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Paleo & Vegan Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

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Ultra thick & creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate recipe for serious chocolate lovers. Made from scratch & ready in 15 minutes! #homemade

Front view of a mug of Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate with toasted marshmallows

The temperatures are dropping, snow is falling, and Thanksgiving has come and gone…which can only mean one thing…Christmas season is HERE! There are so many wonderful things about this time of the year, the lights, the smells, the love in in the air. I just adore it! And absolutely nothing beats coming inside after playing in the snow, curling up with a blanket and a warm cup of cocoa and watching a Christmas movie!

This Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate is no joke. Only serious chocolate lovers should keep reading this post, because it truly is a chocolatey dream come true.

Ultra-rich, insanely thick, and so creamy you won’t believe it. Plus, this dreamy drink is vegan and paleo-friendly! So even my dairy-avoiding friends can enjoy the goodness of the holiday season! Make a batch of these homemade marshmallows {which are also paleo} and you will be in serious hot-chocolate heaven!

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Front view of Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate being poured into a mug

How to make Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Quick and easy! 

This vegan hot chocolate is made on the stovetop in 15 minutes flat! After an afternoon of building snowmen, you can have a batch ready to go before your kids get all of their snow gear off! 😉 Add some toasted marshmallows and cozy up with a warm mug of cocoa bliss.

Let it sit. 

The longer this paleo hot chocolate sits, the more it will thicken up! I have forgotten about it and it’s transformed into more of a super thick drinking chocolate than hot cocoa! If this happens, simply reheat it and add a splash of non-dairy milk if necessary!

Makes four servings.

 This recipe makes enough dairy-free hot chocolate for up to four people because it’s super rich. I make a batch for my family and all four of us (because Naomi is a bit too little to drink hot chocolate) have plenty to enjoy!

Overhead view of Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate in a mug with toasted marshmallows

Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate: Substitutions

As written, this recipe results in an extra-dark hot cocoa. There are a few substitutions you can make to adjust the sweetness and chocolate intensity to cater to your family’s tastes!

  • Full-fat coconut milk. You can substitute regular whole milk if you do not need a dairy-free option. I do not recommend using almond milk because it is much less creamy than coconut milk. The creamier the milk you choose, the better your hot cocoa will be. If you’re looking for a lower calorie version, I have had great success with Silk’s almond/coconut blend!
  • Chopped Chocolate. Any chocolate will do here (chips or a chopped bar), of any cocoa content. I use 70% dark chocolate because to me, darker is better! However my husband and kids prefer when I use milk chocolate. No matter how what you use you really can’t go wrong as long as you choose a high-quality chocolate! To make this totally refined sugar free, choose an unsweetened chocolate variety and then increase the amount of coconut sugar by 1 TBS!
  • Granulated sugar. The amount and type of sugar used in this recipe can be adjusted to your liking. I use 3 TBS of regular granulated sugar, which produces a super-dark dairy-free hot chocolate. If you want it sweeter use 4 TBS. If you are looking for a paleo version use coconut sugar!
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder.  The only adjustment to make here is the amount. I use a full 1 TBS of cocoa powder to make a super dark, rich dairy-free hot cocoa! You can adjust the amount to your tastes!

Up close side view of dairy-free hot chocolate in a mug with toasted marshmallows

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Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Ultra thick & creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate recipe for serious chocolate lovers. Made from scratch & ready in 15 minutes! 

Course Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine American
Keyword dairy-free hot chocolate, paleo hot chocolate, vegan hot chocolate
Prep Time 5 minutes
Resting time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 Servings (about 1/2 cup each)
Calories 220.5 kcal
Author Laura

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add coconut milk and chocolate to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted.
  2. Add sugar, salt and cocoa powder and whisk until completely combined.
  3. Stir in vanilla.
  4. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove from heat and let cocoa sit (covered) for 5 minutes before serving to thicken.

Recipe Notes

*If you like sweeter hot cocoa, use 4 TBS of sugar. Use coconut sugar for a paleo option.
*If you like sweeter hot cocoa, use ½ TBS cocoa powder.

Nutrition Facts
Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup)
Calories 220.5 Calories from Fat 122
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13.6g 21%
Saturated Fat 9.1g 46%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.2g
Sodium 66.3mg 3%
Potassium 100mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1.7g 7%
Sugars 22.5g
Protein 1.2g 2%
Calcium 4.4%
Iron 5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Overhead side view of a mug of Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate recipe with marshmallows

I absolutely love December. I am so excited to enjoy all the fun festivities this time of year brings! Everyone needs a stellar hot chocolate recipe in their arsenal…and this one is IT! So easily adaptable to fit any dietary need or taste, ready in minutes and super delicious!

Is hot chocolate an essential part of your Christmas celebrations? Have you tried making your own? 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!

Ultra thick & creamy Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate recipe for serious chocolate lovers. Made from scratch & ready in 15 minutes! #homemade #hotchocolate #healthyrecipe #paleo #vegan #chocolate #winter #glutenfree #dairyfree
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hot chocolate is one of my favorite comfort foods. I have tried countless GF & DF recipes but they all left me disappointed UNTIL NOW! Dreams do come true and yes — they can be DF AND GF!! Thanks for this delicious recipe!

    Reply

  2. Ok Laura, you’ve done it AGAIN! This is fantastic and so super creamy! We used nearly 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and it was a touch sweet for me, but most definitely not for the littles. My 2 year old son with a dairy allergy just downed half the batch after playing in the snow! You should see the sweet mess all over his little face right now…. squeal. This hot cocoa is the lightly charred marshmallow on top of a perfect Chicago snow day! Thank you!

    Reply

  9. Haha – serious chocolate lovers only!! That is definitely me. This looks amazing. I’ve been wanting to try a homemade hot chocolate since it started getting chilly so I can’t wait to try this recipe! And those marshmallows on top are perfect!!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Emily! That is so kind and means so much to me! Both of my older kids loved this! Trader Joe’s even sells vegan marshmallows so your little one could enjoy those too! 😉

      Reply

  25. Thick, creamy, and delicious I love it! It’s like a version I make with my favorite maca chocolate! Definitely making this soon, thank you for sharing. I LOVE the toasted marshmallows!

    Reply

  28. I have been seriously craving hot chocolate for WEEKS now. I have a mug a night! This dairy-free hot chocolate looks and sounds outstanding! I’m with you – I much prefer a darker, richer hot cocoa. Totally going to be trying this one out!

    Reply

    • Thank you Chelsey! To be totally honest I do keep some packets of hot cocoa on hand for cocoa emergencies….organic though! 😉 This beats the pants off of that though!

      Reply

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