Simple Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa

Simple Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa! A dairy-free hot cocoa recipe that uses hemp milk, cinnamon, cardamom, and cocoa.  Tastes just as delicious as regular hot cocoa, and is ready in the microwave in less than 5 minutes.  Paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan.

Ever crave something sweet before bedtime?  It's easy to make dairy-free hot cocoa when you are not limited to foods due to an elimination diet, but when you are on an elimination diet?  It's definitely harder to find that perfect dairy-free hot cocoa that doesn't contain sugar, is paleo, vegan, and gluten-free without sacrificing taste.

Sometimes my cravings are out of control and I want to grab everything that doesn't take a long time to make. 

If I gave into the sugar beast, my two-week progress of zero sugar (with the exception of low glycemic fruits like berries and grapefruit) would go down the toilet.  I'd have to start all over again and my body would be worse than what I started.

For the past 2 years, I have been experimenting with different diets to try and heal my chronic inflammation and I am now at the point where the Candida diet is the only way.  So, giving it would be a disaster.  Enter my recipe for dairy-free hot cocoa that is made in the microwave in under 5-minutes.  No added sugar and nut-free too.  Tastes delicious, creamy, decadent, and rich.  Saved by a cup of hot cocoa.

This hot cocoa is so easy to make, using the most simple and easy to get ingredients.  It's rich from the cocoa content, and because sugar was eliminated. 

HOW TO CREATE A DAIRY-FREE HOT COCOA

• Swapping out the dairy milk for plant-based milk is easy, just switch it out with another plant milk.
• There is more to dairy-free milk than Lactaid, in fact, I don't recommend this.
• If you need to be dairy-free there are so many options from nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables that make up plant milk
• Plant milk has more nutrients and vitamins that make your body feel good.
• As far as seed milk goes you have tahini/sesame milk, hemp seed milk, sunflower seed milk, pumpkin seed milk.
• When it comes to grain milk you have the option of quinoa milk, oat milk (certified gluten-free), millet milk.
• Nut milk goes a long way when it comes to almond milk, cashew milk, walnut milk, pistachio milk, macadamia milk, hazelnut milk.
• Vegetable milk does exist in the form of Tiger Nut milk which is one of my favorites made from a tuber root veggie.
• And legume milk like peanut milk, and soy milk.
• Last but not least there is always coconut milk, coconut cream, full-fat coconut milk, and lite coconut milk.
• You can either make your own milk using a high-speed blender which is fast, easy and you can control what goes in or you can buy store-bought milk.

HOW TO MAKE HOT COCOA TASTE GREAT WITHOUT SUGAR

• If you cannot have sugar you can always use liquid stevia or granulated stevia.  A drop equals 1 tsp. white sugar.
• Also, go with herbs and spices!  These go a long way and are often discounted or forgotten.
• You can use dried spices or fresh spices, or dried herbs.
• Dessert spices such as cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla beans, and mint.
• A savory option always works if you like your hot cocoa more warming such as turmeric, ginger, and cayenne pepper.

Looking for a more decadent dairy-free hot cocoa?

• Paleo Red Velvet Hot Cocoa
• Paleo Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
• Superfood Hot Cocoa 3 Ways

Hits the spot and serves up nicely with a handful of frozen berries.

Ready to gather your ingredients?

Print Recipe

Simple Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa

Simple Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa! A dairy-free hot cocoa recipe that uses hemp milk, cinnamon, cardamom, and cocoa.  Tastes just as delicious as regular hot cocoa, and is ready in the microwave in less than 5 minutes.  Paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Sugar-Free, Vegan

Keyword: cardamom, cinnamon, creamy, easy, hot chocolate, hot cocoa, no milk, no refined sugar, simple

Servings: 3 people

Author: Julie Rosenthal

Equipment

• microwave

Ingredients

• 1 cup hemp seed milk
• 1 ¼ cup spring water
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon granulated stevia powder
• 1 pinch granulated stevia powder

Instructions

• Blender together all ingredients in a high-speed blender until foamy.
• Pour hot cocoa mixture into cups and microwave for 1 ½ minutes, covered
• Let cool and serve.

Notes

• I highly recommend making your own hemp seed milk because it will be much creamier than store-bought.
• To make your own hemp seed milk check out my recipe How To Make Easy Hemp Milk and only use the first two ingredients.
• If the mixture is too thick and chocolatey for your liking you can add more water. It is totally delicious both ways.
• You can always sub the hemp milk for cashew milk, almond milk, coconut milk, Tigernut milk, or other non-dairy milk.
• Remember!  Choose unsweetened milk if you are on a sugar-free or Candida diet.
• And if you want it to be sweeter you can either add more Stevia, or add a different type of sugar like coconut sugar, or raw sugar.
• Remember if you are on the Candida diet do not add additional sugar other than Stevia.
• My favorite brand of powdered stevia is by SweetLeaf.

Love & Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa!