Healthy Hot Chocolate

Thick and creamy Healthy Hot Chocolate sweetened naturally with dates! An amazingly rich and delicious dairy free hot cocoa perfect  for chilly weather.

Sound the alarm. This hot chocolate is so divine it's actually bamboozling my brain right now. Like all of my cacao powder recipes!

Dairy free. No added sugar. Sweetened 100% naturally with dates. SO THICCKKK! I can't. But I just did!

Just like my Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate, this bev it's seriously life changing. I've been making it every other day! Say goodby to old school packets and hello to winter weather sipping essentials.

How to make healthy hot chocolate

I bet you have all the goodies in your pantry already to whip this luxurious healthy hot chocolate! And can I just say that's you'd never guess it has no added sugar? It tastes like the real deal. 

The cool part is that the dates not only make it 100% naturally sweetened, but they also act as a natural thickener to make the creamiest and perfectly thick hot cocoa ever.

1. Soak the dates in hot water for at least 10 minutes so they can blend. You can do it ahead of time if you remember!
2. Blend the dates, milk, cocoa, and a pinch of salt in the Nutribullet or high speed blender until thick and creamy. There shouldn't be any chunks of dates.
3. Pour mixture into a small saucepan and warm over medium low heat until hot, but not boiling
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into a mug, topped with vegan whipped cream or marshmallows, and sip!

Tips and tricks

• Soak your medjool dates for 5 or more minutes in super hot water so they're nice and soft and can be easily blended. PS--did you know dates are technically a fresh fruit?!
• Use a milk you love. I like unsweetened vanilla almond, but oat, soy, or coconut work too! You  could also do 2% or whole milk if you do dairy. Just make sure you like the flavor on its own. It's ok if its thin since the dates thicken the mixture.
• Use a high speed blender. I used my Nutribullet. Blending the dates is key to sweetness!
• Don't skip the salt. It really balances the flavor. I use about ⅛ teaspoon.

Which cocoa powder to use

I love to use cacao powder (check out all my fave recipes using cacao powder!) because it has a really intense chocolate flavor plus some handy dandy phytochemicals.

Unsweetened cocoa powder that you'd use for baking will work great here, too, like Ghirardelli or Guittard.

Make it your own!

• Add a pinch of cinnamon and the smallest bit of cayenne for Mexican hot chocolate. You could also garnish with a cinnamon stick!
• Add a tablespoon of chocolate chips for an extra yummy surprise.
• Top it off with a dollop of whipped cream or mini marshmallows!
• Make it boozy: stir in a splash of bourbon or red wine if you fancy.

This beauty makes two servings, but feel free to cut the recipe in half if you're just enjoying yourself! You can also refrigerate any leftovers and reheat later.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for dunking is highly recommended. 'Tis the season!

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