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!

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.

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.

What You'll Need

• 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!

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

Tips for Making Killer Vegan Hot Chocolate

• 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.
• 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.
• And what about Vegan Marshmallows? I buy Trader Joe's Brand or Dandies, also available at Whole Foods-type places and Amazon.

Video!

Watch my video to see just how easy it is to make this rich and creamy vegan hot chocolate!

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