Oat Milk Hot Chocolate

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My oat milk hot chocolate is a creamy, rich, decadent hot drink, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. Made with a delicious combination of simple ingredients, and filled with deep chocolate flavor, this oat hot chocolate will be a new favorite indulgence! Plus, it’s made in under 10 minutes!

As I embrace the holiday season, I’m always on the lookout for healthier hot cocoa recipes, and this homemade oat milk hot chocolate fits the bill perfectly.

Traditional hot chocolate often comes with a good amount of fat and refined sugars, but I love how this version swaps those out for creamy oat milk and plant-based fats. It also has less sugar but still delivers on taste, making it a guilt-free treat that I can enjoy without compromise.

For more warm drinks, be sure to check out my healthy hot chocolate with cinnamon, protein hot chocolate, or Baileys hot chocolate bombs for an extra indulgent, adults-only treat.

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🥘 Ingredients

My oat milk hot chocolate recipe only requires four simple ingredients! These are easy to find and can be bought at any grocery store or even online. For the detailed instructions and nutritional information, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Unsweetened Oat Milk: I love using dairy-free oat milk in my recipes, and it’s become widely available in grocery stores lately due to its growing popularity. In my opinion, it’s the best milk alternative for hot chocolate. It provides a creamy and rich texture while being completely dairy-free. I find that any brand works, but I prefer oat milk with a higher fat content for a thicker and frothier texture in my cocoa. Before I buy, I always check the nutritional label to ensure there’s no added sugar.

Cinnamon Sticks: I enjoy adding cinnamon sticks to my vegan hot chocolate for that warm spice flavor. They’re easy to find in the spice aisle of my grocery store or can be ordered online, making it convenient for me to stock up.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: I usually look for unsweetened cocoa powder in the baking aisle of my grocery store. For a vegan option, I choose cocoa powder instead of hot cocoa powder, as the latter may contain dried milk or milk powder.

Maple Syrup: I prefer using pure maple syrup as my sweetener because it’s unrefined and vegan-friendly. Most grocery stores have at least one pure maple syrup choice available. I’ll just adjust the amount based on my preferences, and customize the sweetness of my drink just the way I like it! If you don’t have maple syrup, any sweetener will work, such as brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or agave nectar. Honey would work but it isn’t vegan. For a sugar-free version, monk fruit or stevia works!

🔪 How To Make Hot Cocoa With Oat Milk

Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make my hot chocolate with oat milk:

Add The Milk And Cinnamon Stick: In a small saucepan, I heat oat milk and a cinnamon stick together, bringing them to a gentle simmer while being careful not to let the oat milk boil.

Make Chocolate Paste: While the milk and cinnamon stick are simmering, I add cocoa powder to a small bowl. I remove ¼ cup of the heated milk and stir it, along with maple syrup, into the cocoa powder to form a smooth paste.

Combine Paste With Remaining Milk: Next, I whisk the chocolate paste into the saucepan with the remaining heated milk, along with more maple syrup for added sweetness.

Simmer, Adjust Sweetness, Serve: I allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 2 minutes. If I want it sweeter, I can easily adjust the sweetness by adding more maple syrup. Once it’s done, I remove it from the heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and pour my healthy hot chocolate with oat milk into my favorite mug. I can enjoy it as is, or I love to top it with whipped coconut cream, mini marshmallows, a dash of cinnamon, or any of my other favorite variations!

📖 Variations

Here are a few ideas to shake up my oat milk cocoa drink: 

Make A Hot Chocolate Bar: I love putting out a variety of toppings so everyone can just pick and choose what they like. Some of the toppings I usually include are peppermint candies, vegan marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, vegan chocolate chips, vegan whipped cream, shaved chocolate, or butterscotch chips.

Substitute A Different Type Of Milk: I’ve discovered that there are plenty of different types of plant milk that work wonderfully in this recipe. Some of my favorites include almond, coconut, soy, rice, hazelnut, sunflower, and cashew milk. The list goes on, but those are the ones I tend to reach for most often. Of course, cow’s milk would also work instead.

Add Different Flavors: I will often try adding different flavors like vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Sometimes, I stir in a candy cane for a festive touch, or I add a splash of peppermint extract for a refreshing twist. If I’m feeling adventurous, I might even sprinkle in a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of spice!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My oat milk hot cocoa is a delicious drink by itself and with other sweet treats. If you have kids, let them use their imaginations and come up with their own flavor options to make their own personalized cozy drink. 

Cookies: I love pairing it with a variety of cookies, as the warm drink perfectly complements the sweet, crunchy textures. Try it with my no-bake cookies without peanut butter, oat flour chocolate chip cookies, or vegan sugar cookies.

Quick Breads And Lighter Cakes: I love enjoying a slice of keto coffee cake, vegan pound cake, or gingerbread bundt cake with this drink!

🫙Storage Instructions

Fridge: If I have any leftovers, I usually pour the hot chocolate into an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It can last for about 3 to 4 days, which makes it perfect for enjoying later in the week. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

Reheating: To reheat, I’ll gently warm it on the stove over low to medium heat, stirring continuously for at least a couple of minutes. This way, I can savor that cozy flavor just like when I first made it!

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