This creamy dairy free hot chocolate mix powder is quick and easy to make. Everyone will love this recipe, whether you are avoiding dairy or not. It’s so delicious you won’t believe it’s vegan!
Did you know it takes just 3 ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make a delicious dairy-free and vegan homemade hot chocolate mix? Plus, this recipe is so creamy and sweet that you can’t even tell it’s refined sugar-free.
It’s the perfect guilt-free treat for chocolate cravings.
DIY Hot Cocoa Mix
Hot cocoa doesn’t have to be complicated and filled with ingredients you can’t pronounce, like the ones found in store-bought chocolate packets!
If you avoid dairy or follow a vegan lifestyle, it can be difficult (or expensive) to find hot chocolate you can enjoy. This is because there is dairy in most traditional mixes, as they usually contain some kind of dry milk powder.
However, cocoa powder IS dairy free and vegan by itself.
My kids enjoy this homemade hot chocolate mix, and you, as a parent, will too because it’s so much better for them than the high fructose corn syrup ingredient in the store-bought kind.
I came up with this dairy-free homemade hot cocoa mix recipe a few years ago when two of my kids needed to go dairy-free.
We already have a delicious healthy hot cocoa recipe for kids that everyone loves, but I knew it wouldn’t be practical for my son when he went to an overnight snow camp.
And because you can’t go to a snow camp and not have hot cocoa, I started looking for a recipe for a homemade hot cocoa mix I could make for him.
But I ran into a problem; all the recipes had some form of dairy.
I quickly realized I’d have to come up with my own dairy-free hot cocoa mix recipe.
My son loves cooking and baking with me, so we tested out 8 different versions before settling on this delicious, simple version of homemade hot chocolate mix without the dairy.
The secret ingredient
I discovered coconut milk powder, and it is the secret to making the perfect hot cocoa mix. It adds the creamy goodness you normally get from powdered milk in cocoa mixes but without dairy.
This homemade hot cocoa mix is deliciously creamy and chocolatey by simply mixing it with water.
You don’t need to use any coconut milk or almond milk; just add hot water to this cocoa mix, and you’re good to go.
This vegan hot chocolate mix is just like the store-bought hot cocoa packets, except without the junk.
Tips for making vegan hot chocolate mix
The entire recipe for dairy free hot chocolate mix is in the printable recipe card, just a bit further below. First, here are some tips that will give you the tastiest cocoa every single time.
Use a natural sweetener
To make this keto-friendly, try a natural sweetener like this Monkfruit sweetener. You don’t even need white or brown sugar – monk fruit sweetener tastes just as sweet.
Make it with dairy-free milk
If you have almond milk or coconut milk, you can heat it up and mix it into your cocoa mix for a richer mug of hot chocolate. But this hot cocoa is absolutely delicious without it.
All four of my kids gave this hot cocoa mix two thumbs up.
And even though I originally created this recipe for my children, my husband (who is not dairy-free or otherwise better-for-you foods) said this hot cocoa was so good, he wouldn’t have guessed it was homemade!
This sounds weird – but it is a compliment.
Store in a glass jar or container
For at-home use, you can mix up a batch and store it in a glass-sealed container, like a mason jar
Or, for on-the-go purposes, add one or two tablespoons of the hot chocolate mix to plastic snack bags
Add other flavor enhancers
This 3-ingredient recipe is perfect by itself. You don’t need anything else. But if you want to add a little something extra, try one of these simple ideas:
- Vanilla extract: This will deepen the flavor profile of the hot cocoa.
- Cinnamon: Sprinkle a little bit on top for some spicier flavor.
- Marshmallows: A few marshmallows or sprinkles is a fun thing to add to your cocoa too – but they will add more sugar to it.
- Chocolate Chips: Use dark chocolate for a deeper flavor.
- Whipped Cream: You can buy dairy-free whipped cream or make your own.
Make iced hot cocoa
Add some ice cubes, cocoa mix, and your favorite dairy-free milk to a blender. Now you have what will taste like a milkshake or frappuccino.
FAQs about hot chocolate mix
Here are some questions people often ask about making dairy-free hot chocolate mix.
Is hot chocolate mix gluten-free?
My recipe is gluten-free. If you ever buy packets or mixes from the store, read the ingredients first to make sure it isn’t made with any hidden flour or gluten.
Are hot cocoa packets dairy-free?
Unless it says otherwise, most types of hot cocoa packets contain dried milk powder. Almost all hot chocolate mix that you can buy at the store includes some sort of dairy ingredients in them.
Is Nestle hot chocolate vegan?
No, Nestle hot chocolate is not vegan. It is made with milk ingredients, which is an animal by-product. If you want a vegan hot cocoa recipe, I suggest printing this recipe out and making it at home.
It’s really simple and tastes sweet and rich – without any animal products in it at all! It’s made with all plant-based ingredients.
Free hot cocoa mix label
Grab this printable label for your homemade hot chocolate here for FREE.
