This Paleo Hot Chocolate is a warm, cozy drink for a cold day.
You just need a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes to whip up a healthier version of the classic treat.
Whether you make it as a Paleo Hot Chocolate or a Paleo Hot Cocoa, it’s dairy-free and refined sugar-free. And it’s easy to make it vegan or keto, too!
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I’ll automatically receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.)
Why this recipe works
A cup of smooth, creamy hot chocolate is one of the best treats on a cold day.
But most recipes and mixes include dairy and white sugar, so I wanted to create a dairy-free, refined sugar-free, Paleo version.
But don’t worry. You won’t need any special ingredients – everything can be found at a basic grocery store.
Instead of regular milk, this recipe uses unsweetened almond milk.
And to make sure there’s no dairy at all, you can use cocoa powder (or cacao powder) or unsweetened dairy-free chocolate.
Sugar gets swapped out for honey. You can use maple syrup to make it vegan or a liquid keto sweetener to make it keto.
And that’s it! Just a few ingredients and it takes less than 10 minutes to make.
And it’s also great for dunking cookies, such as these Paleo Shortbread or these Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 4 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or cacao powder) OR 1 scant cup chopped unsweetened chocolate (about 5 oz.)
- 4-6 tablespoons honey (4 tablespoons if using cocoa powder, 6 if using chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment:
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- a measuring glass
- a medium saucepan (2-3 quart)
- a whisk or heat-proof spatula
- mugs for serving
How to make Paleo Hot Chocolate
Step 1
Pour the almond milk into a 2-3 quart saucepan.
Step 2
Add the cocoa powder or chopped chocolate, plus the honey.
Place over medium heat.
Step 3
As the milk heats up, occasionally whisk (if using cocoa) or stir with a spatula (if using chocolate) to blend the ingredients.
Step 4
Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, take it off the heat and whisk or stir in the vanilla.
Pour into mugs and enjoy!
FAQ
– You can use vanilla almond milk and omit the vanilla extract.
– You can try other nut milks such as cashew or macadamia.
– You can add a cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon (remove the stick before serving).
– You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
– You can add other spices such as ground cardamom or ground ginger.
– You can add a drop or two of peppermint extract or almond extract.
Yep. Store it in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.
Yes. It can be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. If it’s too thick, thin it out with some water or almond milk.
Yep. Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.
Yep. Use a keto liquid sweetener instead of honey.
Other recipes you might like:
- Eggnog Hot Chocolate (Paleo/vegan/dairy-free friendly)
- Mulled Apple Cider (Paleo/vegan/dairy-free friendly)
- Sparkling Winter Sangria (vegan/dairy-free)
- Chocolate Tahini Smoothie (Paleo/vegan/dairy-free friendly)
Paleo Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder OR scant 1 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate
- ¼ cup honey (if using cocoa powder; 6 tablespoons if using chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour the almond milk into a 2-3 quart saucepan.
- Add the cocoa powder or chopped chocolate, plus the honey. Place over medium heat.
- As the milk heats up, occasionally whisk (if using cocoa) or stir with a spatula (if using chocolate) to blend the ingredients.
- Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, take it off the heat and whisk or stir in the vanilla. Pour into mugs and enjoy!
Notes
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat. If it’s too thick, thin it out with some water or almond milk.
Leave a Reply