I made this for my son today without the marshmallows.
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HEALTHY HOT CHOCOLATE (LOW CALORIE!)
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Healthy Hot Chocolate is the perfect cozy winter drink. Vegan hot chocolate that is low calorie and easy to make with only 3 ingredients!
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There is no better cozy drink than hot chocolate. Rich milk and sweet chocolate make the most epic combo for this warm, delicious treat!
Hot cocoa is normally loaded with sweeteners, funky ingredients and a total sugar bomb – but this healthy hot chocolate recipe solves that problem!
Made with only 3 simple ingredients, dairy free, vegan and low in sugar (while being totally delicious!) -this healthy hot cocoa is a must try!
HEALTHY HOT CHOCOLATE
WHY IS THIS HOT CHOCOLATE HEALTHY?
- Low Sugar – This hot chocolate has 6g of sugar compared to classic hot chocolate which has 11-20g of sugar per one cup sugar. The sugar comes from all natural maple syrup!
- Low Fat – Hot chocolate is traditionally made with whole milk, which is higher in fat. This healthy hot chocolate is made with almond milk which is lower in fat and calories
- Minimal Ingredients – Traditional hot chocolate mix from the packet has over 15 ingredients, most of which are sugar. This easy hot chocolate recipe only has 3 ingredients
- No Junk! See above -this healthy hot chocolate is made with ingredients you can pronounce. No artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or weird add ins!
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING HEALTHY HOT CHOCOLATE
There are only 3 ingredients for this healthy, dairy free hot chocolate:
- almond milk or other milk of choice
- cocoa powder
- maple syrup
There are a bunch of substitutions listed below so make sure to check them out in the shaded green box.
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY HOT CHOCOLATE
Making this healthy hot cocoa couldn’t be any easier! You’ll need just about 5 minutes of time.
- In a sauce pot whisk together milk, cocoa powder and maple syrup vigorously until combined.
- Heat over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once warm – pour into mug and enjoy!
SERVING VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE
I like this hot chocolate as is, but you can of course add marshmallows and whipped cream for even more flavor/fun!
Toppings: Whipped cream and marshmallows are both perfect toppings for healthy hot chocolate. We added some shaved chocolate on top of this too!
Mix Ins:Feel free to add other mix ins like sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter, peppermint extract/candy canes.. the options are endless!
Can you make this hot chocolate ahead? I wouldn’t recommend making this hot chocolate ahead of time. It only takes 5 minutes to make, so you won’t be saving much time.
If you’re looking for other treats to serve this with try our Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies or Healthy Chocolate Cake
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR DAIRY FREE HOT CHOCOLATE
This dairy free hot chocolate only has a few ingredients so there isn’t too much to customize, but here are some ideas
Milk: Any milk will work in this recipe. I like regular almond or organic whole milk but oat, coconut rice or soy milk should all work. Make sure to use an unsweetened milk.
Cocoa Powder: I haven’t tried substituting cocoa powder with anything but I think cacao powder would work.
Maple Syrup -You can substitute maple syrup with honey or agave nectar. My advice is just to sweeten to taste because every sweetener is different and you may want more or less. I haven’t tried using any artificial sweeteners or stevia.
Vegan: Use dairy free milk
Cinnamon/Mexican Hot Chocolate: For a fun spicy feel add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and cinnamon
Add Ins: Peanut Butter, Caramel and peppermint extract are all delicious add ins. You can also try this Healthy Peppermint Mocha
HEALTHIER HOT CHOCOLATE FAQ
What is the healthiest hot chocolate?
This recipe is the healthiest hot chocolate! With only 3 ingredients and under 75 calories per cup – you can’t go wrong!
Is it healthy to drink hot chocolate?
Everything is healthy in moderation! This hot chocolate is low in sugar and in calories, making it the perfect treat to mindfully indulge in. We wouldn’t recommend drinking hot chocolate every day.
Can you lose weight drinking hot chocolate?
If you’re drinking hot chocolate every day or multiple times a day it might be hard to lose weight. Although this healthy hot chocolate recipe is pretty low calorie, we wouldn’t recommend it every day if weight loss is your goal. However -it’s a great lighter option for the occasional treat!
What is the lowest calorie hot chocolate?
This healthy hot cocoa recipe is very low calorie at under 75 calories per cup. Regular powdered hot cocoa mix usually has over 100 calories per serving
Want to spend less time in the kitchen? Click here to get our FREE 30 minute dinners cookbook!
OTHER HEALTHY DRINK RECIPES
If your’e looking for other festive lattes check out these drinks. If it’s the holiday season you can also check out our Healthy Christmas Recipes
- Healthy Gingerbread Latte
- Paleo Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Whole30 Turmeric Ginger Latte
- Healthy Peppermint Mocha
Healthy Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups almond milk (dairy, almond, coconut milk all will work)
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- In a sauce pot whisk together milk, cocoa powder and maple syrup vigorously until combined.
- Heat over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once warm – pour into mug and enjoy!
Video
Healthy Hot Chocolate
Notes
Substitutions:
Milk: Any milk will work in this recipe.
Cocoa Powder: I haven’t tried substituting cocoa powder with anything but I think cacao powder would work.
Maple Syrup -You can substitute maple syrup with honey or agave nectar.