This vegan raspberry hot chocolate is easy to make, and the tart-sweet flavour of the raspberries combined with cocoa and maple syrup is to die for.
A heat wave has swept across southern Ontario, as often happens in late May. I never seem to be quite prepared for it! I might be losing some friends by saying so, but I’m really not much for summer heat. I often joke that I’d like to take a snow holiday to a colder clime in the summer, as opposed to a sun holiday in the winter. (I don’t recall ever saying I was normal, haha.)
The irony of writing this post on the hottest night of the year is not lost on me. Hot chocolate is the last thing I am craving at the moment, but if you live in Canada, you know how abruptly the weather can change here–which is why I always love having a warm drink recipe up my sleeve.
I developed this vegan raspberry hot chocolate recipe the day after I created an epic failure of a vegan chocolate raspberry cake. Wanting to redeem myself and regain confidence in my recipe development abilities, I opted to whip up something simple with the remaining raspberries I had. Taking my cues from a favourite drink that was once on the menu at Bliss in Victoria, I whipped up a hot chocolate that’s at once tart, sweet, creamy, and utterly satisfying!
recipe features
Healthy fat: Almond butter not only makes this hot chocolate creamy, it also gives it a boost of healthy monounsaturated fat.
Naturally sweetened: I opted for maple syrup, but you can use a pitted Medjool date for an even less refined option. Just make sure it’s soft so that it blends!
Seasonal: Raspberry season is just around the corner, making this hot chocolate recipe a timely one.
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ingredients you need
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, almond butter, raspberries, coconut butter (optional), and a pinch of fine sea salt.
- Coconut whipped cream on top is optional. I can’t fully enjoy a hot chocolate without it, and it’ll make it extra creamy, but feel free to leave it out!
how to make raspberry hot chocolate
Warm all of the ingredients, except the raspberries, in a small saucepan, until the chocolate chips melt. Add to an upright blender, along with the raspberries, and blend for 20 seconds. If it isn’t hot enough for you, pour it back into the saucepan and warm it back up on the stove.
more energizing drink recipes
Anyways, despite the awkward timing of this recipe, I hope you have a chance to enjoy this vegan raspberry hot chocolate in the near future! If you make it, leave a comment and rating below the post, and if you share a photo to Instagram, tag @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love sharing your delicious recreations in my stories. 🙂
PrintVegan Raspberry Hot Chocolate
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 1 large or 2 small servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan raspberry hot chocolate made with almond butter, maple syrup, cocoa, and raspberries. Perfectly tart, sweet, and creamy.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 ½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (may sub 1 pitted soft Medjool date)
- 1 tbsp almond butter (may sub sunflower seed butter for nut-free option)
- 1 tsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut butter (optional)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp raspberries (fresh or thawed from frozen- see note)
- Coconut whipped cream, for serving (see note)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients, except the raspberries, in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until the chocolate chips have melted.
- Pour the contents of the pot into an upright blender and add the raspberries. Blend for 20 seconds. Check to see if the temperature is to your liking. If not, pour it back into the pot and warm it back up until desired temperature is reached.
- Pour into a mug and top with coconut whipped cream, if using.
Notes
If you can’t stand raspberry seeds in your drink, I would recommend making raspberry “juice” in your blender and using 3 tablespoon of that in the drink instead. To make raspberry “juice,” blend 1 cup of raspberries with ¼ cup of water in a blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag, and store leftover juice in the fridge to enjoy with sparkling water over ice.
HOW TO MAKE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM: You’ll need to refrigerate a 400 mL can of full fat coconut milk overnight. Open the lid and scoop out the solidified coconut milk. Discard the water that’s collected in the bottom of the can. Using an electric mixer, whip the solid coconut milk until it resembles whipped cream. Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, if desired. I also added some raspberries to mine! Brands that I’ve had the most success with are Earth’s Choice and Cha’s Organics. Cha’s makes an awesome coconut whipping cream that is phenomenal; if you can find some, I highly recommend using it to make coconut whipped cream!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Beverage, Snack
