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    You are here: Home / Dessert / Rich & Creamy Vegan Hot Chocolate

    LAST UPDATED: September 1, 2021 • FIRST PUBLISHED: December 4, 2020

    Rich & Creamy Vegan Hot Chocolate

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Hot Chocolate

    Creamy, dreamy, and totally dairy-free! This vegan hot chocolate is rich, decadent, and guaranteed to warm you up this winter. The best part: it whips up in about five minutes!

    Cup of Vegan Hot Chocolate on a Saucer Topped with Marshmallows

    I've had so many requests for vegan hot chocolate, and I'm sorry to say that I've been holding out on you guys. I've had this recipe in my head for years. I've made it again and again. I've told people how to make it again and again.

    It took me forever to get around to sharing it, and I'm sorry about that, because it's the best hot chocolate I've ever had. You'd never believe it was dairy-free!

    So here it is, at long last.

    Vegan Hot Chocolate Being Poured From a Saucepan into a Cup

    Want to know the secret to a killer cup of vegan hot cocoa? Chocolate chips. They work so much better than cocoa powder. Seriously, melt those babies up in some non-dairy milk and you'll end up with something that's a zillion times richer and creamier than any dairy-based hot chocolate you ever drank.

    I've got to warn you: this stuff is super easy to make. You can whip it up in about five minutes, and if you're someone who has all the ingredients on hand most of the time (like me), you'll be tempted to make it again and again throughout the cooler months.

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegan Hot Chocolate
    • Pro Tips!
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Vegan Chocolate Recipes
    • Video!
    • Rich & Creamy Vegan Hot Chocolate

    What You'll Need

    Ingredients for Making Vegan Hot Chocolate Arranged on a Distressed Surface
    • Non-dairy milk. Pretty much any variety works, as long as it's unsweetened. I typically use almond milk, but soy, rice, oat, and cashew milk all work just fine!
    • Vegan chocolate chips. I used Enjoy Life brand.
    • Maple syrup. You can sub another liquid sweetener, or even organic granulated sugar to taste. I like a hint of maple flavor in my vegan hot chocolate though!
    • Spices. I like cinnamon and a teensy pinch of cayenne pepper in my hot cocoa, but you can leave them out if you prefer. You could also try other warming spices like nutmeg or cloves — just add a tiny bit at a time until the flavor is right!
    • Salt. It's a flavor enhancer, so adding a bit to your hot chocolate will make it taste better.
    • Vanilla extract.
    • Vegan marshmallows or whipped topping. These are totally optional! Dandies makes great vegan marshmallows, and Reddi-wip makes a dairy-free whipped topping.

    How to Make Vegan Hot Chocolate

    This stuff is incredibly easy to make. Ready for this?

    • Stick everything but the vanilla and toppings into a saucepan.
    • Heat it all up on the stove until the chips are melted and the liquid is hot.
    • Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

    That's it!

    Vegan Hot Chocolate in a Saucepan with Wire Whisk

    Pour your homemade vegan hot chocolate into cups and top it with marshmallows or whipped topping.

    Overhead View of a Cup of Vegan Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows and Spoon

    Pro Tips!

    • Try some flavor variations! I'm a big fan of the cinnamon-cayenne combination, but you can easily use different spices like cloves and nutmeg, or flavor extracts like peppermint or almond instead to switch things up.
    • If you have leftover hot chocolate or just want to make it in advance, store it in a sealed up container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Then reheat on it the stove or in the microwave.
    • Don't overcook your vegan hot cocoa! Just get it hot enough to melt the chips. The ingredients in this recipe can burn pretty quickly.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where can I find vegan chocolate chips?

    There are a few brands out there, but I like Enjoy Life. If you're lucky, your regular supermarket will carry them. If not, try places like Whole Foods or Amazon.

    Where can I find vegan whipped topping?

    Reddi-wip makes a dairy-free whipped topping. You can also whip coconut cream following the method in this strawberry shortcake recipe.

    Where can I find vegan marshmallows?

    I buy Trader Joe's Brand or Dandies, which are available at Whole Foods-type places and Amazon.

    More Vegan Chocolate Recipes

    • Vegan Chocolate Cake
    • Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    • Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake
    • Vegan Chocolate Pudding
    • Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

    Video!

    Watch my video to see just how easy it is to make this delicious non-dairy hot chocolate!

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Cup of Vegan Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows on Top
    5 from 6 votes
    Print

    Rich & Creamy Vegan Hot Chocolate

    Creamy, dreamy, and totally dairy-free! This vegan hot chocolate is rich, decadent, and guaranteed to warm you up this winter. The best part: it whips up in about five minutes!

    Course Dessert, Drink
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Servings 2
    Calories 256 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
    • ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
    • Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste (optional)
    • Pinch salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Vegan marshmallows or whipped topping, optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Place the milk, chocolate chips, maple syrup, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat.

    2. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it's hot and the chips are completely melted.

    3. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the vanilla.

    4. Divide into mugs and top with vegan marshmallows or whipped topping. 

    5. Serve.

    Nutrition Facts
    Rich & Creamy Vegan Hot Chocolate
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 256 Calories from Fat 142
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 15.8g24%
    Saturated Fat 8g40%
    Sodium 310mg13%
    Potassium 45mg1%
    Carbohydrates 27.9g9%
    Fiber 3.2g13%
    Sugar 21.7g24%
    Protein 3.7g7%
    Calcium 390mg39%
    Iron 3.2mg18%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Vegan Sausage Rolls
    Mushroom Paprikash »

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shanna says

      November 28, 2018 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so yummy but I love the music you chose for the video! Made me so happy! :)S

      Reply
    2. Pamela Fitzpatrick says

      November 29, 2018 at 9:41 pm

      Have you found that one non-dairy milk works better for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 02, 2018 at 10:58 am

        I've made it using Almond Breeze and Milkadamia, both unsweetened and unflavored, and both worked great! I'd just stick with something without sweeteners, thickeners or added flavors. :)

        Reply
    3. Sally Miller says

      December 26, 2018 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      Yay! It's your sister in law here.... SO grateful for your recipe. It's AMAZING. Thank you Alissa for being sooooo incredible at what you do. xo

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 30, 2018 at 6:39 pm

        Yay!! I'm glad you tried it, and SO glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you so much Sally! :)

        Reply
    4. Ishani Debroy says

      December 09, 2019 at 1:03 pm

      Tried this out with cashew oat milk and it was so decadent and delicious. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 15, 2019 at 3:14 pm

        So glad you like it!

        Reply
    5. jackie says

      December 04, 2020 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      This seriously looks incredible AND VEGAN MARSHMELLOWS??? I HAD NO IDEA!

      I love that the recipe is also all things I already have!

      Reply
    6. Nicole Traut says

      December 05, 2020 at 11:46 am

      5 stars
      So yummy!!! Made this for a drink for breakfast and everybody loved it! I used vanilla flavored almond milk and it tasted delicious!

      Reply
    7. Katie says

      December 05, 2020 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I just made it with oat milk and it’s delicious!

      Reply
    8. Albertina says

      December 07, 2020 at 2:09 am

      Hi Alissa! This recipe looks amazing. I will definitely try it when I am making cookies because nothing is better than hot chocolate and cookies. Thank you.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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