Hot Cocoa with Coconut Sugar

Making hot cocoa is probably one of the best ways to indulge yourself with something sweet and chocolaty, especially during long winter days. Although there are plenty of hot chocolate mix powders available in the stores, the best things always come from scratch.

That’s why having a good homemade hot cocoa recipe can be very handy. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and you can really taste the difference.

So, let’s start. A good cocoa recipe requires whole milk. Never, ever use water to prepare your cocoa or you’ll just end up with a mug of sad chocolate water (even reduced-fat milk won’t give you the best results). For a vegan version, your favorite plant-based milk will do the job perfectly (we strongly recommend oat milk because of its neutral taste that won’t overpower the cacao powder).

Every smooth cocoa starts with adding a small amount of milk to the cocoa powder. This is when you add your sweetener (such as coconut sugar, agave nectar, or even regular sugar) and spices (vanilla extract is one of the best hot cocoa ingredients you can possibly use). Vigorously whisk the mixture making sure to remove all the lumps until you get a rich and creamy texture. Warming up the milk will make sure the sugar is completely dissolved and all the ingredients fully incorporated. Finally, add the remaining milk and voilà as the French would say – you’ve got yourself a cup of perfect hot cocoa. Enjoy!

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 234, Protein: 12.1g, Total Carb: 33.4g, Dietary Fiber: 3.6g, Total Fat: 7.7g