The Creamiest Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate Recipe

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Made using only five ingredients, this Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate Recipe is the creamiest, smoothest, most decadent hot chocolate you could ever wish for! Naturally vegan and ready in five minutes from start to finish.

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Can You Make Hot Chocolate with Coconut Milk?

You most certainly can! The coconut milk used in this recipe for hot chocolate makes every sip the creamiest and smoothest you could ever wish for. In all sincerity, hot cocoa is one of my all-time favorite drinks, and I have consumed more than my fair share of it in my thirty-odd years of life. And nothing–nothing–comes even close to the creaminess and depth of flavor in this Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate recipe.

Vegan Hot Chocolate with Coconut Milk

This Hot Chocolate with Coconut Milk recipe is vegan. (Score! Now you have something sweet to serve your friends around the holidays, when everything else is packed with butter and milk!) Just make sure to use only granulated sugar or maple syrup, not honey, as a sweetener.

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Powder

The key to a great hot chocolate? The best cocoa powder. When I make this recipe for coconut milk hot cocoa, I use 100% cacao powder. (The percentage does matter here, folks.) Especially if you like the rich flavor of dark chocolate, 100% cacao powder is a must.

Coconut Milk and Cocoa Powder

The other key ingredient is, of course, coconut milk. While making your own coconut milk can be fine and dandy for baked goods and curry dishes, I recommend using store-bought canned or fresh coconut milk. Homemade coconut milk tends to be on the watery side (in my experience), and you want all the yummy fat of the coconut in the milk for this hot chocolate recipe.

Canned Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

Canned coconut milk or fresh coconut milk–that is the question…Personally, while I love fresh vanilla-flavored coconut milk in hot chocolate, I don’t taste much of a difference from the canned coconut milk when I use this recipe. The additional vanilla extract helps, I’m sure, but also the coconut milk itself doesn’t seem all that different. (You can’t ever accuse me of being a coconut milk snob, though.)

The truly important part to remember–no matter whether you choose team canned or team fresh–is to use full-fat coconut milk. Do not reach for the skim stuff. This recipe owes its creaminess to the coconut fat included in whole coconut milk, and it would not have the same texture without it.

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar–You can substitute another sweetener of your choice. Try using maple syrup (if you want to keep the recipe vegan) or honey.
• Cocoa Powder--For the best hot chocolate flavor, always use 100% cacao powder. Other types will do, but you will not get the same dark chocolate flavor result.
• Coconut Milk–I use canned coconut milk when I prepare this recipe, but fresh or boxed coconut milk works great too. My favorite way to cook hot chocolate with coconut milk is to use a fresh jug of vanilla-flavored coconut milk.
• Dash of sea salt or Himalayan pink salt--When you cook something sweet, adding a bit of salt works to offset the sweetness and bring out the other underlying flavors. Just don’t overdo it! You really only need the tiniest pinch.
• Vanilla Extract–Use the good stuff: real vanilla extract. If you aren’t a fan of vanilla, maybe try using just 1/4 tsp in this recipe at first and adding more from there, to taste.

How to Make Hot Chocolate with Coconut Milk

1. In a small saucepan, mix together the cocoa powder, dash of sea salt, and granulated sugar until well combined.
2. Add about 1 Tbsp. coconut milk and stir with a whisk until a thick paste forms.
3. Mix in the remaining coconut milk, continuing to stir with the whisk until smooth. (If there are just a few small lumps still floating around, continue to stir the hot chocolate while it heats in the next step.)
4. Heat the hot chocolate in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it is warmed entirely through. (This takes about 3 minutes.)
5. Remove from the heat, pour into hot drink mugs, top with your favorite toppings (marshmallows, whipped cream, etc.), and enjoy!

Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate Microwave Version

If you prefer to use a microwave to make this Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate Recipe, then follow these instructions:

1. In a large coffee mug, mix together the cocoa powder, dash of sea salt, and granulated sugar until well combined.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut milk and stir with a fork until a thick paste forms.
3. Mix in the remaining coconut milk until the hot chocolate is smooth.
4. Warm the hot chocolate in the microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir well, making sure to scrape the bottom to mix in the sugar.
5. Return the hot chocolate to the microwave and heat it on HIGH for another minute.
6. Remove the mug from the microwave, stir, and test the temperature. If it is to your liking, top it with your favorite toppings (marshmallows, whipped cream, etc.), and enjoy!

Healthy Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate

Make this recipe even healthier by trading the granulated sugar for another natural sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup. If you choose one of these sweetener options, use the stovetop version of the recipe to ensure that the sweetener truly gets incorporated throughout the drink and does not end up as simply a lump at the bottom of your cup.

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