10-Minute Vegan Hot Chocolate
Believe it or not, deliciously rich Vegan Hot Chocolate, topped with homemade whipped cream, can be made in only about 10 minutes on your stovetop with just a few ingredients.
Nothing says the holidays quite like a warm, sweet, chocolatey beverage that’s topped with light and fluffy whipped cream. It doesn’t even have to be Christmas at my house for us to enjoy this yummy recipe.
The great thing is that there are no fancy ingredients, and you might even have everything needed in your pantry to make a batch or even a double batch. I vote for double!
Ingredients needed
- Cocoa powder- Basic unsweetened cocoa powder is what I use, but you could substitute cocoa or any type of cocoa powder that you have on hand.
- Plant milk- My preference here is almond milk–vanilla almond milk to be exact–but any type of plant milk can be used.
- Sweetener- The type of sweetener used is really up to you. It can be a dry granular type like date sugar, sucanat, or even maple syrup.
- Vanilla- Pure vanilla extract makes this super delicious, but if you’re using vanilla plant milk, this could even be left out.
- Non-Dairy Chocolate Chips- I really like the Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips. Though the chocolate chips can be left out, I highly recommend them to make this recipe more creamy and chocolatey.
- Salt- It doesn’t take much salt–only a pinch. I love sea salt, but any type will work.
- Vegan Whipped Cream- My homemade vegan whipped cream is the perfect topping to use, but other recipes and brands will also work.
How to make vegan hot chocolate
This is such an easy recipe, and the cocoa drink portion is made in just one pot. If you want to make my homemade whipped cream to go with it, you’ll just need an extra bowl and hand mixer.
In a medium saucepan, add all of the ingredients (except the whipped topping)–plant milk, cocoa powder, sweetener, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips.
Slowly warm on the stovetop on medium heat and whisk all of the ingredients together until blended smoothly. You don’t want it to come to a full boil.
Carefully taste for sweetness and add more sweetener if needed.
Pour into mugs and enjoy. To make it even better, top it with my homemade whipped cream recipe that is below.
My inspiration for this came from a recipe by NoraCooks. She has some pretty amazing recipes.
Non-dairy vegan whipped cream topping
It is so easy to make this perfectly light topping, and it kicks so many other dessert recipes like Chocolate Mousse and Crockpot Lava Cake up to a whole new level. Dollop your favorite vegan pies with it and that cup of herbal coffee too!
This whipped cream recipe begins with aquafaba chickpea juice, so you can either use the can variety or make your own which is super easy to do in an Instant Pot. I have found that canned chickpeas have about 3/4 cup of juice which is perfect for this recipe. Anywhere from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup is great.
Begin by draining the juice from the chickpeas and placing it in a mixing bowl. Save those beans to use later in my Chickpea Avocado Salad that makes the best sandwich ever, or try some of these other Chickpea Recipes.
Next, add the cream of tartar and use a hand mixer to whip the two ingredients together until it gets foamy. This will take about 4-5 minutes to get to the right consistency. See my photos to get a visual of what you’re looking for.
Add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and whip another minute or two until it’s nice and fluffy.
Dollop a tablespoonful into each mug of hot chocolate. This is going to make more whipped cream than you need for this hot chocolate recipe so try it on many other dessert recipes and pies.
I know, powdered sugar isn’t a health food, but did you know you can make your own using date, coconut, or other less refined sugars? Making your own powdered sugar takes only a couple of minutes. Just be aware that the darker sugars will make this whipped topping less white. Personally, I like to use Pure Cane Sugar due to the slightly lighter color.
Tips and variations for vegan hot chocolate
Want to spice up that hot chocolate even more? These are some great additions for those feeling adventurous.
- Peppermint- Add a little peppermint extract– 1/4-1/2 teaspoon.
- Caramel- Drizzle one teaspoon of homemade Caramel Sauce over the top.
- Pumpkin spice- Just one teaspoon of pumpkin spice makes it even more festive.
Want more vegan desserts?
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10-Minute Vegan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups unsweetened plant milk
- 1.5 tablespoons date sugar or other sweetener even maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy chocolate chips optional
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1/2 cup aquafaba chickpea liquid from can or fresh
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar make your own from date, coconut, or other sugar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add all of the ingredients (except the whipped topping)–plant milk, cocoa powder, sweetener, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips.
- Slowly warm on the stovetop on medium heat and whisk all of the ingredients together until blended smoothly. You don’t want it to come to a full boil.
- Carefully taste for sweetness and add more sweetener if needed.
- Pour into mugs and enjoy. To make it even better, top it with my homemade whipped cream recipe that is below.
Whipped Cream Topping- This recipe begins with aquafaba chickpea juice, so you can either use the can variety or make your own which is super easy to do in an Instant Pot. I have found that canned chickpeas have about 3/4 cup of juice which is perfect for this recipe. Anywhere from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup is great.
- Begin by draining the juice from the chickpeas and placing it in a mixing bowl. Save those beans to use later in my Chickpea Avocado Salad that makes the best sandwich ever, or try some of these other Chickpea Recipes.
- Next, add the cream of tartar and use a hand mixer to whip the two ingredients together until it gets foamy. This will take about 4-5 minutes to get to the right consistency. See my photos above to get a visual of what you’re looking for.
- Add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and whip another minute or two until it’s nice and fluffy.
- Dollop a tablespoonful onto each mug of hot chocolate. This is going to make more whipped cream than you need for this hot chocolate recipe so try it on many other dessert recipes like Chocolate Mousse and Crockpot Lava Cake.
Video
Notes
- Peppermint- Add a little peppermint extract– 1/4-1/2 teaspoon.
- Caramel- Drizzle one teaspoon of homemade Caramel Sauce over the top.
- Pumpkin spice- Just one teaspoon of pumpkin spice makes it even more festive.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
