Craving something cozy but healthy? This Paleo Hot Chocolate is rich, creamy, and peppermint-kissed, making it the perfect way to warm up on cold days. Made with just 5 ingredients and sweetened naturally with maple syrup, this dairy-free cocoa is comfort in a cup.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 20 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 109kcals and 2 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Almond milk, cacao powder, maple syrup, coconut cream, vanilla extract, peppermint extract.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and vegan.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Made with simple ingredients and provides the ultimate comfort in a cup!
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This cozy paleo hot cocoa recipe is a staple for colder months (and here in Canada, that's a lot). Sweetened with real maple syrup, it’s rich, comforting, and made with simple ingredients.
I love using raw cacao powder for its natural antioxidants and bold chocolate flavor (read up on the cacao vs cocoa differences). It pairs perfectly with a couple of coconut flour sugar cookies or peanut butter protein brownies, and is similar to a crockpot pumpkin spice latte in how to make it. Bonus? Mix up the ingredients in a jar for a quick, heartfelt homemade holiday gift.
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💭Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Minimally sweetened: Swirled with maple syrup for a natural, warm sweetness.
Allergy-friendly: The paleo hot chocolate mix is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and totally vegan.
Versatile: With multiple ways to make it as well as esimple flavor variations, this paleo hot chocolate recipe is easy to adapt.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Almond milk: Using plant-based milk as the base (almond or homemade hemp milk works the best), though oat milk works in a pinch. Oat milk just tends to come out a bit thinner than almond milk.
- Maple syrup: Make sure to opt for real maple syrup for the best flavor. Likewise, coconut palm sugar would work here as well. If you love the subtle maple flavor, you'll enjoy this maple protein latte, too.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Added as a dairy-free alternative (here are tips on how to go dairy-free) to create a creamy, decadent consistency. Make sure to grab the type of coconut milk in a can (the thick, white cream part) and not the carton.
- Raw Cacao powder: This brings a lot of health benefits to the maple syrup hot chocolate, like extra iron, antioxidants, and blueberries. Cocoa powder will work for the recipe, though if that's what you have.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations and Toppings
This hot chocolate with maple syrup can be easily varied to create something new each time. Below are a few of our favorites.
Toppings: Top each mug with Whole30 whipped cream and then dairy-free coconut caramel sauce, or homemade dairy-free chocolate ganache, followed by crushed candy canes.
Gut-healing hot cocoa: If you want to add a boost of nutrients and protein, blend some collagen powder into the mix. I whip up collagen powder recipes all the time for both fuel and comfort.
Sleepy time hot chocolate: I add magnesium powder from Perfect Supplements to the hot chocolate for my kiddos when they need some extra minerals and rest.
How To Make Paleo Hot Chocolate
There are two ways to make this paleo hot chocolate: stovetop or in the slow cooker.
To make it stovetop:
Step 1: Add all the ingredients into a small pot, adding the cacao powder last.
Step 2: Heat over low to medium heat and whisk once the dairy-free milk becomes warm.
To make it in a slow cooker: Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and whisk well. Heat on low for 2-3 hours, whisking once or twice to combine everything.
Expert Tips
Full-fat coconut milk from a can will make this hot cocoa recipe much richer and indulgent. You want just the thick, white cream so drain any excess water.
It will thicken up while cooking in the slow cooker and slightly separate. Just whisk it and it'll be smooth again.
Make sure to keep the slow cooker on low when cooking to prevent the milk from burning. Once combined, switch your slow cooker to warm.
How To Store It
Leftover hot chocolate can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a mason jar.
To reheat it, place it in a small pot over low heat and stir every couple of minutes until heated through.
To reheat it in the slow cooker, pour the leftovers in and turn the slow cooker to warm.
Paleo Hot Chocolate FAQs
The kind of milk you choose will affect the flavor and texture of the hot chocolate. For creamier hot chocolate, opt for hemp or cashew milk. While almond milk is an easy choice, it will cause the hot chocolate to be less smooth.
Adding peppermint extract to hot cocoa is an easy and fun way to make the drink a bit more festive. However, it's not essential. Instead, you can use vanilla extract if you're looking to add a new flavor.
It's important while pregnant to monitor caffeine intake and strive not to consume more than 200 milligrams per day. Hot chocolate made with cacao powder has roughly 12 milligrams per tablespoon of cacao powder, making it a safe choice for pregnancy. However, expecting moms will want to watch or omit the peppermint extract in later stages of pregnancy as peppermint can cause a reduction in the production of breastmilk.
Keeping cacao powder at a high heat point will destroy some of its wicked benefits. This is why it's important to whisk in the cacao powder quickly, and not keep it at a boil.
More Christmas Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Paleo Hot Chocolate or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Paleo Hot Chocolate With Maple Syrup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups almond milk
- 5 tablespoons cacao powder or cocoa powder for a sweeter taste
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut cream see notes
- ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- In a small pot, heat the almond milk and coconut cream over medium heat.
- Once the milk is starting to really warm up, whisk in the cacao powder, syrup, and vanilla until no clumps remain.
- You want the milk to heat but not boil, so be patient! Once mixed, add in the peppermint.
- Heat a minute or two more until creamy looking without letting it burn.
- Remove from heat, top with more coconut cream or crushed candy canes, and enjoy!
In The Slow Cooker
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the slow cooker and whisk together.
- Whisk in the cacao powder. It will look clumpy and bubbly.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours whisking every hour or so.
- Once combined and smooth, turn the slow cooker to warm.
Notes
- Make sure to use coconut cream for a creamier texture. This comes from a can of full-fat coconut in which you drain any excess water. Coconut milk from a carton and powder may work but not as well.
- The taste is very much like dark chocolate. If you want it sweeter, add in extra maple syrup to taste.
- Make the hot cacao more indulgent and top it with 2-minute coconut whipped cream
- Make sure not to actually boil the milk or keep it there for long once the cacao powder is added in.
- The recipe is best enjoyed immediately after making. However, it will store in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed jar.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
I love how creamy this comes out and having it in the slow cooker means I can sip all day!