Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe

November 19, 2024 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

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Cold weather is prime time for hot cocoa, but let’s admit it: There’s never a bad time for a delicious, not-too-sweet cup of “hot chocolate.”

Adults and kids alike love it, and it’s great to warm up when you’ve come in from the cold or to wind down after a long day.

Most people just make the hot chocolate mix packets sold at the supermarket. If that’s your only experience with hot chocolate, you’re in for a big surprise.

This homemade hot cocoa recipe is super easy to make and contains no nasty extras like the store-bought version!

Regular hot chocolate vs. homemade hot chocolate

You might wonder if making your own hot cocoa recipe is worth it. I’m here to tell you that it absolutely is and can be one of the top healthy drinks when made right.

For starters, a hot chocolate mix is about as far from a homemade hot cocoa recipe as you can get. The first item listed is sugar, meaning there’s more sugar than any other ingredient in this highly processed food.

That means a cup of hot chocolate will give you a sugar high followed shortly by a sugar crash.

Hot chocolate mixes are also full of ingredients you should avoid, like unnamed “artificial flavors” and hydrogenated coconut oil.

As far as homemade hot cocoa is concerned, you’re in total control of the ingredients.

In this healthy homemade version, the bad stuff is replaced with nothing but healthy ingredients, including coconut milk, dark chocolate, protein powder made from bone broth, raw cacao powder, maple syrup and vanilla.

The sweeteners are all natural, and every element is bursting with nutrition and health benefits.

How to make hot cocoa

I vote for skipping the hot chocolate mix altogether and making this hot cocoa recipe instead.

It’s made with creamy, heart-healthy coconut milk, so it’s dairy-free. Coconut milk delivers healthy fats and makes this drink extra satisfying, as it’ll stay with you rather than simply giving you a sugar rush.

While it’s an optional step, I also recommend a scoop of chocolate protein powder from bone broth, which can help provide some gut, joint and skin benefits.

The sweet comes from nutrition-rich maple syrup, and the rest of the chocolate flavor comes from a combination of raw cacao powder and a dark chocolate bar, with at least 71 percent cacao.

In a medium pot, add in coconut milk and the dark chocolate bar. Add in the protein powder made from bone broth to the coconut milk mixture.

Next, add in cacao powder. Pour in desired amount of maple syrup.

Take the vanilla bean, and slice length-wise in half. Using your fingernail or spoon, scrape out the seeds, and put the rest directly in hot cocoa mixture.

Turn heat up to medium-low, and let the mixture melt, giving it a stir with a wooden spoon or, even better, whisking it.

Pour in two mugs, and top with whipped coconut cream, if you desire. Add a dash of cinnamon to the top.

That’s it! You’re homemade hot cocoa recipe is ready to drink!

Other healthy hot beverage recipes

If you love this hot cocoa recipe and want to try other warm drinks, here are some recipes to make: