Vegan Hot Chocolate 5 Ways

We took our creamy, rich, delicious simple hot chocolate recipe and gave it an upgrade with a few variations. The flavors include: peppermint, orange bourbon, mocha and peanut butter cup. Plus, our suggestions for the ultimate hot cocoa snack board with all of your favorite toppings!

We had so much fun coming up with these vegan hot cocoa recipes. They're all insanely delicious (and so rich!), but my absolute favorite is the bourbon orange. It's adult only, of course, but such a fun winter treat!

Plus, to make things extra fun, we're sharing ideas for putting together a hot chocolate board, complete with just about every possible hot cocoa topping you can imagine.

It's a fun idea for kids (this would be my ideal snow day activity!) or a family holiday spread. Or, make a downsized version for a weekend treat.

How to make classic vegan hot chocolate

Let's start with the classic recipe: perfect for any occasion and so easy to make!

Our classic vegan hot chocolate recipe is made with two types of nondairy milk: regular milk and creamer for a thick, creamy base.

For the regular nondairy milk, you can use just about any variety you use on a daily basis: oat, cashew, almond, coconut, etc.

For the creamer, look for something thick and rich that you would use to make a cappuccino or latte. A few of our favorite nondairy creamer brands include Nutpods, Oatly, Califia Farms and Forager Project. We opt for plain or vanilla to keep this recipe neutral.

To add extra creaminess, we add 3 tablespoon of hemp seeds to our recipe. It's optional, but really boosts the richness. You could also use soaked cashews for the same effect.

Maple syrup is our sweetener of choice. You can also use agave nectar.

Add both milks, hemp seeds, unsweetened cocoa (or cacao) powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to a blender. Blend everything until smooth and creamy (you may need to scrape down the sides to fully incorporate the cocoa powder).

Then, transfer to a saucepan, bring to a simmer, whisk frequently and heat until warmed to desired temperature. The mixture will thicken slightly but not a ton, so you don't have to simmer for more than a few minutes.

There you have it! Creamy, rich, velvety hot cocoa. Top with mini vegan marshmallows and (optional) mini dark chocolate chips (my favorite!).

Vegan hot chocolate variations

Look, it's 2020 and it hasn't been an easy year. So instead of stopping at just one recipes, we're giving you four extra hot chocolate variations to enjoy since we're all spending lots of extra time at home!

The four variations include: peppermint, bourbon orange (adult only!), mocha and peanut butter cup.

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Each variation includes one or two extra ingredients that you'll add to the base recipe when everything goes into the blender.

To further customize the flavors, add complementary toppings! Here are our suggestions:

• Top peppermint hot chocolate with: whipped cream, crushed (and/or whole) candy canes, fresh mint, chocolate shavings
• Top bourbon orange chocolate with: orange peel or zest, whipped cream, chocolate shavings
• Top mocha hot chocolate with: mini marshmallows, chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate chips, whipped cream
• Top peanut butter cup hot chocolate with: actual peanut butter cups, chopped peanuts, chocolate cookies, chocolate fudge sauce, caramel sauce, or any other decadent toppings you can think of.

Ultimate hot cocoa board toppings

Take your hot chocolate to the next level with this super fun hot cocoa board complete with all.of.the.toppings.!!

Sure, you could just serve your hot cocoa with mini vegan marshmallows, but if you want to turn it into a full occasion, here's what to add to your hot cocoa board:

• Hot fudge sauce
• Vegan caramel sauce
• Mini vegan marshmallows (we love MyDandies!)
• Crushed cookies (oreos, graham crackers, etc)
• Mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings
• Chopped nuts
• Candy canes (crushed or whole)
• Peanut butter cups

What are you adding to your vegan hot chocolate? Let us know in the comments!

What to serve with hot cocoa

If all of those decadent toppings aren't enough, here are a few of our favorite sweet recipe pairings:

• Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
• Crispy Gluten Free and Vegan Waffles
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gingerbread Coffee Cake

If you make this cozy, rich, delicious vegan hot chocolate 5 ways, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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