More better-for-you chocolate recipes:
- Craving Buster Chocolate Fat Bombs
- Chocolate Peppermint Keto Fat Bombs
- Hot Cocoa Brownies (Paleo + Dairy-Free)
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- Easy Homemade Paleo Mint Dark Chocolate
- Guilt-Free Chocolate Mousse
How to make hot cocoa mix from scratch:
PrintHomemade Hot Cocoa Mix (Dairy-Free)
This hot cocoa mix powder in a jar takes just minutes to make and is so creamy and delicious, it’s the perfect guilt-free treat for your chocolate cravings
- Prep Time: 2 mins
- Total Time: 2 mins
- Yield: approx 16 servings 1x
- Category: beverage
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup coconut milk powder
- 1 cup coconut sugar or a keto-friendly sweetener such as this monkfruit
Instructions
- Sift all three ingredients together and whisk together.
- Add 2 about Tablespoons of hot cocoa mix to one cup of water. (You can add more or less cocoa mix if you prefer.) Stir well and enjoy!
Notes
Store the cocoa mix in a sealed container or ziploc baggie for on-the-go use.
Tracy says
Thanks!
Janise says
Do you taste the coconut? (Would it work for someone who doesn’t care for coconut?)
Erika says
You probably would. Personally, I LOVE coconut and can’t get enough of it so I’m probably not the best one to ask!
Madison says
I am wondering the same, I have a coconut “allergy” (I say that with quotes because it’s never been medically confirmed, but it makes me sick. I wonder what I could use instead of coconut
Erika says
Hi Madison, can you have regular milk? You could use regular powdered milk and brown sugar instead of coconut milk powder and coconut sugar. Otherwise, I’m not sure. I don’t think there’s currently an almond milk powder available.
Melissa says
There is soy milk powder, which I plan to try because I can’t have coconut either (as much as I love it). Worth a try!
Marie says
Actually it does work for someone so doesn’t like coconut. My sister hates coconut. I made this cocoa for her and didn’t tell her about coconut milk powder. I had to put 3 TBSP of mix in one cup. We used monkeying sweetener. However I add one packet of Trivia also. It tastes pretty darn good
Marie says
That was was monkfruit sweetener.
Kayla says
Have you tried this in a glass of cold soy or almond milk? Would it work for that? I have a 16 month old who is allergic to milk, and we had to stop giving her her FAVORITE chocolate milk bc it has dairy in it. Thanks love!
Sheena says
Silk makes an amazing chocolate milk if you haven’t figured that out yet. ? You can find chocolate milk in soy and almond as well as cashew, and coconut. Safeway has started to carry quite a few dairy free foods. If she likes Mac and cheese you should check out Daiya brand. It’s next to the normal Mac and cheese in the pasta aisle. Daiya makes a pretty good cheese replacement product. Check them out.
Hema says
Try putting some organic vanilla powder it may take off the little coconut flavour.
tiffany pezzulo says
Thanks this looks great! Was looking for something to bring up to the ski hill where we could just add hot water (for my 5 year old with eosinophilic esophagitis and food allergies!).
Shinika says
This is amazing! I was getting freaked out by the oily film that always floated to the top of my store bought hot chocolate…why??? This recipe is chocolately and amazing! And no oil sheen!
Erika says
Sometimes the processed store stuff is really gross! I’m glad you loved this recipe, Shinika!
Erika says
I’m so glad you loved it, Shinka!
Sarah says
This was really good! Thanks
Erika says
I’m glad you liked it!
Tishy says
Can I add normal sugar as nowhere near me sells coconut sugar
Erika says
Yes, absolutely.
Meg says
If using regular sugar, what would you recommend? Granulated? Powdered? And how much?
Erika says
Hi Meg, if you used regular sugar, I’d try white granulated sugar and probably do 1 cup. You might have to play around with it, but it should sub fairly easily.
Whitney says
I have been searching on google for a hot cocoa mix that s dairy and gluten free ! All the ones I was seeing were with almond milk .I want one that’s good with water ! Thank you will be trying this recipe out !
Tegan says
Love it! On a gluten, dairy and low fodmap food change and couldn’t have regular chocolate powders.
1 scoop of this recipe in a cup is enough. Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
Thank you! I have been making hot cocoa mix with powdered soy milk, but I would rather use coconut! This was easy and yummy.
Mayumi says
I tried this recipe immediately after I pinned on Pinterest and I absolutely loved it! I’ve been looking for a perfect hot cocoa recipe for so long, thank you for sharing this one ❤️
Erika says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mayumi!
Brenda Baughman says
This is a really great recipe! So convenient! I used cacao for the cocoa powder for a nutrition boost & added a dash of sea salt. Thanks so much!!
Erika says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cocoa, Brenda. Great additions!
Tasha says
Question, I’m doing all my niece/nephews mugs with hot chocolate powder as part of a Christmas hamper, my youngest nephew will be 14 months but he is allergic to milk and has to have a special formula prescribed from the doctors, do you think this could be added to his milk for a little christmas treat? don’t want a poorly 14 month old for Christmas lol 🙅 thanks in advance
Erika says
Hi Tasha, I’m sure this would work fine in a special formula. You might want to check with his mom &/or doctor just to be safe, but this should mix well with most milk-substitutes. Your nieces and nephews are lucky to have such a fun, caring aunt!
