Coconut butter hot chocolate is a rich and cozy treat. Totally vegan, super creamy, naturally sweetened, and rich in good, healthy fats.
It’s been nothing buy grey and rain here, and I feel like I’ve been shivering for 3 days straight. Perfect timing for a banger of a hot chocolate recipe. My method is a little strange on the surface, but it yields an incredible end result. I like hot cocoa and cocoa/cacao powder-based drinks, but sometimes you need the richness that only actual chocolate can bring.
Basically I ask you to blend all the ingredients, including non-melted chocolate, in the blender before heating. You hear clicks and pulses coming from the blender as it chops through the chocolate and coconut butter chunks. Once the chocolate is visibly integrated throughout as little flecks, you heat the mixture up. Those flecks and coconut butter bits slowly melt away dreamily into the milk as you whisk. Coconut butter and dates make this almost caramel-y. Hope you love it!
This interview with Justin Vernon about the years that went into the latest album creation and the weirdness of fame is great.
Sometimes, if I’ve been on a long streak of photo editing or just general computer use, I start to get that weird double/blurry vision, and know that I need to step back into the real world for a bit. Lauren spells out so many great tips to protect your eyes from excessive screen exposure.
I’ve never trusted a recipe labelled as “best” because I know that it’s all for clicks. The utter deluge of “ultimate” versions ofall kinds of recipes has rendered the terms meaningless for me–even from a source that I trust!
On cooking with MSG at home. It’s weird to me that MSG is still taboo given the feverish obsession with umami in food media. Also, a choice quote: “Chinese-American restaurateurs were unfairly maligned for a Japanese invention widely present in American foods.”
Even more on that umami thing: everything you’ve ever wanted to know about traditional soy sauce, its origins, and classification. Kind of makes me want to seek out some premium, more traditionally produced brands.
The “Life Skill” series on Rookie Mag’s site is the perfect mix of fun and wise, and this breakdown of the Minor Life Emergency Kit (modelled on a bride’s survival kit) follows suit: “…a kit for a person who has no interest in marriage but is very interested in spilling taco sauce on any and all new shirts.”
Coconut Butter Hot Chocolate
Coconut butter hot chocolate is a rich and cozy treat. Totally vegan, super creamy, naturally sweetened, and rich in good, healthy fats.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 minutes mins
Total Time: 13 minutes mins
Servings 2
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dark dairy-free chocolate, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter (this is a product that has both the flesh and the oil–I use Nutiva's Coconut Manna)
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 soft Medjool dates, pitted
- 2½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- I used cartoned coconut milk as my milk of choice. It has just the right level of viscosity for this, and it also compliments the coconut butter in obvious ways.
- There are plenty of ways to customize this hot chocolate. You could add some ground cinnamon or cayenne, some reishi powder/extract, or even steep some lavender tea while you heat it up.
Instructions
In an upright blender, combine the chocolate, cacao powder, coconut butter, sea salt, dates, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Blend the mixture on high until the chocolate is scattered throughout and looks like tiny flecks.
Pour the chocolate mixture into a small saucepan. Warm the coconut butter hot chocolate on the stove over medium heat, whisking it frequently. When it’s almost simmering, steamy, and frothy on the top, it’s ready. Pour the coconut butter hot chocolate into mugs and enjoy! I grated chocolate on top of mine, but that’s optional!
Author: Laura Wright
Course: Beverage, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: cacao powder, chocolate, christmas, coconut butter, dates, holiday entertaining, holidays, medjool dates, non-dairy milk, vanilla, winter
01/10/2016 (Last Updated 25/10/2022)
Posted in: autumn, beverage, breakfast, creamy, dessert, gluten free, grain-free, holidays, nut free, sweet, vegan, winter
10 comments
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Mimazine Oh my. This sounds like the most delicious hot chocolate ever, perfect for the cooler weather xx
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Allyson I am willing to do many, many things for a good cup of hot chocolate, including whip out a blender. I can’t wait to try this.
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Natalia This sounds divine!
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Abigail This hot chocolate sounds absolutely lovely! I hope they have the ingredients at my local market!
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Kate Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to try this! Thanks for sharing!!
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Julia @ HappyFoods Tube I like this hot chocolate recipe a lot! The idea of using dates in it is very interesting!Definitely on my TO DO list!
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Lauren Making this RIGHT NOW. The third straight day of major gloom and rain, and hot chocolate is the only thing to make it better. Been making one with reishi powder, MCT oil and stevia, but this looks like the perfect one to try next. xx sending sunny vibes your way!
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Maya | Spice + Sprout Thank you for the great links! I didn’t know that Bon Iver’s new album was out and now I am sitting here listening to it, SO good <3 This hot chocolate looks so silky and indulgent, definitely making on a crisp fall day :)
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Sonia Hi Laura- I’ve seen a lot of recipes of your blog using coconut butter and I bought a jar a few months ago. But I always wonder about the consistency. It hardens in the jar. Am I supposed to microwave it a little bit each time before using so it softens up and can be stirred? Thank you! And can’t wait from your book to come out. Already pre ordered on Amazon awhile back!
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Carol I LOVE the idea of using dates to sweeten hot chocolate. It probably gives it some good body too. I just bought some cocoa butter – so I am going to use that instead of the coconut manna – with my homemade almond milk. Thanks for the recipe! Also made your cheese chickpea crumble for pasta – to die for!! Great replacement for dairy. I added a lot of nutritional yeast and ume plum vinegar to it – came out fab.
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