What's better than hot chocolate? This Vegan Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate! There honestly isn't a better drink for those cold winter evenings when all you want to do is to curl up on the couch and watch Christmas movies. This hot chocolate is creamy, comforting, and full of warming spices.
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The holiday spirit
Last week, I share this Christmas Spice Blend aka my favorite spice blend. I honestly add it to anything sweet the second I flip the calendar over to December. September is for apple spice, October and November are for pumpkin spice, and December is for Christmas spice. I just can't get enough. It's that good!
I already have a few recipes that use this spice lined up and I can't wait to share them all. Today I'm adding it to hot chocolate because it's the perfect winter drink and with this spice, every day feels like Christmas. Is that too cheesy? Maybe... But you know what? I don't even care. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I get super excited every year and I start brainstorming festive recipes way earlier than socially acceptable lol. I got extra excited about the spice blend I shared last week and took the photos for the recipe in August. Yup. August. What can I say? Christmas just brings me so much joy.
What do you need for this spiced hot chocolate?
It's super simple. All you need are 6-7 simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your cupboard! At least for me, most of these ingredients are pantry staples.
- Plant-based milk - I used hazelnut, it's my favorite for anything with chocolate because it kind of makes it taste like Nutella
- Vegan chocolate chips - I always go for dark chocolate and adjust the sweetness later with my own sweetener
- Raw cacao powder - you can use cocoa if that's all you have, I just prefer cacao for its nutritional value and the taste
- Christmas Spice Blend - aka the star of the show. Find the recipe HERE. The best spice blend for the winter months. I also include a substitute in the recipe. It's not going to be the same but it will still be delicious.
- Maple syrup - It always pairs really well with chocolate. You can substitute this for agave, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or my new favorite, date sugar.
- Sea salt - all you need is a small pinch but it balances out the flavors and brings out the sweetness of the maple syrup
- Vegan whipped cream - check your local grocery store if they carry it, I got mine from Whole Foods and I'm obsessed.
Look how thick and creamy this hot chocolate is!
Last year I shared this recipe for a hot chocolate, which I called the best vegan hot chocolate. And it's still one of my favorites but the one I'm sharing today is the one I'd choose for Christmas. They're practically the same, only this one is Christmas Spiced so it's a no-brainer. And the whipped cream on top with a dusting of cacao powder just takes it from great to amazing. I prefer the whipped cream over the marshmallows because there's less sugar. If you prefer marshmallows over whipped cream, by all means, add all the mini marshmallows your heart desires!
If you're in the mood for even more hot drinks. Check out this Rooibos Rose Tea Latte. It's a copycat Starbucks drink and one of my absolute favorites!
I had so much fun shooting these photos! I'm including more than I usually would because I just like all of them so much and can't choose. Which one is your favorite?
Do you have a favorite hot cocoa recipe you make every year? I'd love to know if have a family recipe too because this one is definitely mine. It's always a hit.
Let me know if you make this Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate, share a photo on Instagram, and tag me so I can see! (stories or post) Happy Holidays! xo
📖 Recipe
Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 2
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A creamy vegan hot chocolate, perfect for the holidays! Full of warming winter spices.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plant-based milk (I like hazelnut but any milk is fine*)
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp Christmas Spice Blend (see notes for a substitute)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- A small pinch of sea salt
- ¼-½ cup water(optional, skip if you want the chocolate to be extra creamy)
- Vegan whipped cream (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Add the milk and the chocolate chips into a small pot over low heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes or until the chocolate melts. Make sure not to burn it.
- Add the cacao powder, Christmas spice blend, and maple syrup, a small pinch of sea salt, and water if desired, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Boil for a minute or two and remove from heat.
- Optional: Using a handheld milk frother, froth the hot chocolate.
- Pour into a mug, top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
If you're using canned coconut milk, use ½ coconut milk and ½ cup water so it's not too thick.
Christmas spice blend substitute (gingerbread): ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛-1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, ⅛-1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
I use a milk frother to make the hot chocolate frothy but it’s optional. It also helps blend all the ingredients together. I just dip the frother into the hot chocolate in the pot, turn it on and move it gently up and down but keeping it submerged. Check the instructions of your milk frother if you’re unsure how to use it properly.
Nutritional information is counted without whipped cream.
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Gloria
Well the weather outside is frightful....and this would be so delightful. The perfect drink to warm up on a cold day. I would love this with a good book sitting by the fire for a relaxing afternoon of reading.
Candice
That Christmas spice blend is everything!! We enjoyed these over the weekend by the fire, and it was exactly what we needed to start off the holiday season. Great recipe!
Aleta
What a delicious treat for the holiday season. I just made this for decorating our Christmas tree and we all loved it! ( especially the kids ;) )
Chef Dennis
This is perfect for Christmas! My sons will visit us this coming Holidays and I will definitely serve them Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate!
Denise
Mmmmmm.... this Spiced hot chocolate looks absolutely delicious! The spice blend sounds yummy, I can not wait to give this a try.
Eva
I love hot chocolate when it's thick! And I absolutely love the gorgeous mug you are using in these lovely photos!!
Debbie
I adore your twist on hot cocoa , that Christmas spice really is a great addition . I can’t wait to try this thick and creamy cocoa , the perfect thing to have on a lazy cold afternoon.
Ramona
This is the perfect Christmas drink and I'm sure my family would love one of these on the Christmas holiday! it looks super pretty and delicious, thank you for sharing.
Moop Brown
Yum, this hot chocolate looks incredibly rich and creamy and perfect for the holidays!
Jo
Yes..yes to this hot chocolate. The spices used in this hot chocolate are perfect for the weather. Love how delicious it looks