Who doesn’t love a warming mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day? My kids are obsessed with it and as always I like to find ways to reduce the sugar in their favourite treats. This healthy hot chocolate is made with almond butter and sweetened with dates. It has a rich, delicious flavour and really hits the spot. It’s also dairy free so suitable for vegans.
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This delicious vegan hot chocolate is the perfect treat for a cold winter's day. It's a great one to drink at Christmas time and makes a lovely festive treat.
We like to make this healthy hot chocolate after a long walk outside on a cold day - adding the grated chocolate makes it feel extra special for the children.
I love this recipe because it's:
- comforting
- healthy
- vegan
- nourishing
- always loved by the kids.
How is this hot chocolate sweetened?
Hot chocolate usually contains a fair amount of sugar - especially if you use the pre-prepared hot chocolate powder. To avoid this added sugar I’ve sweetened this healthy hot chocolate with dates.
Medjool dates are the best kind of dates to use for this. They are unbelievably sweet and squidgy and don’t need to be soaked. But they can be pricey so feel free to use other dates instead. If your dates are on the dry side it is a good idea to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before starting this recipe.
The dates will be completely hidden once this recipe has been blended so don’t worry about “bits” showing.
What should you serve with this vegan hot chocolate?
I like to add some shavings of dark chocolate to our hot chocolate.
My kids adore vegan squirty cream or vegan marshmallows added to theirs. But that of course stops it from being healthy. Good for an occasional treat though!
What ingredients do you need to make this hot chocolate?
Almond milk
I love the flavour of almond milk and it makes the most delicious hot chocolate. However, you can make this healthy hot chocolate using any kind of milk you have available - with the exception of tinned coconut milk.
Almond butter
Almond butter serves a double purpose in this recipe. It not only makes the hot chocolate unbelievably creamy and delicious, it also adds a good dose of healthy plant-based protein. It’s a great way to get some nuts into your kids if they’re not keen on eating them.
Cocoa or cacao powder
Cacao powder* is less refined than cocoa powder and opting for cacao will make your hot chocolate even healthier. However, if you only have cocoa powder to hand feel free to use that instead. I usually use 3 tablespoons of powder for this recipe but it can be quite strong so if you prefer just use 2 instead.
Dates
As mentioned above dates are the main sweetener for this hot chocolate recipe. Medjool dates are the best option but other dates can be used if soaked first.
Vanilla extract
Not essential but has a lovely flavour.
Grated dark chocolate shavings
This is optional but serving your healthy hot chocolate with some dark chocolate shavings on top makes it look extra special.
Do you need any special equipment to make this?
You will need a blender* to make your healthy vegan hot chocolate.
More vegan chocolate recipes you might like
How to make healthy hot chocolate
If you've made this recipe and loved it please leave a comment and star rating - thanks so much.
Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.
Healthy hot chocolate with almond butter
Ingredients
- 500 ml almond milk
- 50 g almond butter
- 2-3 tablespoons cacao powder or cocoa powder depending on how chocolatey you want it to be
- 2 medjool dates or four dried dates soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To serve
- Grated dark chocolate shavings to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Place 500ml almond milk, 50g almond butter, 2-3 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder, your chopped dates and a tsp of vanilla extract into a blender.
- Pulse until smooth.
- Transfer to a saucepan and heat until just before boiling*.
- Spoon into mugs and serve with grated chocolate shavings if using. Allow to cool if serving to children.
Notes
- When boiled milk can taste a little burnt so it's best to heat your hot chocolate until just before boiling.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
Nutrition
Pin healthy hot chocolate for later
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Sree
Hello, enjoyed reading this recipe. Definitely gonna try it. Can we add cashew nuts instead of almond butter
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Sree, hope you enjoy it - please let me know how you get on. Yes, I think you can use cashew nuts. Soak them for 20 minutes in hot water first.
Puja
This recipe is fantastic. After i turned vegan, i missed hot chocolate so i was excited when i saw this. This is incredibly rich and creamy and is a healthier alternate! I wouldnt mind my kids drinking this all day :p
Mandy Mazliah
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Puja!