Are in search of the BEST healthy hot chocolate? You've come to the right place! This is sweet, chocolatey, velvety, and decadent. It truly is the perfect healthy hot chocolate recipe for a cold winter day.
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This is one of my first blog posts EVER. I shared this back on January 26, 2016, when I was still taking blog pics with my cell phone, babbling for a few seconds, and then hitting publish. I've gotten much more intentional about blog posts over the last 3 years. I may still babble a bit but the days of cell phone pics are long gone.
Original post:
There is something about hot chocolate on a cold winter day. We got 27.5 inches of snow this past weekend and the kids have been begging for hot chocolate at least three times a day. Yes, you read that correctly, 27.5. School was canceled today and is already canceled for tomorrow. There is so much snow there is nowhere to put it. Most side streets are down to one lane and cars keep getting stuck everywhere. In light of all the snow (and snow day number two) I finally caved and made myself some hot chocolate.
This is the best dairy-free hot chocolate I've ever tried. I'm doing the turtle fuel cycle in the new thm book so I'm back to dairy free for at least this week and probably next. I lose weight very very slowly if I eat dairy daily.
Anyway, I've been on the hunt for the perfect healthy comfort beverage and this is the winner. It is sweet, frothy, chocolatey, and creamy while being dairy and sugar-free. This is a THM S.
Tip: Just don't be overzealous like I was and burn your tongue with your eagerness to taste it. As every fast food hot beverage cup says "Caution: Contains Hot Liquid."
And that was it. But this is a great hot chocolate recipe. Truly. So I thought some new photos and a bit more text was long overdue!
Ingredients in Healthy Homemade Hot Chocolate
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Sugar-Free Sweetener
Cocoa Powder or Raw Cacao
Refined Coconut Oil
Sea Salt
Also, do you see that lovely lace runner in the photos? It is my new favorite thing ever. It is a Trivet Runner. It looks like a table runner but you can put hot dishes on it! Since we serve dinner right from pots and pans most of the time it is much easier than arranging a bunch of individual trivets on the table. I have one on my dining table and one on my kitchen island. It is truly one of the coolest inventions ever. See it on Amazon here!
Common Questions for Healthy Hot Chocolate
Can I sub in another sweetener?
I have a hand sweetener guide at the bottom of the recipe card. It is very easy to substitute another sweetener in beverage recipes. This is one case where you can just taste as you go. It is trickier to substitute sweeteners in candies and when baking. But in hot chocolate recipes, it is easy!
Can I melt the sweetener without another liquid?
Yup! My blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia melts without any liquid added. If you are using another sweetener it would be best to just melt it in the hot liquid to be on the safe side.
Can I use heavy cream, half and half, or a different nut milk in place of the almond milk?
Yes, you can sub in any nut milk, cream, or a combination!
Other Hot Chocolate Recipes to try:
Crock Pot Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Peppermint White Hot Chocolate
And make sure to try this Dairy Free Eggnog from my friend Molly!
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 12 oz unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
- tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan heat the sweetener over medium-low heat until it is melted.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and the almond milk. When smooth add the salt and coconut oil and whisk until it comes to a simmer.
- Use an immersion blender to blend until frothy. (You can transfer to a regular blender but be careful with blending the hot liquid). Enjoy your hot chocolate!
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 26, 2016. Revised and republished December 3, 2018.
Tracey Leeder says
This is phenomenal!! It really hit the spot. Hot chocolate is a weakness for ne, and this is almost like a dessert. Thank you so much, I am enjoying this recipe so much.
Wilma says
Is this keto?! No?
Taryn says
Yes, it has 4 NET carbs for a big serving. The 10 total carbs come mainly from cocoa powder which has a lot of fiber.
Christine Murray says
Can you leave out the coconut oil and sub almond with coconut milk?
Taryn says
Sure
April says
Hi Taryn! Can this be made and reheated for later, or is it better to drink as soon as it's made? I want to make this for after dinner tonight, so I'd like to get it done now and just reheat it.
Taryn says
It's fine to reheat. You might need to give a good mix again though.
Helen says
This sounds yummy! I wonder how it would taste with half of the milk and half coffee. A mocha of sorts.
Taryn says
Good! I have a mocha recipe that's similar to that.
Sharon says
Thanks for a yummy hot chocolate! I love it! It is so rich and I love the taste! I have been putting collagen in my hot tea but now I'm putting it in here!I am always looking for ways to drink my collagen! 😀
kathyinozarks says
wow is that sodium content correct over 450?? I was loving this recipe til I noticed that-thanks
Taryn says
I just checked and it was miscalculated. I fixed it and it is quite a bit lower. You can also skip the pinch of salt if you prefer.
Amy says
This was THE best hot chocolate!!
Gabriela says
Yum.... soooo good. I did burn my tongue a bit because I couldn't wait! But it was worth it. 😉Thanks for the recipe. 😊
Cora Lienert says
I am allergic to nuts and peanuts. This includes coconut and almond. What can I substitute.
Taryn says
You could use half and half.
Sheri Fleming says
This was definitely a "drinking chocolate". If you want a regular hot chocolate, use this as a base and use 1/3rd of this and add rest almond milk.