Oat Milk Hot Chocolate

5 from 6 votes

This oat milk hot chocolate is ready in just 5 minutes. Plus, it's naturally sweetened, easy to make, and uses a handful of ingredients you likely already have on hand. This recipe is dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan.

Author: Lindsey Jenkins

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Serving Size

Ingredients

2 ½ cups oat milk
2-3 tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder see notes
2 tablespoons maple syrup or substitute
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Topping Ideas

homemade marshmallows or storebought
dairy free whipped cream
crushed candy canes

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Use a whisk to break up any clumps and continue stirring until everything is well combined. Heat until the mixture is hot.
Serve with toppings or by itself.

Notes

For a richer chocolate flavor, use 3 tablespoons.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

No oat milk? - use a different type of milk such as soy milk, cashew milk, or almond milk (or even regular milk if you're not dairy-free). If using canned coconut milk, I recommend using it in combination with another type of milk so it doesn't have an overpowering coconut flavor.

No cocoa/cacao powder? - you can also use vegan chocolate chips or a roughly chopped high-quality dark chocolate bar in place of the powder. I would start with 1/4 cup and add more as preferred.

No maple syrup? - use coconut sugar or brown sugar.

Add-ins - cocoa butter will give it an even creamier texture and more complex flavor, I would add 1 tablespoon. You could also add a dash of cinnamon for more flavor or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Variations

Peppermint hot chocolate - add 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract in place of the vanilla extract.

Orange hot chocolate - add orange zest or orange peel into the hot chocolate to infuse the flavor into the hot chocolate, then strain it out before drinking.