Thimgan Hayden says
“Remember that no holiday craft time is complete without a good hot or cold drink!
Living Well Mom has come up with a dairy-free hot chocolate mix for her son with dietary restrictions that uses coconut milk instead of cow milk. It sounds delicious!
We mentioned you and linked in our recent blog post here: https://www.eternalcreation.com/blogs/news/4-easy-ways-to-make-your-christmas-holiday-season-more-ethical-fun
Thank you!
I’m going to make this for sure!
Cheers,
Thimgan
Sue says
Erika, is there a brand of powdered coconut milk you can recommend?
Erika says
Hi Sue, yes this is the one we use: https://amzn.to/2r7ksmI (my affiliate link)
Jennifer says
I made this to keep in the office as a winter compliment to herbal teas. As a trial, I shared it at a reiki talk I did yesterday and everyone loves it! I’m sharing the post with the group now by request. Thank for for sharing such a wonderful creation!!
Erika says
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing!
Kellea says
Hi! Is there a “single serve” version of this? I want to test it out before making a huge batch.
Tiffani says
This recipe is so amazing!! I finally have a vegan hot chocolate recipe that’s actually good….Whew!! Thank you so much!!!
Erika says
I’m so glad you loved it, Tiffani! Thanks for telling me. 🙂
Chelsey Holmquist says
This tastes like a brownie in drink form! I’ve missed hot cocoa so much because of our milk allergies, so I was so excited to try this! Thank you!
Erika says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Chelsey!
Brenda says
You could do 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder, 3/4 tablespoon coconut milk powder, & 1 tablespoon coconut sugar. That equals 2 1/4 tablespoons of mix, so I would try adding 2/3-3/4 cup hot water. The proportions should be right for the mix, you’ll just have to adjust the amount of water.
Arianne says
This sounds delicious! I’m planning a baby shower around Christmas time and have thought about doing a hot cocoa bar! I don’t do dairy and neither does the mom to be so this recipe sounds perfect! Can I use canned coconut milk instead of the powder? We will be drinking it at the party. Trying to cut down costs since it looks like coconut milk powder is expensive and there will probably be around 30 people there. How much coconut milk and cocoa powder would you recommend on using?
Erika says
Hi Arianne, a hot cocoa bar sounds like a fantastic idea! I haven’t tried this without the powdered coconut milk so you’d want to test it first, but in theory, yes you could leave out the powder and mix up the cocoa with coconut sugar with some coconut milk. I don’t know about quantities though. You could test out a very small batch first to see? Good luck!
Brittany W says
Thank you for testing many combinations to get this one just right. I had a recipe but can’t find it for the life of me and the ones I’ve attempted on my own or from the web just didn’t do it. The ratios are just what I was looking for. I used powdered milk from my food storage, coconut sugar and cacao powder. It’s very chocolately and you could probably get away with using 2 Tbs of powder mix instead of 3 per mug. Thanks so much!
Erika says
You’re so welcome, Brittany! And thank you for the nice feedback. 🙂
Denise says
I heated up a mug of flax milk and used about 3 tbsp of cocoa mix – this is the BEST Paleo compliant recipe I have found. SO SO good!
Amber says
Can this also be used to make chocolate milk or would there need to be any adjustments? I didn’t see a separate recipe in my search. Just found your website and I’m excited to try so many recipes. =)
Erika says
Hi Amber, I haven’t used this for chocolate milk, but you could certainly try. You would need to whisk it well or even put it in a blender to have it mixed well. Have fun cooking and baking! 🙂
Vera says
Is this very bitter tasting or is it more sweet tasting?
Could you use powdered sugar in place of coconut sugar?
Does it taste very coconuty from the coconut powder?
Erika says
It’s not as sweet as the regular store bought cocoa but it’s not bitter. You can add a bit more sugar if you prefer. Yes you can use powdered or regular sugar in place of coconut sugar.
Ashleigh Gifford says
Anyone tried adding this to a reusable K-cup? Wondering if it would work in my daughter’s Keurig.
Elizabeth Klun says
I use a cocoa powder espresso mix that I found and use monkfruit instead of coconut sugar. My husband will only drink coffee if it has hot chocolate in it and he LOVES this! Super easy. I pop it in my food processor and pulse it for a bit and it comes out perfect.
Melissa says
Wow! This is really good. I used a full cup of coconut milk powder but I’m sure it would be fine with the 3/4 cup called for in recipe. I used white sugar because that is what I had. I might have also had two cups, one right after the other with a homemade chocolate marshmallow floating on top. I’m lactose intolerant but I would prefer this regardless.
Nancy Lifer says
There is also cashew milk powder.
Reg says
Do you think it would be possible to make this without sugar to let everyone sweeten it to their taste and with their sweetener of choice? I am planning to make a jar as a Christmas present. Thanks!
Erika says
Yes, that should work. Great idea!