I just realized that I’d included my favourite hot cocoa recipe over on article about “Is Cocoa gluten free?” but never did a separate post about it! I think this lovely, simple recipe we use every single day to make mugs of healthy hot cocoa is a great one.
Why?
- It is so delicious!! We both prefer hot chocolate in the morning, especially since we read about the health benefits of cocoa.
- It is healthy – Right, about those benefits I mentioned in point 1, above. If you use natural cocoa, that cocoa powder can prove to be a powerful antioxidant. And, regular cocoa powder consumption has been linked to better heart health. And, since it’s not a mix that we use, we control all of the ingredients that go in to this hot chocolate.
- It’s relatively cheap. As of today, a hot chocolate at Starbucks probably costs around $5-$6 a cup. But, making it ourself – even with ingredients like honey and cocoa having risen in price lately – means that the cost is around $1 a cup. And we like nice BIG mugs of this!
One tip about the honey…
Yes, honey is naturally gluten free. (We wrote about that here.) But you’ll find that certain types of honey can have a stronger flavor than others do, or at least a more distinctive flavor. So, I usually use a local honey that is non-pasteurized. That means that some of the natural goodness of the honey has been retained, as it hasn’t been heat treated.
But you might want to test to see what type of honey YOU like using in your hot chocolate creations. Super strong tasting honey might take away from the delicious, natural taste of the cocoa powder. And that’s just not okay, am I right? 🙂
Honey Sweetened Hot Cocoa Recipe
Enough talking it up, here it is!
- 1-2 tablespoons pure cocoa powder (I like the natural kind the best)
- About 1/2 tablespoon of honey, but add a little at first and see how you like it. You might need to add a little more, depending on how sweet you want your hot chocolate to be. Alternatives to honey: Agave or even maple syrup, or regular sugar or sugar replacements
- Splash (literally a few drops) of vanilla or vanilla extract
- Boiling water
- Milk: Your choice – I use lactose free milk and hubs uses Earth’s Own unsweetened almond milk. You can use your favorite regular milk OR plant based.
Instructions: So easy! In a medium to large mug, add your cocoa powder. Use less for a smaller mug, and more if you like a big mug of hot chocolate. Add in your honey, and the few drops of vanilla or vanilla extract. Pour in enough boiling water to make a thin paste – stir well until well combined. Getting the lumps out of your hot chocolate mix at this point is crucial to a smooth and yummy cup.
Top up with your choice of milk, and stir well to combine. Microwave in 30 second bursts until nice and warm. (Be careful not to overheat and burn yourself!) If you’re not a fan of microwaves, you can absolutely heat this in a tiny saucepan on the stove.
You can, of course, make this extra special by topping it with mini marshmallows or whipped cream. If you need a dairy-free whipped cream, I’m noticing that coconut whipped cream is available in pretty much every supermarket – I’m talking the whipped cream in a can, but dairy free! Yummmy.
Enjoy!!
Other articles you might enjoy: Are Starbucks frappuccinos gluten free? | Gluten Free Fast Food Listings | Is Whataburger gluten free? | Does Applebee’s have gluten free food? | Is soy sauce gluten free? Are there GF options? | Are Reese’s Pieces gluten free?