Vegan Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Who needs Starbucks when you can make a vegan peppermint hot chocolate at home? This is the perfect holiday drink that is warm, cozy, and full of chocolate flavor!

Is there anything better than some delicious hot chocolate when the weather gets colder?? Well, how about a vegan peppermint hot chocolate?

This is such a tasty holiday treat, and I bet you’ll just fall in love with it one sip at a time!

Come fall and winter, this recipe is just perfect and is a veganized version of Starbucks ’ classic holiday drink! Plus, you can whip it up in no time at all.

So, read on to learn how to make your very own vegan peppermint hot chocolate!

Peppermint Hot Coco Ingredients

Many of these ingredients are vegan staples so you’ll probably already have a lot of these on hand!

• Plant milk – While you can simply choose your preferred plant milk, you may get a richer beverage if you opt for a creamier plant milk rather than one that’s more “thin,” i.e. more watery. You might try oatmilk, for example.
• Cocoa powder – Did you know cocoa has a long history of being used by the Mayan people of Central America? It’s also got some great nutritional benefits such as a high quantity of antioxidants called polyphenols plus mood-boosting magnesium! Just make sure that you use legitimate cocoa powder (or “cacao powder”) that contains at least 70% cocoa (and no dairy, of course).
• White sugar – You can substitute other types of sugar, but white sugar works best in this recipe. You should know, however, that many white (and brown) sugars are not vegan-friendly (at least in the U.S.). This unfortunate issue is due to bone char. Luckily, you can find vegan-friendly white and brown sugar online if not in your preferred grocery stores.
• Vegan chocolate chips – Luckily, it’s not too hard to find vegan chocolate chips these days. In general, dark chocolate should be vegan—key word being “should.” Just be sure to check the label! A few brands I like that I’ve used are Lilly’s and Enjoy Life.
• Peppermint extract – This is the key ingredient so be sure you get some! You can find it in many well-stocked grocery stores or online. It’s essentially peppermint oil that’s been diluted. Peppermint, like many herbs and spices, has some great health benefits as well, including digestive benefits!
• Vanilla extract – It’s not a huge deal if you don’t include it, but vanilla extract definitely helps take this recipe to the next level!
• Salt – If you try to be health-conscious like me, it can be tempting to skip or reduce the salt, but don’t! Adding even a little salt really helps bring out the other flavors.

How to make Vegan Hot Chocolate

1. In a saucepan, add the milk, cocoa powder, and sugar over medium heat. Warm up the mixture while whisking every minute or so until the sugar and cocoa powder are completely dissolved. You want the mixture to be hot, but never boil (about 10-12 minutes).
2. Once the mixture is heated through, remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the chocolate chips, peppermint extract, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes until the chocolate chips are completely melted and the mixture has thickened a little.
3. Pour into four mugs, and top with vegan marshmallows and coconut whipped cream. Rejoice in the coziness!

Recipe FAQ

What can you add to this vegan peppermint hot chocolate?
Well, anything you like! You can’t go wrong, though, with classic toppings such as vegan whipped cream or vegan marshmallows. You could also add a candy cane for a nice, final touch!

Is chocolate vegan?
This is a good question! In general, dark chocolate should absolutely be vegan. That said, some brands will occasionally incorporate milk into chocolate advertised as dark, which is honestly really frustrating. As always, check your labels! There’s tons of delicious vegan chocolate out there nowadays, so you shouldn’t have to look too hard to find some hopefully.

What’s the best milk to use for vegan hot chocolate?
Totally up to you and your preferences! That said, I love oatmilk because it’s creamy and it doesn’t usually have issues with “curdling” when heated, which is sometimes a problem with nut-based milks.

Why You'll Love This Festive Winter Drink

I won’t be surprised if this vegan peppermint hot chocolate recipe becomes one of your new favorites! This is a great holiday treat to whip up as the temperatures start to drop thanks to its warm and cozy vibes (owed to the warmth, peppermint, and chocolate). This will be your new favorite winter drink because it's

• Warm – There’s something that’s just so nice and cozy about curling up with some nice hot chocolate on a cold day!
• Easy –You can whip this up in no time at all with very few ingredients!
• Festive and perfect for the holidays – This is a wonderful, festive recipe that you’ll love sharing with friends and family at holiday parties.

Let me know if you try out this recipe for vegan peppermint hot chocolate, and if you do, I would love it if you left a rating and review below! Make sure you are also following along on Instagram and Pinterest for more food inspiration.

Check Out More Vegan Holiday Recipes Below:

• Ginger Cookies
• Spiked Mulled Cider
• Nut-Free Vegan Eggnog
• Biscuits and Gravy
• Vegan Meatloaf
• Maple Roasted Carrots
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Pumpkin Pasta
• Vegan Herb Butter
• Pumpkin Soup
• Beyond Beef Shepherd's Pie
• Creamy Broccoli Leek Soup
• Lemon Orzo Soup
• Apple Cinnamon Rolls
• Pumpin Pie Bars
• Baked Apple Oatmeal
• Apple Pancakes
• Sugar-Free Apple Crisp
• Classic Pierogies

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