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This rich, creamy vegan hot chocolate is made with real dark chocolate melted right into plant-based milk, so every sip tastes thick and decadent. It takes just 4 ingredients and one saucepan, and it’s my favorite thing to pour while I set out a plate of vegan Christmas cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
With just 4 ingredients and no dairy, you can make a vegan hot chocolate that’s rich, creamy, just sweet enough, and perfect for chilly evenings and festive moments. While I enjoy hot chocolate year-round, nothing beats sipping a mug loaded with whipped cream and marshmallows while decorating, watching Christmas movies, and wrapping gifts.
This is my go-to non-dairy hot chocolate for the holidays and special occasions. If you’d rather have a jar of cocoa ready to stir into hot milk any day of the year, my homemade vegan hot chocolate mix is made with cocoa powder and comes together in a couple of minutes. This recipe melts real vegan chocolate into the milk instead, for a thicker, more luxurious drink that’s still inexpensive and endlessly customizable.
Looking for more warm drinks? Try my easy vegan eggnog, Biscoff latte, thick vegan Mexican hot chocolate, or a big pot of mulled apple cider. For something lighter, a mug of ginger lemon cinnamon tea is so soothing on a cold night.
What Makes This Vegan Hot Chocolate So Good
Here’s why this one earns a spot on my stove every December.
- Real melted chocolate: Dark chocolate gives it a thicker, silkier body than cocoa powder alone.
- Only 4 ingredients: Plant-based milk, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and an optional spoonful of instant coffee.
- One pot: Everything goes into a single saucepan, and a whisk does the rest.
- Made for sharing: It’s simple to keep warm for a holiday party or movie night.
- Easy to customize: Add spices, extracts, or your favorite toppings to make it your own.
Vegan Hot Chocolate Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples. Check the recipe card for the exact amounts.
- Plant-based milk: Pick one you love the flavor of, since it makes up most of the drink. See my pro tips below for the creamiest options.
- Dark chocolate: Use vegan chocolate chips or a finely chopped or shaved bar. This is where all the rich chocolate flavor comes from.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness with a hint of caramel. Coconut sugar or maple syrup should work too, though I haven’t tested them in this recipe.
- Instant coffee (optional): A little deepens the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.
Recipe Variations
This homemade dairy-free hot chocolate is easy to flavor. I haven’t tested every one of these, so if you try one, let me know how it goes in the comments!
- Cocoa powder: Want an even richer chocolate flavor? Add a spoonful of cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed) per serving.
- Orange: Simmer orange peel in the mixture, then remove it before serving.
- Spices: Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg, chai spice, pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread spice with a small drizzle of molasses, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Extracts and syrups: Orange, mint, caramel, rose, almond, vanilla, or hazelnut. Add them to taste once the pot is off the heat.
- Nut butters and spreads: Add extra richness with almond butter, pistachio butter, or vegan chocolate hazelnut spread.
How to Make Vegan Hot Chocolate
Grab a medium saucepan and a whisk, and measure out your ingredients before you turn on the stove. Everything goes into the pot at once.
Step 1: Add the plant-based milk, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and instant coffee (if using) to a medium saucepan.
Step 2: Bring it just to a boil over medium heat, whisking regularly so the chocolate doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3: Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking and scraping down the sides now and then, until it’s slightly thickened.
Step 4: Once it’s creamy, turn off the heat, taste it, and adjust the sweetness. Cover the pot and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
PRO TIP: If the mixture starts to bubble up and rise toward the top of the pot, lower the heat a little more and give it a whisk.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality vegan chocolate: Choose real vegan chocolate made with cocoa butter, in a flavor you love.
- Choose your plant-based milk carefully: A higher-fat option like canned coconut milk gives the creamiest results. A blend of coconut milk and a lighter milk lands nicely in between.
- For frothy dairy-free hot chocolate: Barista-style plant-based milk and a handheld milk frother work best.
- To keep it warm: Keep the vegan hot chocolate in a lidded saucepan for a couple of hours, in an insulated carafe, or in a slow cooker on the keep warm setting.
Topping Ideas
- A big spoonful of vegan whipped cream
- Plant-based marshmallows
- Vegan chocolate shavings
- A candy cane or gingerbread mug topper
- A drizzle of chocolate sauce or vegan date caramel sauce
- Crushed vegan cookies, candies, or vegan peppermint bark
What to Serve With It
A mug of this is even better with something to dunk. I love it with vegan gingerbread cookies, vegan chocolate crinkle cookies, or a plate of vegan snowball cookies. For a minty mug-and-cookie pairing, I also love dunking my vegan chocolate peppermint cookies.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover homemade vegan hot chocolate keeps in a covered jug or mason jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave, stirring well.
Vegan Hot Chocolate FAQs
Yes! For a single serving, add the vegan chocolate, sugar, and instant coffee (if using) to a mug with just enough plant-based milk to cover. Microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts until melted, then top with the rest of the milk and heat for 40 to 60 seconds, until it’s as hot as you like. Keep an eye on it, since hot plant-based milk can bubble over if left too long.
Yes, and it’s great for big batches and keeping it warm during parties. Add all the ingredients and heat on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Then switch to the keep warm setting and serve it over time.
Yes, whisk in about 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch for a thicker drink without adding more chocolate. Enjoy it right away, since the thickened version doesn’t store well.
This recipe is built around melted dark chocolate, which gives it a thick, rich body. If you’d like a cocoa powder version you can keep in the pantry, my Homemade Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix is the one to make.
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If you tried this vegan hot chocolate or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
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Vegan Hot Chocolate
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Ingredients
- 3 cups (720 ml) plant-based milk plus more if needed
- 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate chips or a shaved bar
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) instant coffee optional
Instructions
- Add the plant-based milk, dark chocolate, brown sugar, and instant coffee (if using) to a medium saucepan.
- Bring just to a boil over medium heat, whisking regularly so the chocolate doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking and scraping down the sides now and then.
- If the mixture rises too fast and is about to spill over, lower the heat a little more and give it a whisk.
- Once it’s creamy and rich, turn off the heat, taste, and adjust the sweetness.
- Remove the pot from the stove, cover it with a lid, and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour into mugs and enjoy hot.
Notes
- A higher-fat plant-based milk, like canned coconut milk, gives the creamiest results. A blend of coconut milk and a lighter milk lands in between.
- For frothy hot chocolate, use a barista-style plant-based milk and a handheld milk frother.
- Keep it warm in a lidded saucepan, an insulated carafe, or a slow cooker on the keep warm setting.
- Store leftovers in a covered jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring well.
I’m confused by the instructions. It shows chocolate chips in the ingredients part of the description, but the recipe itself doesn’t list chocolate chips. Also it says under recipe variations, “Along with all the customizations above,” but there aren’t any customizations above. it says “With just 4 ingredients,” but only shows two (milk and chocolate chips). Then the recipe at the end is for the mix, not the instructions for chocolate chips. Thanks!
Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention! The post has been updated. Hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a go 🙂
The best hot chocolate!