Vegan Hot Chocolate (recipes and best brands)
Hot chocolate is a favourite drink for many, a bit daft that people take it to bed, considering it has caffeine! But hey-ho. If you like hot chocolate, there are much better ways to enjoy this historic treat. Most brands are little more than cocoa with refined sugar. So make your own, or buy better brands.
This healthy hot chocolate (PlantYou) is sweetened with dates, good for your tummy and rich in calcium!
Avoid hot chocolate for pregnancy/nursing, due to caffeine. Keep chocolate and spices away from pets. Read more on food safety for people and pets. For commercial brands, recycle packaging at supermarket bag bins.
Oat milk by far makes the best base for vegan chocolate, as it makes a rich and creamy drink (and also helps support local farmers). Rather than refined white sugar, you can sweeten with maple syrup or coconut sugar. Also choose fair trade cocoa powder (cocoa is farmed in some of the poorest areas on earth).
Winter Gingerbread Vegan Hot Chocolate
This gingerbread vegan hot chocolate (Rainbow Plant Life) is about as wintery a drink as you could get! Top with vegan whipped cream, and a cinnamon stick.
Vegan White Hot Chocolate Recipe
Try this white hot chocolate (The Vegan 8). It’s made with cocoa butter, cashew butter, coconut milk and vanilla, sweetened with maple syrup.
What you need for a creamy vegan hot chocolate
Plant milk is your base, and it decides the texture. A creamier milk gives a fuller drink, while a lighter milk needs a bit more help from cocoa or chocolate. If you only have sweetened milk, you can still use it, just taste before adding extra sugar.
Cocoa powder brings deep chocolate flavour. It can taste a little sharp on its own, so pairing it with a sweetener and a pinch of salt makes it rounder. If you prefer a thicker, more “pudding-like” mug, add some vegan dark chocolate as well.
Sweetener balances bitterness. Caster sugar dissolves quickly, but soft light brown sugar adds a gentle caramel note. Maple syrup also works, although it can make the drink taste slightly less “classic”.
Vanilla extract gives that familiar hot chocolate smell, even in small amounts. Salt does the same job for taste, it makes chocolate taste more like chocolate.
Cocoa powder vs vegan chocolate, and when to use each
Cocoa powder makes a lighter drink with a clean chocolate taste, and you control the sweetness. It’s also cheaper per mug. Natural cocoa tends to taste fruitier and a touch sharper, while Dutch-processed cocoa tastes smoother and darker.
Vegan dark chocolate (check it’s dairy-free) melts into a richer, thicker hot chocolate. It also adds sweetness, so you can use less sugar. If your chocolate is very dark, you might still want a little sweetener.
Whichever you choose, vanilla plus a pinch of salt lifts the flavour and stops it tasting one-note.
How to make vegan hot chocolate on the hob
- 250 ml unsweetened plant milk (plus a splash extra if needed)
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (about 7 g)
- 1 to 2 tsp caster sugar (or to taste)
- 20 to 30 g vegan dark chocolate, chopped (optional, for extra richness)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
To make 4 mugs, multiply everything by 4, and use a larger saucepan. Stir often, especially near the end.
- Mix a paste first. Add cocoa and sugar to a small saucepan. Pour in about 2 tbsp of the milk. Whisk into a smooth, glossy paste.
- Add the rest of the milk. Pour in the remaining milk slowly, whisking as you go. This keeps it lump-free.
- Heat gently. Put the pan over a low to medium heat. Warm it for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until it’s steaming and you see tiny bubbles at the edge. Don’t let it boil.
- Add chocolate (optional). If using chopped vegan chocolate, add it now. Whisk for 30 to 60 seconds until melted and the drink looks slightly thicker and shiny.
- Season and adjust. Take it off the heat. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Taste, then add a little more sugar if you want.
- Serve straight away. Pour into your favourite mug. If you like it extra hot, warm the mug with kettle water first, then tip it out.
Quick fixes if it’s not quite right
- Too bitter: Add 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup, stir, then taste again.
- Too thin: Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes, or whisk in a little more chocolate.
- Too thick: Add a splash of milk, then warm for 30 seconds.
- Grainy or split: Lower the heat, whisk well, and avoid boiling next time (almond and coconut are more likely to misbehave).
Favourite flavour add-ins
Use these amounts for 1 mug, and add them at the times shown.
- Peppermint: 2 to 4 drops peppermint extract, stir in right at the end.
- Cinnamon: 1/4 tsp, whisk in with the cocoa at the start.
- Chilli: A tiny pinch, add with the cocoa, then taste carefully.
- Orange zest: A little pinch of finely grated zest, stir in off the heat.
- Mocha: 1 tsp instant coffee granules, whisk in with the cocoa paste.
- Nut butter (peanut or hazelnut): 1 tsp, whisk in once the milk is warm.
For a softer sweetness, swap caster sugar for maple syrup or light brown sugar.
Where to Buy Good Vegan Hot Chocolate
Some brands that are made with quality ingredients (you may need to seek them out in farm shops or buy online) are:
Top with Vegan Marshmallows!
If going for a ‘luxury hot chocolate’, then choose Dandies (organic vegan marshmallows). Most marshmallows are made from gelatine (animal bones), and inferior vegan versions are made with inferior ingredients!
