So the boys asked the other night for hot cocoa. I don’t ever purchase premade mix because most (if not all) contain nonfat dry milk, so it’s a no-go for us. They started out asking, then it turned to begging and then it quickly turned to pleading.
I decided to appease them with…”well, let me see what ingredients I have in the pantry and maybe I can make up a mix for you.” I found a recipe that uses “vanilla sugar” and cocoa with some salt…easy enough and worth a try. I happened to have some vanilla beans that I ordered a while back from Amazon that I needed to use up…and this is the perfect solution. Also, I used a “higher quality” baking cocoa and I think that helped with the flavor too. (I’m not sure I’d make this with a store brand or cheap baking cocoa.)
This turned out to be so delicious…everyone is loving it!
Dairy Free Hot Cocoa Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped out
- 1 cup high quality cocoa
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
1. Blend together the sugar and vanilla beans.
2. Add the cocoa and sea salt and blend together.
3. Store in an airtight container.
4. To mix, add 2-3 heaping teaspoons to 8-10 oz. hot rice, almond or soy milk.
5. Enjoy!
Adapted from Go Dairy Free.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks great! I also recommend Coconut milk for it’s creamy goodness and slightly sweet taste for hot cocoa.
What a great idea on the Coconut milk!
Is the reason for the salt to balance out the sweetness, or to preserve the cocoa?
Also, is there an alternative to the vanilla beans? I know they’re delicious, but the cheapest I’ve found them is $7 for 2 beans.
The best price I’ve seen on vanilla beans is online at Olive Nation. That’s where I get mine for homemade vanilla extract. Use coupon code “home” you’ll save 10%. They are beautiful when they arrive!
I just discovered your website today and am excited to explore!
RE: Cost of vanilla beans:
Food 4 Less or another store where you can buy vanilla beans by the pound makes them the absolute cheapest, as they weigh nearly nothing…so you can just get a few and sometimes they don’t even charge you
OR Vanilla extract works too! Just blend with the sugar only first, about 2 tsp. then add the cocoa and salt – mix well and store all, as shown, in a mason jar! Delish!
Thanks for sharing the vanilla extract tip Darcy…I know that I and others appreciate it!
Erin
Your mix recipe sounds great especially since I have lactose intolerant family members. I don’t like the taste of coconut milk personally but I can understand its ‘sweet allure’. Thanks for the recipe. Like this blog.
Rice, almond or soy milk would go great with this too…not just coconut milk!
I am going to try this!! I am lactose intolerant. I like almond milk so I will probably use that!! Thank you for all the work you do!
Great idea Jenny…did it turn out well with the almond milk? I know almond milk is smooth and I think it would go well with this mix!
Erin
Yum!! For a summer drink you can use 1/3c of this plus about 6oz of almond, soy, or coconut milk and about 10 ice cubes…blend together and enjoy!! I’m sipping it down now! (In our 80° SoCal ‘winter’.)
After a long long search, this is the exact recipe I needed! We don’t need dairy free but cannot use dry milk (preservatives) I mixed it up today and all the children and myself think this is the smoothest, tastiest, easiest cocoa! I took the advice of “darcy” and used vanilla extract since I was out of vanilla beans.
thanks for sharing!
Awesome Amy…so glad your family can enjoy cocoa again!
Erin
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! This is SO yummy. I got vanilla beans at Trader Joe’s during the Christmas season and didn’t have a way to use them. Trader Joe’s also happens to have some high quality Cocoa – so I made this and it is SO yummy. BONUS – It gave me an excuse to use the flour container on my Vitamix. WooHoo
So glad you enjoyed it Marie…we love it around here…I’m about to mix up our 3rd batch in a month!
Erin
Hi all,
I am on the Atkins Diet, so can I make this mix with a Splenda or Stevia type of sugar-free sweetener?
Any ideas?
As a diabetic (along with my mother) I was wondering if there was an alternate for sugar as well and if the measurement would be the same?