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This keto hot chocolate is impossibly rich and creamy, with plenty of real chocolate and delicious heavy cream. With an optional peppermint flavor, you’ll want to sip this low carb beverage all fall and winter long. Only 1g net carbs per serving.

Keto hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings in a clear mug

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s super easy to make. Really! The hardest part of this recipe is resisting the urge to drink it straight out of the saucepan.
It’s low carb. With only 1g net carbs per serving, you can enjoy every last drop of your favorite cold-weather beverage without worrying about the macros.
It’s quick and convenient. Keto hot chocolate from scratch in less than 15 minutes? YES, PLEASE. You can also make a big batch ahead of time and store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator so you can pour a glass every evening without any extra effort. Stored properly, it will keep for 3-4 days.
It’s festive. Cold weather screams hot chocolate. It’s a quintessential holiday drink! Add a little peppermint or vanilla extract to the mix for extra flavor – you can even top it with homemade peppermint whipped cream.

Key Ingredients

Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder – Natural cocoa powder has a very strong, bitter flavor. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is made from alkalized cocoa beans, which neutralizes the acidity and gives the powder a darker color and a milder, less bitter taste.

Lily’s Chocolate – I love Lily’s brand chocolate. It’s gluten free, keto, and paleo, contains no refined or processed sugars, and still tastes amazing! Even better, you can find Lily’s chocolate in most local grocery stores, so no waiting for an online order to come in.

Confectioners’ Swerve – A calorie-free, non-glycemic sugar substitute that measures just like sugar. Because Swerve is made from erythritol, it has zero net carbs. If you’re not a fan of erythritol, you can use another keto sugar substitute in this recipe. Try to stick with a powdered version for texture’s sake, and take note whether or not your preference can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.

How to Make It

Rich, creamy sugar-free hot chocolate is so easy to make from scratch that you’ll never want to go back to those powdered mix packets again. Start by simmering water in a medium saucepan, then add cocoa powder and whisk until all of the powder has dissolved. No clumps here! Add heavy cream to the powder mixture and let everything simmer.

Whisk in your chocolate chips (dark or milk chocolate – your choice!) and powdered erythritol. You want everything to meld together into a smooth, creamy texture, so whisk frequently! If you’re making peppermint hot chocolate, stir in your peppermint extract at the end.

For an elevated keto hot chocolate that’s perfect for holiday parties and special occasions, serve in glass mugs and top with whipped cream, powdered cocoa, and chocolate shavings.

Two step process photo graphic for keto hot chocolate

Chef’s Tips

Heat your liquid thoroughly before adding any powders! Powders won’t dissolve well if the liquid is too cool, and no one wants to drink clumpy chocolate.
Want a caffeine boost? Combine a little of the prepared keto hot chocolate with unsweetened coffee for an easy and incredible keto mocha. The hot chocolate takes care of the chocolate flavor and the creamer. Eat your heart out, Starbucks.
Make your own whipped cream to control the carb count, sugar content, and flavor! Using a hand-mixer or frother, whip very cold heavy cream with a little powdered erythritol for sweetness.
If you can’t find a powdered sugar substitute, throw the granulated version in the food processor and pulse until it’s got the right consistency.
For a vegan or dairy-free option that’s still keto, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. It will give your hot chocolate a slight coconut flavor, like a creamy mug of liquid Mounds bar! Also, be sure to use Lily’s 55% dark chocolate chips, as those are the only ones that are dairy-free.