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This dairy free peppermint hot chocolate is the perfect winter treat! It’s made with just a couple simple ingredients, all of which you probably have at home right now!
Fun fact, did you know that there’s actually a difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? Hot chocolate is made using chocolate, whereas hot cocoa is made using cocoa powder!
You can make this recipe with chocolate or cocoa powder, whatever you prefer.
Should I use cocoa powder or chocolate?
This totally depends on what ingredients you have on hand and how rich you like your hot chocolate! If you use chocolate, you will have a richer, more decadent beverage. If you use cocoa powder, you will have a lighter beverage.
Both are delicious, but I personally prefer using chocolate!
What ingredients do I need to make this peppermint hot chocolate?
You’ll need just a couple simple ingredients to make this hot chocolate. They are:
- water or dairy free milk
- vanilla extract
- peppermint extract (for peppermint hot chocolate)
- pure maple syrup (or other sweetener, see below)
- pinch of salt
- cocoa powder or chocolate (see below)
- dairy free whipped cream (optional)
- crushed candy cane (optional)
I want to use chocolate instead of cocoa powder. How do I do that?
If you want to use chocolate instead of cocoa powder, simply replace the cocoa powder with 1 oz of a chocolate of choice. You can use either unsweetened chocolate or your favorite sweetened chocolate.
If you use a sweetened chocolate, be sure to omit the maple syrup from the recipe.
What other sweeteners can I use?
If you don’t want to use pure maple syrup to sweeten the hot chocolate, you can use raw honey, date syrup or coconut sugar instead!
How can I make this peppermint hot chocolate sugar free?
This recipe calls for pure maple syrup as the sweetener, but you can use monk fruit instead. You can also use stevia if you want, just use a little bit because it is so sweet (like 1/8 tsp).
Another option is to use a sugar free chocolate like Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate. If you want to do that, simply omit the cocoa powder and maple syrup and replace them with 1 oz sugar free chocolate. It’s so easy!
Where do I find dairy free whipped cream?
I often like to make my own dairy free whipped cream using coconut cream or I’ll use So Delicious dairy free whipped topping.
What if I don’t like peppermint?
If you don’t like the peppermint flavor, simply omit the peppermint extract and crushed candy cane. You’ll be left with a delicious regular hot chocolate!
What kind of liquid is best for this hot chocolate?
I personally like to use a creamy non-dairy milk like homemade almond milk or oat milk. The creamier the milk, the creamier the hot chocolate! But any non-dairy milk will work, or simply use water.
Looking for more decadent chocolate recipes?
- Dark Chocolate Silk Pie
- Triple Chocolate Brownie Batter Truffles
- Double Chocolate Layered Cake
- Chocolate Frosted Peppermint Fudge Brownies
- Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Pecan Bars
Ready to make this hot chocolate? Get this recipe below!
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup dairy free milk or water
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder (or 1 oz chocolate)
- 1 tiny drop of peppermint extract (optional)
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat the milk/water in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
- Once heated, stir in vanilla extract, peppermint extract, cocoa powder or chocolate, maple syrup, and salt. The more cocoa powder you add, the richer it will be. The more maple syrup you add, the sweeter it will be. If you use sweetened chocolate, omit the maple syrup.
- Whisk/mix well until the hot chocolate is smooth and creamy. You can also froth the mixture if you want to make it extra creamy. I froth it using my hand frother.
- Pour the hot chocolate into a mug and top with dairy free whipped cream and crushed candy canes.