Warm your hands on a healthy mug of homemade vegan thick hot chocolate made with cocoa powder and sweetened with maple syrup.

I like to begin my cozy drink season with a rich mug of thick hot chocolate. Savoring this creamy delight fills me with immense joy. Its perfect consistency makes it ideal for all ages, and trust me the whole family loves this warm beverage.

Ingredients Highlight

dairy free milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, corn starch, cinnamon powder and salt laid out in white bowls

Here are notes on some of the ingredients, the complete list with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

I prefer skipping premade chocolate and going for pure cocoa powder or cacao powder. Dissolve it in half dairy-free milk and water, then sweeten it with maple syrup for a divine, healthy hot chocolate. It also keeps it low in fat, just like this choc oat milk.

I use corn starch (corn flour in Aus.) as the thickening agent. A little of this ingredient is enough to make it thick enough to feel luxurious, pourable, and sippable, similar to my thick hot sweet milk. Every sip warms the inside of your throat!

For additional flavorings, I enjoy using a bit of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of Celtic salt, all of which create a deeper-flavored vegan hot chocolate. Some of these are listed as optional in the below recipe card, so feel free to use all, a combination, or none of these.

If I am wanting a caffeine hit, I sometimes add a spoonful of instant coffee or swap out the water for the same amount of black coffee.

Janelle's Tips

I've found that whisking together all the ingredients while they're still cold results in a silky smooth homemade hot beverage.

Once the stovetop is turned on, continuous whisking is needed to ensure everything dissolves evenly, otherwise, you may end up with a lumpy hot chocolate.

As for toppings, in my household, we prefer to enjoy this recipe as is since it tastes decadent enough on its own. However, you can top it off with shavings of additional chocolate if you like, or perhaps some whipped coconut cream, or even vegan marshmallows for extra indulgence.

Recipe

Vegan Thick Hot Chocolate

Warm your hands on a mug of homemade vegan thick hot chocolate made with cocoa powder and sweetened with maple syrup.

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Course: beverage

Cuisine: Any

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Vegan

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 5

Servings: servings

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

1 cup Dairy free milk e.g., almond milk
1 cup Water
⅛ cup Cocoa powder or cacao powder
1 tbs Corn starch (corn flour AUS)
¼ cup Maple Syrup or to taste
1 pinch Salt
⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon powder optional
1 pinch Cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

In a small saucepan add all the ingredients in cold. Whisk together until the cocoa powder and corn starch have dissolved.
1 cup Dairy free milk, 1 cup Water, ⅛ cup Cocoa powder, 1 tbs Corn starch, ¼ cup Maple Syrup, 1 pinch Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon powder, 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
Place the saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and continuously whisk until the liquid is visibly thicker. This will take approximately 4½-5 minutes of simmering and gentle boiling (you might need to lower your heat to allow it to boil without spilling). Let the pot stand for a minute, then pour your thick hot chocolate into mugs and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Maple syrup can be swapped with your preferred sweetener. You can adjust the amount of sweetness before serving, though my family finds it sweet enough.

As this hot chocolate cools, it will thicken a little more.

Serve warm with choc chip oatmeal cookies.