Vegan Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Sticks

Make your own homemade vegan hot chocolate with simple natural ingredients. This simple 5 minute and 5 ingredient recipe will become a staple in your kitchen this winter. Thick, rich, and chocolatey this hot chocolate tastes best topped with coconut whipped cream and a candy cane stirrer.

The temperatures are dropping and today we’re getting our first big snow of the season. While I’ve lived in the chilly midwest for most of my life, I still can’t get used to winter. The only thing that helps me fight the winter blues is to focus on the handful of things I love about winter. A warm cup of hot chocolate is one of those things.

Cuddling up with the kiddos on the couch with a warm fleece blanket, fuzzy slipper socks, and flannel pajamas watching a Christmas movie and sipping on hot chocolate is my happy place. Add a crackling fire in the fireplace and I’ve reached pure bliss

When I indulge in hot chocolate, it has to be worth the calories which for means it must be rich, creamy, all natural, and vegan, of course!

It’s totally possible to get a vegan powdered hot chocolate mix from the store, but they are full of artificial ingredients, and if we’re being quite honest, they really don’t taste all that great.

Lucky for me (and you) it’s possible to make an all natural vegan hot chocolate that will hit the spot.

In the time it takes you to boil water or heat a cup of dairy free milk on the stove to pour your powder mix into, you could have a decadent, thick, rich and chocolatey homemade vegan hot chocolate.

Why You’ll Love this Vegan Hot Chocolate…

• All Natural Ingredients
• 5 Minutes to Make Start to Finish
• 5 Simple Ingredients
• Kid Approved
• Thick, Rich and Chocolatey Texture
• Not too Sweet
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• No Artificial Colors

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup of vegan dark chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp of coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract (or 1/4 tsp of peppermint extract)
• Coconut Whipped Topping (optional)
• Candy Cane (optional)

Tools You’ll Need

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Small Saucepan
• Whisk

How to Make Vegan Hot Chocolate – Step by Step

Step 1: Combine all ingredients (almond milk, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and vanilla or peppermint extract) in a small saucepan.

Step 2: Heat on medium heat. Allow a minute to warm. Whisk until chocolate chips melt and combine completely with the almond milk. Heat to desired temperature.

Step 3: Pour hot chocolate into two small mugs. Top with whipped coconut cream, and candy cane shavings. Use a candy can to stir your hot chocolate and make this an extra special holiday treat!

Where do you get vegan whipped cream?

You can make your own vegan whipped cream by using a can of full fat coconut milk. I use this recipe from The Minimalist Baker to make a fantastic whipped coconut topping.

You can also buy pre-made coconut whipped cream from the grocery store. It’s not as healthy since there are preservatives, but it’s an option. You can find it in the freezer section of most grocery stores next to the other whipped toppings.

Are all chocolate chips vegan?

All chocolate chips are not vegan. In fact, all chocolate chips are not created equal. I’m sure you can tell the difference between a good quality chocolate and cheap chocolate. Using a good quality vegan chocolate chips is essential to keeping this recipe vegan friendly and taste decadent and creamy.

How do you know if a chocolate chip is vegan or not? If you go to the grocery store and pick up any bag of chocolate chips it will likely not be vegan as most chocolate chips on the market contain milk fat.

Many chocolate chips also have cocoa butter. Even though cocoa butter has the word butter in it, it is actually dairy free. Cocoa butter is fat that comes from the cocoa bean.

My favorite vegan chocolate chip is the Enjoy Life brand. It tastes great, and melts nicely making it perfect for this hot chocolate recipe.

Are candy canes vegan?

Yes, most candy canes are vegan, but they don’t have natural ingredients. The ingredients in a typical candy cane include sugar, corn syrup, peppermint oil, and red dye 40.

Red dye has raised concerns because it’s been linked to hyperactivity, cancer, allergens, and learning impairments.

Wholesome Candy Canes are free of red dyes, corn syrup, and have no artificial flavors added. I buy these for the holidays.

What makes this vegan hot chocolate healthier than other hot chocolate recipes?

• All Natural Whole Food Ingredients
• No Artificial Sweeteners
• No Artificial Colors or Flavors
• Dairy-Free
• Gluten-Free

This vegan hot chocolate is healthier than the powdered versions you find in the stores because it has all natural whole food ingredients, is dairy free, and gluten free. However, it’s still a special treat, and it does contain sugar from the chocolate chips and coconut sugar. So why not make a cup or two to share with your family!

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER HEALTHIER VEGAN VERSIONS OF DECADENT TREATS!

• Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
• Vegan Cranberry Cookies
• 24 Vegan Christmas Cookies

If you’ve tried this vegan hot chocolate, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!