, goat milk, cashew milk or coconut milk (not canned)
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (only use if the milk is original or unflavored and does not already have vanilla flavor in it)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup and vanilla. Heat on medium heat, whisking continuously. Heat until it is warm and the cocoa powder has dissolved and there are no visible chunks.
- Serve into two glasses and top with whipped cream or marshmallows, chopped chocolate and crushed peppermint candy.
Notes
Nutrition
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