A mug full of creamy hot cocoa is deliciously satisfying on a cold winter day. You won’t believe how easy and delicious this healthy hot chocolate recipe is.
It is so much healthier than the instant hot chocolate packets and uses whole food / real ingredients! Swap out the honey and milk to make it vegan!
Easy Healthy Hot Chocolate
We just love this healthy hot cocoa recipe. It’s so enjoyable after finishing morning chores on the farm or being out in the blustery winter weather.
We love it because it’s simple to make, does not have any unwanted ingredients like what you’d find in the grocery store versions.
And it’s super decadent. It’ll definitely satisfy those chocolate cravings!
Buying hot cocoa mix can be expensive. Also, most cocoa mixes has a lot of sugar and/or other artificial sweeteners. And many other non-healthy ingredients like, corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and chemicals that we want to avoid.
But we can easily avoid all of those ingredients with making our own healthy version at home. Learn just how easy it is to make your own healthy version here.
Ingredients
This recipe only requires a few all-natural ingredients. In fact, you may even have them in your pantry right now!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- cocoa powder can sub for cacao powder if desired
- milk – I like whole full fat milk, but non-dairy milk also works just fine!
- raw honey or maple syrup
- pure vanilla extract – my absolute favorite comes from Azure Standard
- pinch of salt – trust me, this is necessary! It really brings out the delicious flavors of this hot chocolate!
Instructions
You’ll be surprised at just how easy it is to make your own hot chocolate at home! It really is super simple!
First, add the milk, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, and sea salt to a large pot.
Next, whisk the ingredients together briskly until combined. And then heat the hot chocolate over medium-low heat until warmed through. Be sure to stir often with the whisk to prevent scorching.
Remove from heat and enjoy!
Serve alone or topped with homemade whipped cream!
☕ Helpful tips
This recipe is a family portion or large, but you can definitely reduce it by half if you’d prefer. I like to make it ahead of time and store the extras in the fridge for a quick heat and and go drink for the kids after a busy day.
How to store & reheat leftovers
If you find yourself with leftover hot chocolate, you can store the extras in the fridge for a few days. I like to store it in large mason jars with leak proof lids.
The chocolate may settle to the bottom of the jar, so give it a gentle shake, stir, or blend in a blender briefly to combine again.
Add to a small saucepan and heat up over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Serving ideas / toppings
This hot chocolate recipe is delicious on it’s own. But it can be elevated even more with some yummy toppings or stir in ideas.
- top with homemade maple whipped cream
- add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top
- stir in a pinch of cayenne for a bit of kick
- or combine those to make your own Mexican hot chocolate
- add a bit of peppermint extract and espresso for a peppermint mocha – a little goes a long way!
- top with some healthy or homemade marshmallows
- make it even more decadent with some chocolate shavings on top!
FAQ (frequently asked questions)
Yes, for sure! Just swap out the honey for pure maple syrup and use your favorite dairy-free milk of choice. Almond milk is my preference for this recipe. Oat milk also works ok and coconut milk gives it a little creamier texture and different taste.
Pure maple syrup also works really good in this recipe and would recommend that as a swap.
want more recipes?
Check out the recipe index where you can discover more homemade recipes from my homestead!
Healthy Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 6 cups milk organic
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder organic
- ¼ cup honey raw & organic
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the milk, honey, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and sea salt to a large pot.
- Whisk together the ingredients vigorously until combined.
- Heat over medium – low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often until warmed through to preference.
- Pour into your mug and enjoy!
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