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    Home » Dairy Free Hot Chocolate

    Dairy Free Hot Chocolate

    Published: Nov 28, 2016 · Modified: Jan 9, 2023 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This ultra thick & creamy dairy-free hot chocolate recipe is for serious chocolate lovers. It's made from scratch in 15 minutes with 6 ingredients! Truly is the best Paleo and vegan hot chocolate you will ever drink!

    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, hot chocolate season has arrived!

    This dairy-free hot chocolate recipe is amazing. It's rich and creamy and perfect for those of you who love hot cocoa but need to make it dairy-free.

    This recipe is actually vegan and can be made Paleo as well!

    Because nothing beats coming inside after playing in the snow, curling up with a blanket and a warm cup of cocoa (like this peanut butter hot chocolate) and watching a Christmas movie! And just because you can't eat dairy doesn't mean you should have to miss you!

    Make a batch of these homemade marshmallows (which are also paleo) and you will be in serious hot-chocolate heaven!

    dairy free hot chocolate being poured into a mug

    Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate: Substitutions

    As written, this dairy free hot chocolate 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.

    overhead photo of the ingredients in this dairy free hot chocolate recipe
    • Full-fat coconut milk. You can use coconut cream to make it extra thick. I do not recommend using almond milk because it is much less creamy than coconut milk. However, I have had great success with Silk's almond/coconut blend!
    • Chopped Chocolate. Any form of chocolate works well (chips, discs or a chopped bar). You can choose the darkness of the chocolate, I use 70% dark chocolate, but have also use 60%, semisweet, and even milk chocolate. If you use unsweetened chocolate, add 1-2 Tablespoons more sugar (or to taste).
    • Granulated sugar. The amount and type of sugar used in this recipe can be adjusted to your liking. For a paleo version use coconut sugar, or honey or maple syrup.
    • 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.
    a mug of dairy free hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows

    How to make Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

    Let's walk through how to make dairy-free hot chocolate together!

    Begin by combining the coconut milk, granulated sugar, sea salt and cocoa powder in a 3-quart saucepan.

    Then, warm the mixture over medium heat, whisking often until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

    two photos showing how to make dairy free hot chocolate in a pot

    Once the mixture is smooth, add the chocolate and vanilla and whisk until the chocolate is melted. This takes about 5 minutes.

    next, remove the pot from the heat and let the dairy free hot cocoa sit (covered) for 5 minutes before serving to thicken.

    Note. The longer this recipe sits, the thicker it becomes. 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.

    two photos showing how to make dairy free hot chocolate in a pot

    Serve

     Pour into 4 mugs and serve warm with marshmallows. This recipe makes enough dairy-free hot chocolate for up to four people because it's very rich.

    a mug of dairy free hot chocolate

    Store

    Leftovers should be stored in a glass jar with a lid for up to 5 days. I actually love putting leftover dairy free hot chocolate in my coffee in the morning!

    a mug of dairy free hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the best non-dairy milk for hot chocolate?

    Full-fat coconut milk is definitely the best choice.

    What are some dairy-free chocolate options?

    Here are some of my favorite paleo/vegan/dairy free chocolate options.
    Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems. This is my favorite paleo chocolate. These gems are delicious and easy to toss into cookies (no bar chopping required).
    Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. You can also buy dark chocolate bars and chop them up to toss into these paleo chocolate chip cookies.
    Lily's Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
    Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.

    a mug of dairy free hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate (Paleo & Vegan)

    Laura
    This ultra thick & creamy dairy-free hot chocolate recipe is for serious chocolate lovers. It's made from scratch in 15 minutes with 6 ingredients! Truly is the best Paleo and vegan hot chocolate you will ever drink!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Resting time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Dessert, Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 Servings (about ½ cup each)
    Calories 220.5 kcal

    Equipment

    • 3 quart saucepan
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • whisk

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 15 oz coconut milk
    • 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
    • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder*
    • 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate (about ½ cup)
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Combine coconut milk, granulated sugar, sea salt and cocoa powder in a 3-quart saucepan.
    • Warm the mixture over medium heat, whisking often until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
    • Add chocolate and vanilla and whisk until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and let cocoa sit (covered) for 5 minutes before serving to thicken.**

    Video

    Notes

    *for a darker version, use 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder. 
    **The longer this recipe sits, the thicker it becomes. If it becomes too thick, simply reheat it and add a splash of non-dairy milk.
    Ingredient Substitutions
    • Full-fat coconut milk. You can use coconut cream to make it extra thick. I do not recommend using almond milk because it is much less creamy than coconut milk. However, I have had great success with Silk's almond/coconut blend!
    • Chopped Chocolate. Any form of chocolate works well (chips, discs or a chopped bar). You can choose the darkness of the chocolate, I use 70% dark chocolate, but have also use 60%, semisweet, and even milk chocolate. If you use unsweetened chocolate, add 1-2 Tablespoons more sugar (or to taste).
    • Granulated sugar. The amount and type of sugar used in this recipe can be adjusted to your liking. For a paleo version use coconut sugar, or honey or maple syrup.
    • 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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 220.5kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 1.2gFat: 13.6gSaturated Fat: 9.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.2gSodium: 66.3mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 22.5gCalcium: 44mgIron: 0.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    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! 

    « Thankful. 2016
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carly

      December 15, 2020 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      Best hot chocolate that I have ever had!

      Reply
    2. Danielle Bowcut

      November 30, 2018 at 11:44 pm

      5 stars
      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
      • Laura

        December 01, 2018 at 7:21 am

        LOL Danielle I'm SO glad you enjoyed this recipe! You must have my taste in chocolate treats...bold, rich and dark! 😉

        Reply
    3. laura

      February 09, 2018 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      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
      • Laura

        February 13, 2018 at 2:33 pm

        Thank you Laura! This is one of my favorite recipes ever!

        Reply
    4. carissa

      December 13, 2017 at 8:39 pm

      can't wait to try this - thank you! question: what brand of chocolate and cocoa powder would you recommend?

      Reply
    5. Meg @ With Salt and Wit

      December 10, 2016 at 4:57 pm

      I LOVE a couple things about this recipes! I love that it is dairy free but what I love most is the toasted marshmallows! Your picture is to perfection!

      Reply
      • Laura

        December 12, 2016 at 2:56 pm

        Thank you Meg!

        Reply
    6. Casey

      December 08, 2016 at 7:21 pm

      Looks delicious!! And also I just have to mention how beautiful that cup and saucer are!! Xox.

      Reply
      • Laura

        December 12, 2016 at 2:51 pm

        Thank you Case! Home Goods is my happy place... 😉

        Reply
    7. Jen

      December 02, 2016 at 5:10 pm

      This recipe is so simple and it looks amazing! Those marshmallows!

      Reply
      • Laura

        December 06, 2016 at 8:55 am

        Than you Jen! <3

        Reply
    8. Allie @ Miss Allie's Kitchen

      December 02, 2016 at 11:04 am

      Oh gosh, YUMM! I use full fat coconut milk in my version, too! So so sooo good!

      Reply
      • Laura

        December 06, 2016 at 8:55 am

        Coconut milk is the best!

        Reply
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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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