Hot chocolate is one of the guilty pleasures of a cold winter’s day. Whether we’re nursing a broken heart or freezing cold temperatures, there’s not much a mug of hot cocoa can’t fix. However, hot chocolate isn’t exactly known for being the healthiest drink. All the sugar and marshmallows in it make it as fattening as it is delicious. But luckily, there’s still hope for us hot chocolate junkies. With a few tweaks and additions, cocoa could actually become your new favorite health drink.
1. Tropical Hot Cocoa
Chocolate and coconut are a match made in heaven. This recipe combines both these ingredients to make a delicious antioxidant-rich drink.
Ingredients
3 tbsps coconut milk
3 dates (pitted)
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
A pinch of cinnamon
¾ cup of water
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until it reaches a smooth consistency. If you want it thinner, add in more water, a little at a time.
Heat this mixture over a stove top. Pour into a large mug and sprinkle a little more cinnamon on top. Sip slowly on this drink and enjoy the best of the beach and of winter.
2. Spiced Hot Chocolate
This Mexican-inspired hot chocolate is perfect if you don’t want to go overboard on the sweetness. A dash of cayenne pepper gives traditional hot chocolate a much needed kick and boosts its antioxidant quotient.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
2 tbsps raw cacao powder
1.2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp stevia, agave nectar or honey
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and whisk over low heat. Once it starts thickening, turn off the heat before it boils over. Taste it and add more cayenne pepper if you’re feeling adventurous.
3. Dried Prune Hot Chocolate
We understand if you’re completely put off by the name. Prunes are hardly anyone’s favorite fruit, but this recipe will make you a believer. The sweet and sourness of the prunes perfectly complements the cocoa powder. It adds a burst of sweetness along with fiber and antioxidants.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (or your favorite nut milk)
3 dried prunes
2 tbsp dark chocolate powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Method
Blend to a smooth mixture, pulsing continuously to make sure there are no lumps left.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat gently over a stove.
4. Maple Syrup Cocoa
Maple syrup isn’t just a substitute for sugar, it’s a much better flavoring agent. Maple syrup contains a deep, woodsy flavor that plain ol’ white sugar just cannot achieve. Mixed with rich cocoa powder, this makes for an intense mug of hot chocolate.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (or any nut milk)
2 tbsps cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Method
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and stir continuously over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to froth up, pour into a mug and ponder over where this has been all your life.
5. Classic Hot Chocolate
Sometimes, we don’t need fancy, experimental stuff. Hot chocolate at its heart is comfort food. Traditional hot chocolate is an old favorite we always turn to when we need familiarity. This recipe tastes just like the hot chocolate you love, but is so much healthier.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
½ a vanilla bean or ½ tsp vanilla extract
2-3 ounces of dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
Method
Heat milk in a saucepan and scrape half a vanilla bean pod into it. Vanilla bean adds sweetness to your cocoa without any of the empty calories that come with sugar.
Heat milk until it is boiling hot. It has to be hot enough to melt the chocolate. Once it’s heated through, strain it so there are no bits of vanilla left in it. If you’re using vanilla extract, you can skip the whole straining process completely.
Add the bits of chocolate and keep stirring until fully melted. Pour into a mug and drink it guilt-free.
