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How to make vegan hot chocolate mix. It’s rich, versatile, & perfect for enjoying with your plant-based milk of choice – made with just 4 ingredients in 2 minutes!
Table of contents
Super Quick Dairy-Free Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Every winter, our hot chocolate/cocoa consumption probably increases tenfold, and the cost quickly increases. Luckily, not only is making homemade a hot chocolate mix recipe cheaper than buying some, but it’s versatile, adaptable, and contains no extra additives, preservatives, or dairy.
Simply mix the ingredients and store them ready to add hot plant-based milk when desired. By tweaking your ingredient choice, you can change the flavor, texture, and dietary requirements to your liking – including keto, Paleo, sugar-free, etc. It can even be flavored in several ways.
Even better, it takes just a couple of minutes to mix up enough homemade hot cocoa mix to have on hand and enjoy over several months. When combined with vegan milk (like this homemade cashew milk), it’s rich, creamy, and super satisfying. Plus, it also makes a great holiday gift jar, optionally topped with mini marshmallows.
Looking for more simple vegan winter warmers? Check out our vegan eggnog, spiced apple cider, and vegan Mexican hot chocolate recipes.
Jump to:
The Ingredients
Just 4 inexpensive pantry ingredients make up a delicious DIY hot cocoa mix.
- Cocoa powder: Use high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder. Brands like Ghirardelli, Callebaut, Guittard, and Valrhona are great, but use whatever fits your budget. Use regular unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-processed cocoa powder (less acidic and slightly sweeter), or a combination of both.
- Sugar: Use powdered sugar to distribute evenly in the vegan hot cocoa mix. Make sugar-free hot chocolate mix with a sugar-free option like powdered erythritol.
You can also make powdered sugar (including unrefined coconut sugar) by grinding the granulated sugar in a spice grinder/small blender pot.
- Salt: Just a small amount of kosher salt/sea salt will enhance the chocolate flavor and add depth.
- Cinnamon: (Optional) A small amount of cinnamon adds warmth and depth we’re obsessed with. Alternatively, or alongside it, you could add vanilla powder.
For richer, silkier DIY hot chocolate mix, add plant-based chocolate: Finely blend or grate dairy-free mini chocolate chips (⅓-½ cup) into the vegan hot chocolate mix.
How to Flavor Hot Chocolate Mix
The easiest way to flavor homemade plant-based hot chocolate mix is with spice blends like gingerbread, chai, or homemade pumpkin pie spice. Even a little cayenne pepper will work. Add depth by adding espresso powder for a richer, more intense chocolate flavor.
Alternatively, add flavors when making the hot chocolate. You can add a few drops of your favorite extract or syrup (mint, orange, almond, caramel, rose, etc.) to the plant-based milk.
You could also replace the plant-based milk with homemade vegan eggnog.
How to Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix?
- In a small bowl, sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
- Add the salt and cinnamon (if using), then stir well, and store in an airtight container, like a mason jar. These are the containers I used in the photo below, and I always make sure to label them with these labels
Store the hot cocoa DIY mix in a cool, dark, dry location like a pantry for up to a year or 6 months if adding vegan milk powder.
How to Use Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate Mix?
- Heat one cup of plant-based milk per portion either on the stovetop or in a microwave.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of dairy-free hot cocoa mix per cup of plant-based milk and stir well. Add any optional extra flavorings, then serve in mugs with your favorite toppings – like vegan vegan whipped cream, vegan marshmallows, candy canes, plant-based chocolate shavings, etc.
FAQs
Yes, you could use dairy-free powdered milk alternatives if you want to make a just-add-water vegan hot chocolate mix. Use a 2:1 ratio of vegan powdered milk to cocoa powder. When preparing the drink, you’ll need 2-3 tbsp per cup of water.
You can technically make this hot cocoa mix recipe with granulated sugar, though we don’t recommend it. It won’t disperse into the mix as evenly, and it takes longer to melt when making the plant-based hot chocolate.
Top Recipe Tips and Notes
- Tweak the ingredient ratio: After preparing the homemade hot cocoa mix recipe, make a ‘test’ mug and adjust any ingredients to your liking.
- Use high-quality cocoa: This is THE dominant flavor of the vegan hot chocolate mix, so make sure it’s one you like the flavor of.
- For a richer vegan hot chocolate mix: Add some real vegan chocolate to the mix. The addition of cocoa butter makes a thicker, richer, silkier drink.
- For a thicker hot chocolate: Add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to the hot chocolate mix recipe. It will thicken when combined with hot plant milk. Start with 1 teaspoon and then increase after making a test cup.
More Winter Recipes
- Homemade chai concentrate
- Turmeric golden milk
- Vegan gingerbread cake
- Stuffed baked apples
- Lemon cinnamon ginger tea
- amazing vegan holiday cookies
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Homemade Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cups of powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar together. Add the salt and cinnamon (if using). Mix well and store in an airtight container.
- When you’re ready to use, add 1 to 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of plant-based milk (depends on how rich you would like the vegan hot chocolate to be).
Notes
-
- Tweak the ingredient ratio: After preparing the homemade hot cocoa mix recipe, make a ‘test’ mug and adjust any ingredients to your liking.
-
- Use high-quality cocoa: This is THE dominant flavor of the vegan hot chocolate mix, so make sure it’s one you like the flavor of.
-
- For a richer vegan hot chocolate mix: Add some real vegan chocolate to the mix. The addition of cocoa butter makes a thicker, richer, silkier drink.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
I love store-bought vegan hot chocolate mix, but can’t always find it. I don’t need to look anymore because this Homemade Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix is so easy to make and tastes way better!
It’s the best and even better that it’s homemade!
Perfect for the holidays!