Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa
The wintery blast that hit us last night brought snow and hot cocoa too. I had some vegetable side dish recipes to post for Thanksgiving...but hot cocoa calls when the wind is whipping and the snow is falling! We woke up this morning to a couple of inches of snow on the ground and the kids decided to go out early to play. After a few hours of sledding and a couple of snow ball fights, they came inside with frozen hands and hungry bellies. I made them some snacks and a batch of this rich and creamy dairy-free hot cocoa. This recipe uses maple syrup as the sweetener and a combination of coconut milk and cashew milk to create a rich, warming drink. Make sure to add the salt as it balances all the flavors. If you have a finely ground sea salt then you can add the lesser amount below, but if you use a coarser ground salt then use the full 1/4 teaspoon. Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa If you don't own a high-powered blender then soak your cashews in the water for at least 3 hours before blending. After blending, it will look very thin, but don't worry, as the hot cocoa heats on the stove it will thicken considerably. If it is not sweet enough then you could add a few drops of liquid stevia or more maple syrup to taste. I like to use Dagoba cocoa powder as it is gluten-free and organic.
The wintery blast that hit us last night brought snow and hot cocoa too. I had some vegetable side dish recipes to post for Thanksgiving...but hot cocoa calls when the wind is whipping and the snow is falling! We woke up this morning to a couple of inches of snow on the ground and the kids decided to go out early to play. After a few hours of sledding and a couple of snow ball fights, they came inside with frozen hands and hungry bellies. I made them some snacks and a batch of this rich and creamy dairy-free hot cocoa. This recipe uses maple syrup as the sweetener and a combination of coconut milk and cashew milk to create a rich, warming drink. Make sure to add the salt as it balances all the flavors. If you have a finely ground sea salt then you can add the lesser amount below, but if you use a coarser ground salt then use the full 1/4 teaspoon. Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa If you don't own a high-powered blender then soak your cashews in the water for at least 3 hours before blending. After blending, it will look very thin, but don't worry, as the hot cocoa heats on the stove it will thicken considerably. If it is not sweet enough then you could add a few drops of liquid stevia or more maple syrup to taste. I like to use Dagoba cocoa powder as it is gluten-free and organic.
- Carbohydrate 211.71103004659 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 118.423515054274 g
- Fiber 10.2638400917927 g
- Protein 36.6384840263662 g
- Saturated Fat 59.2581239441625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (1753g)
- Sodium 940.425676766753 mg
- Sugar 201.447189954797 g
- Trans Fat 5.98535280305674 g
- Calories 1997 calories
Step-by-step
- Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and frothy. You will want to check it to make sure the cashews are completely ground, and if not, blend again on high.
- Pour into a 3-quart pot and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently so the bottom doesn't burn. Once it is heated to your liking, serve and enjoy! Note: If you don't think you will drink this entire recipe immediately then only heat desired portion and store the remaining, unheated portion in a glass mason jar to serve on another wintery day!
Raw cashews do the heaviest structural lifting in plant-based hot chocolate by supplying natural fats and starches that mimic the mouthfeel of dairy milk when pulverized. Achieving a smooth consistency without graininess requires specific handling of both equipment and temperature during preparation.
- Soak unroasted cashews in water for at least 3 hours if using a standard blender to break down the cellular walls before processing.
- Process the mixture on high speed until completely frothy, ensuring no particulate grit remains from the nuts.
- Stir continuously over medium heat to prevent scorching, noting that starches gelatinize and thicken the liquid as thermal energy increases.
- Adjust the sea salt quantity between 1/8 and 1/4 teaspoon based on grain coarseness to properly activate taste receptors and balance the maple syrup.
- Store unheated portions in a sealed glass mason jar in the refrigerator for subsequent days.
Thermal thickening transforms thin blended liquids into a viscous beverage upon heating. Proper refrigeration maintains quality for future servings.
