This Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is made with homemade pumpkin pie syrup and dark chocolate, which makes it extra decadent and creamy. You can make it in just about 10 minutes, and it's perfect for the fall and holidays! It's simple and packed with warm and comforting pumpkin pie spice flavor.
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What Makes This Hot Chocolate So Good
Creamy and flavorful - The drink is made with homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Syrup, full of warming spices. The secret is to use a chopped dark chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips, because it gives it better flavor, and it makes it extra creamy and decadent.
Easy and simple - The recipe comes together in just a couple of easy steps, and it's perfect for a cool fall evening, Halloween, and Thanksgiving! It takes under 15 minutes and makes two servings. The measurements don't have to be perfect, and it doesn't require any special, hard-to-find ingredients.
Ingredients
- Chopped dark chocolate - I like using dark chocolate (75-85%), but semi-sweet or milk chocolate works as well if that's your preference. If you do use milk chocolate or a chocolate that's sweeter, you might have to adjust the amount of syrup you add and replace it with more pumpkin spice instead.
- Cacao powder - I recommend using raw cacao powder for the best flavor, but Dutch cocoa powder works too.
- Pumpkin syrup - You can make your own Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup with just brown sugar, water, and pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice). Or you can use store-bought. I like small local brands that don't have any artificial flavors or colors, but Monin is great too. Alternatively, you can sweeten the drink with maple syrup and add pumpkin pie spice instead.
- Pumpkin pie spice and vanilla - Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste balances all the flavors and adds warmth. I also add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice for even more flavor.
- Milk - The type of milk you use is totally up to you. I like using cashew or almond milk, but regular whole milk or other non-dairy milk like soy milk, rice milk, or boxed coconut milk work as well. I don't recommend canned coconut milk because it's too thick.
Variations and Substitutions
- Starch slurry - If you like your hot chocolate extra thick, you can add starch slurry and simmer it gently until the drink thickens. You can use classic cornstarch, or I usually use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch (it's often marked as flour). You have to mix it with cold water first because it would seize up in the hot chocolate.
- Pumpkin puree - You can also add a teaspoon or two of pumpkin puree for that real pumpkin flavor. I left it out to keep the drink completely smooth and because I mostly enjoy the spices, but you can totally add it if you prefer. I don't recommend adding pumpkin pie filling because it has other ingredients like sugar and spices that would throw off the flavors.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add about ½ cup of milk to a medium saucepan on the stove and heat it over high heat until hot but not boiling.
- Take it off the heat and add chopped dark chocolate. Whisk consistently until the chocolate completely melts.
- Whisk in cacao powder, pumpkin simple syrup (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and fine sea salt.
- Add the remaining milk, whisk again to mix, and bring the mixture to a soft simmer over medium heat. It doesn’t need to boil; you just want to warm it up. Stir or whisk often to avoid it sticking to the bottom.
- Here, you can either serve it or, if you want it to be thicker, mix tapioca or corn starch with a little bit of water and add it to the hot chocolate while whisking until it’s well mixed in to avoid clumps. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, until it thickens slightly, and take it off the heat. It will thicken more as it cools.
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- Pour the hot chocolate into two small mugs and top with whipped cream if desired, marshmallows, grated chocolate, or lightly dust with pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Use quality chocolate - Forget the chocolate chips and use a quality dark chocolate bar. Chocolate chips can always be used in a pinch, but good melted chocolate will give you a better flavor and extra creamy and luscious hot chocolate.
- Starch - I usually don't add any, but if you like your hot chocolate extra thick and creamy, add tapioca starch (or corn starch or arrowroot starch/flour). Make sure to always mix it with a splash of cold water first, though. Never add the dry powder to a hot liquid because it will seize and create lumps.
Serving and Storing
The drink is best enjoyed right away while it's still hot. If needed, you can store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for 1-2 days. Wait for the chocolate to cool down completely before closing the jar with a lid.
Freezing: You can also freeze the hot chocolate (once it fully cools down) in a silicone ice cube tray and add the frozen hot chocolate cubes to lattes or coffee instead of ice.
FAQs
Yes! You can use dairy-free milk and vegan chocolate to keep the drink vegan-friendly. Most dark chocolate bars are vegan, but it's always good to check the label.
It has all the same flavors, but they use their own syrup with natural and possibly artificial flavors, so it's impossible to get the flavors exactly the same with real ingredients.
More Hot Chocolate Recipes
If you want to try other similar hot chocolate recipes like this one, check out the four below! They're all just as creamy and perfect for the holidays! To see all the latest ones, head over to Hot Drinks.
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Print📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Hot Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate is made with homemade pumpkin pie syrup and dark chocolate that makes it extra decanent and creamy. You can make it in just about 10 minutes, and it's perfect for the fall and holidays!
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, divided (I use almond or cashew milk)
- ½ bar dark chocolate, chopped (I recommend 75% chocolate)
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 2 tbsp pumpkin simple syrup (or maple syrup)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice (add ½ tsp if you’re not adding pumpkin syrup)
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch (optional)
- 2 tsp water (optional)
- For serving: whipped cream, grated chocolate, or more pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Add about ½ cup of milk to a medium saucepan and heat up over high heat until hot but not boiling.
- Take it off the heat and add chopped dark chocolate. Whisk consistently until the chocolate completely melts.
- Whisk in cacao powder, pumpkin simple syrup (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and fine sea salt.
- Add the remaining milk, whisk again to mix, and bring the mixture to a soft simmer over medium heat. It doesn’t need to boil; you just want to warm it up. Stir or whisk often to avoid it sticking to the bottom.
- Here, you can either serve it or, if you want it to be thicker, mix tapioca or corn starch with a little bit of water and add it to the hot chocolate while whisking until it’s well mixed in to avoid clumps. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, until it thickens slightly, and take it off the heat. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Top with whipped cream if desired, grated chocolate, marshmallows, or lightly dust with pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: While this hot chocolate is best enjoyed right away, you can store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for a day if needed. Wait for it to cool before closing with a lid. You can also freeze it in a silicone ice cube mold and add it to your coffee, oatmeal, or defrost and warm it up on the stove for a cup of hot chocolate.
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