This healthy paleo hot chocolate recipe is rich and creamy with a dark chocolate flavor. It's made with almond milk and coconut cream and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. This hot chocolate is paleo, dairy free and low in sugar.
My kids adore hot chocolate. Well, come to think of it, they like anything chocolate. chocolate cookies, chocolate muffins, chocolate ice cream, chocolate donuts...the list goes on.
They must get it from their mother 😉
Anyway, I've been making this paleo hot chocolate recipe for my kids since 2020. It's slightly changed over the years, as my daughter was a baby back then. So I've had to adjust the quantities to make three small servings instead of two.
This hot cocoa is made with almond milk, canned coconut cream and cocoa powder and sweetened with a little maple syrup. I often add in collagen peptides or chocolate protein powder to make it more nutritious, but that's totally optional.
Why You'll Love this Paleo Hot Chocolate
- paleo friendly - made with simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about.
- vegan and dairy free - made with almond milk and coconut cream to keep the recipe dairy free
- only 4 ingredients required - the vanilla extract and collagen are optional
- super easy to make - just combine ingredients over the stovetop and serve once warm
- kid approved - my kids love this hot cocoa recipe
Ingredients
The full recipe for this paleo hot chocolate can be found in the recipe card below, but here's a list of what you'll need:
- unsweetened almond milk - I often make my own homemade almond milk, but store bought is fine too
- coconut cream - you'll need just the thick white cream from a can of full fat coconut milk/cream. This makes the hot chocolate thick, rich and creamy.
- maple syrup - just a little to sweeten the hot chocolate. You can swap the maple syrup for any liquid sweetener
- vanilla extract - optional for flavor
- cocoa powder - or cacao powder
- collagen peptides - I like to add collagen (or beef protein isolate) to increase the protein content, but this ingredient is optional.
How to Make Paleo Hot Chocolate
I like to make this recipe on the stovetop. It doesn't take long to heat up and I prefer this method over the microwave. However, you can use the microwave if you prefer. Here are the steps:
- Combine the almond milk, coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Remove from heat and mix in the cocoa powder and collagen. Tip: use a milk frother to blend in the dry ingredients.
- Pour the hot chocolate into a mug/mugs and drink! You may also top your hot chocolate with anything from whipped cream to marshmallows for an extra treat.
Storage
Place any leftover hot chocolate in a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop before drinking.
More Easy Paleo Recipes
Paleo Hot Chocolate Recipe (Low Sugar, Dairy Free)
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Healthy, homemade paleo hot chocolate - perfect on a chilly afternoon, as a weekend breakfast treat or healthy dessert. Paleo, vegan, keto and kid approved.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
- ⅓ cup coconut cream (just the thick white cream from a can of full fat coconut milk/cream)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (sugar free sweetener for keto)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
- 2 Tbsp collagen peptides (optional, omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Combine almond milk, coconut cream, maple syrup and vanilla in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring every so often, until the liquid starts to simmer.
- Turn off heat and mix in the cocoa powder and collagen. Tip: use a milk frother to blend.
- Pour the hot chocolate into a mug/mugs and add your favorite toppings (marshmallows, whipped cream, etc.).
Notes
This recipe makes two cups of hot chocolate. I split this recipe between my 3 kids, giving them each a small cup.
Feel free to omit the collagen or swap it with powdered bone broth protein or beef protein isolate.
Emily Boronkay
I have made a lot of paleo hot cacao recipes over the years. I use bone broth powder from PaleoValley which is the best cleanest collagen I can find, but I can taste it in everything but hot cacao. So I’ve been experimenting for years This beautifully simple recipe with the bone broth powder is absolutely the best ever.
Katie
Thank you for your kind review Emily 🙂 I love Paleovalley's bone broth protein too! So glad you enjoyed it in this recipe.