Vegan Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
You’ll notice this drink is vegan, but when I developed this recipe, I quickly realized why I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the flavors. A cup of hot chocolate is, in many ways, a fantasy that comes to life. The dark and deep flavors of cocoa and chocolate come to the forefront with the beautiful caramel sweetness from the dates. I’ve used cinnamon in this version but jump to the notes section and try out the other flavor variations to see what rocks your boat.
- Yield: 1
Ingredients
1 cup/240 ml unsweetened plant-based milk such as oat
2 Tbsp whole or chopped raw unsalted cashews
2 to 3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp dairy-free semisweet chocolate chopped
¼ tsp ground cinnamon plus a little extra for garnish
2 Tbsp coconut whipped cream
Instructions
- Blend the milk, cashews, dates, cocoa powder, chocolate, and cinnamon over high speed in a blender until completely smooth and combined.
- Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer, often stirring, until the milk is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes, taking care to prevent burning.
- Pour the liquid into a serving mug, and top with the whipped cream and toasted marshmallows. Garnish with a little ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a high-speed blender to achieve a thick and creamy texture. If you don’t own one, soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes, drain, and then blend as instructed in the recipe.
- If you want to take it to the next level, toast the marshmallow.
- Freshly grated cinnamon gives this a better aroma.
- Flavor Variations
Here are a few different hot chocolate flavor variations to try.
Mexican Hot Chocolate: Use bittersweet chocolate, and add 1/4 tsp ground cayenne or chipotle along with the cinnamon.
Skip the cinnamon and add,
Peppermint Hot Chocolate: 1/8 tsp peppermint extract + 2 to 3 fresh mint leaves for garnish.
Orange Hot Chocolate: 1/8 tsp orange extract plus ½ tsp grated citrus zest for garnish.
Raspberry Hot Chocolate: 1/8 tsp raspberry extract plus 2 fresh ripe raspberries for garnish.
Almond Hot Chocolate: Use almond milk and add 1/8 tsp almond extract + plus 1 tsp chopped toasted salted almonds for garnish.
Coconut Hot Chocolate: Use coconut milk and add 1/8 tsp coconut extract plus 1 Tbsp toasted sweetened shredded coconut for garnish.
Cherry Hot Chocolate: Use 1/8 tsp cherry extract and 2 to 3 maraschino cherries for garnish.
