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.

Is this similar to the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte?

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.

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

Name: Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
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

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

Units Scale

2 cups milk, divided (I use almond or cashew milk)
1/2 bar dark chocolate, chopped (I recommend 75% chocolate)
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp pumpkin simple syrup (or maple syrup)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (add 1/2 tsp if you’re not adding pumpkin syrup)
1/8 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

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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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