There’s nothing better than enjoying a mug of hot chocolate on a cold night. Make hot chocolate without milk for dairy-free and vegan friends.
Jump to RecipeHere in the South, we only get a few cold nights, even in the winter months, but that means it’s hot chocolate season for me! I love to enjoy a warm cup of cocoa when we get cold weather here.
Classic hot chocolate tends to be made with regular milk, with whole milk, which is not friendly for those who are dairy-free for allergy reasons like me, or those who try to follow a vegan lifestyle. Having dairy products in the hot chocolate mix means I can’t enjoy it like I used to.
I took a hot chocolate recipe I’ve had for years for the slow cooker and made some changes to make it a dairy-free version. It wasn’t planned, but that also means it is vegan as well. We replaced the whole milk with non-dairy milk and changed the heavy cream out for coconut milk.
Homemade hot cocoa is a great way to celebrate the season, and there are so many simple ingredients you can add to elevate the taste.
Substitutions
There are many substitutions you can make in this recipe. It all depends on your tastes and preferences for ingredients.
- Substitute white sugar or coconut sugar for the brown sugar. Brown sugar will give it a thicker, heavier taste because of the molasses, so white sugar will make a lighter cup of hot chocolate.
- You can use any milk alternative in place of almond milk such as soy milk, cashew milk, or creamy oat milk. Your choice of nondairy milk will slightly change the taste and texture of the final recipe.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can use vanilla extract in its place. I find vanilla bean paste has a more intense flavor, so I would increase the vanilla extract to 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons.
- Substitute vegan chocolate chips or vegan dark chocolate chips in place of the cocoa powder if you want a thicker hot chocolate with a more creamy texture.
Hot Chocolate Toppings & Add-Ins
One of the fun parts of having hot cocoa is adding things into or on top of your mug of cocoa. There are so many simple additions to add to your homemade hot chocolate recipe.
- Coconut whipped cream
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Orange zest
- Marshmallows
- Biscoff cookies
- Chocolate syrup
- Peppermint pieces
- Peppermint sticks
- Peppermint extract
- Cinnamon sticks
- Peanut butter
- Pure maple syrup (to add sweetness)
- Nutella
- Pumpkin spice
- Kahlua, Bourbon, or Brandy
- Coffee
- Caramel, dulce de leche, or butterscotch
Vegan Hot Chocolate Step by Step
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6 cups almond milk
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Preparation
Whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and sea salt in the inner pot of a slow cooker.
Pour in the almond milk, coconut milk, and vanilla and whisk vigorously until combined.
Close the slow cooker and set it to low for 2 hours, stirring halfway through.
Stir once more before serving.
Leftovers
Storage: Let the hot chocolate come to room temperature before refrigerating. Store leftover hot chocolate in an airtight container or pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating: For best results, stir the hot chocolate then heat in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through. Make sure to whisk occasionally as it warms.
Freezing: Hot chocolate can be frozen in airtight freezer-safe containers. Make sure to save room at the top for it to expand. Thaw in the refrigerator for a day before reheating.
Recipe
Originally Published On: October 9, 2023
Vegan Hot Chocolate without Milk
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6 cups almond milk
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and sea salt in the inner pot of a slow cooker
- Pour in the almond milk, coconut milk, and vanilla and whisk vigorously until combined
- Close the slow cooker and set it to low for 2 hours, stirring halfway through
- Stir once more before serving
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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Using the slow cooker is such a clever way to make hot chocolate – such a delicious recipe! Thanks for the ideas for toppings and add-ins.
I love making hot chocolate in the slow cooker. I’ve never tried making vegan hot chocolate before, but I’m going to. I have a couple of vegan friends.
Ooo how delicious is this! My son loves hot chocolate but I have not heard it made in a slow cooker. He will eat this up – literally!
This looks amazing and would be perfect for the likes of a party or even a movie night! If it’s in the slow cooker you can just go and top up whenever you like!
I’m excited about this dairy-free hot chocolate. As a northerner, I love a good cup of hot chocolate in the winter. I’ve been trying to reduce my dairy and always searching for new twists on old favorites. I can’t wait to try this!
Love this vegan version of hot chocolate. So delicious.
This was really good! My kids loved it,so I can’t wait to make it again for them…YUM!!!
It is nice to make some homemade hot cocoa! I haven’t made a homemade version in years. It is nice to have a vegan recipe to try.
Hot cocoa in the slow cooker?! This we have to try. Always on the lookout for fall recipes in the slow cooker!
Wow! This sounds really good! I’m surely gonna give this a try, thanks for sharing this with us
This sounds wonderful. My mouth started watering when I saw the picture. I love that you included so many delicious topping options too!! I know we won’t have any leftovers although that would have been nice for me for whilst the kids were at school.
Lovely! Is it okay if I borrow your recipe, this one? Many of the hot chocolates sold here have much milk in them. This will be good for a change.
Love the recipe! I’ll add it to my recipe book.
This looks really good. I have never tried vegan hot chocolate but I would love to try. Thank you for sharing the substitutions. Very helpful since I don’t have all the ingredients available.
I am thinking of adding some pumpkin spice or some bourbon.
Your vegan hot chocolate recipe is a delightful find! As a chocolate lover, I’ve never explored the vegan side. Your post has inspired me to give it a try. Thanks for sharing this mouthwatering idea!
What are some alternative dairy-free ingredients that can be used to achieve a rich and creamy consistency?
The recipe is already dairy-free so I’m not sure what you are trying to substitute?
Vegan hot chocolate I need to try to see if there is a difference. The recipe sounds amazing, though.
Always drink it with milk but this is interesting to try it. Also, my friend is vegan so this would be perfect.