Paleo Peppermint Hot Chocolate
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This paleo peppermint hot chocolate (or vegan peppermint hot chocolate) is easy and quick, luxuriously chocolatey and perfectly minty. It’s made with ingredients you likely have around the house and is full of healthy ingredients. Cheers to that!
Have you noticed a theme, fam? Peppermint + chocolate = literally the only thing I will eat the entire month of December. I promise that I’ll step away from the paleo iced peppermint mochas (and paleo peppermint Oreos and vegan Thin Mints made with RITZ Crackers) like… really soon. But not today, fam. Not today!
As I get older, I’m always looking for ways to indulge in the holidays that feel genuine and festive. Things that meant a lot in the past feel different now, and the focus is definitely turning towards my little one. One thing that hasn’t changed, though (like, at all.) is the peppermint hot chocolate. Whisked together after an early dinner on a dark, cool night, there’s just nothing like sipping a rich and minty cocoa on the couch while the lights on the Christmas tree twinkle in your periphery.
But these days, we’re eating mostly paleo, especially trying to avoid processed sugars and flours (and dairy, for that matter) when we’re at home. We’ll eat enough of those things at the myriad parties and events and company breakfasts and potlucks over the season, so why not keep it real at home? And by real, of course, I mean focusing on real, whole, healthy ingredients that come together for a total indulgence.
I used 100% cacao unsweetened dark chocolate by Ghiradelli for the base of my cocoa and sweetened it with real maple syrup. If you’re not strict about sugar, you could use any sort of dark chocolate for this recipe and just balance it out with a bit less maple syrup. Garnish with a dollop of rich coconut cream and a dash of chili powder, and you’re ready to get lit. If by lit you mean chill quietly on the couch, watching This Is Us on Hulu… (Isn’t that what it means? Help me, young people.)
Make this paleo peppermint hot chocolate. You’ll love it!
Paleo Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 13.5- ounce cans of full-fat coconut milk (one refrigerated to be used for coconut cream, if desired, but optional)
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 2 ounces 100% dark chocolate , like 100% cacao unsweetened Ghiradhelli chocolate
- 2 tbsp about 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup , to taste (using less if you don't use unsweetened chocolate, or a bit more if you prefer a sweeter cocoa)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon a few drops peppermint extract , to taste
- 1 teaspoon a dash of chili powder , to garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Combine coconut milk, almond milk, and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth, as the chocolate melts, then add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.
- Taste and add maple syrup to reach desired sweetness and additional peppermint extract to taste. Continue cooking until mixture reaches a near boil, then remove from heat and pour into serving mugs.
- Top with coconut cream: refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk for at least an hour then remove from fridge and invert. Open can and pour off clear coconut water, then scoop out remaining coconut "cream" into a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Spoon a dollop of whisked coconut cream onto mugs of hot chocolate and sprinkle with a dash of chili powder, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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