My dear friend Shannon and I created this vegan hot chocolate for our menu back in our Beet Street days.
It was always one of our biggest hot beverage sellers, and it seemed like we were always making hot cocoa mix.
This recipe is super simple to make in bulk and use as desired. I mentioned in our Buttered Hot Cocoa post, to keep this one Vegan, add in a little vegan butter or even coconut oil, for a little extra creaminess and a source of good fat.
I think what has always surprised people is the addition of maca powder.
Maca powder provides so much added benefit to regular hot cocoa! Benefits may be increased energy, hormone balance, joint relief, build muscle, improve moods, build muscle and so much more!
We’ve tried several kinds and brands of maca during Beet Street and our favorite and most versatile by far has been from a little family-owned company called The Maca Team.
We use the Organic yellow gelatinized maca, pictured below, in our smoothies, coffee, milk drinks, and general everyday use. We’ll use red and black maca for specific needs, such as muscle repair and a libido boost when we’re dragging in that department. Because let’s face it, with kids, it can happen.
The Maca Team has some of the best products you can find. They are a family-owned business that works with locals of Peru and are committed to quality, sustainability, and fair trade.
There are several varieties of Maca Powder (red, yellow, mixed, raw, etc.) and when clicking on the banner below, under “Choosing the Best Maca”, you can go through a questionnaire to find out which Maca is best for you and your specific needs.
I must say the nutty flavor of the maca, the pinch of Himalayan salt, and added fat is what really brings this hot cocoa together!!! Pair a mug with our super delicious Coffee Cake Banana Bread and you have yourself a tea hot chocolate party!
And without further ado, here’s our famous Vegan Hot Chocolate recipe below.
Enjoy!
Vegan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 12 oz Nut Milk of choice Almond or Cashew is good too!
- 2 tbsp organic cacao powder
- 1-3 tsp organic cane sugar add to taste
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp yellow gelatinized maca powder
- dash nutmeg
Instructions
- In a small pot or kettle, heat up the milk.
- Once the milk is warm, stir in sweetener of choice until dissolved.
- Then add in cacao, maca (if using), and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- Remove from heat once dissolved, serve in a mug, dash nutmeg if desired.
- Add a sprinkle of cacao, cinnamon, or marshmallows on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Sometimes I’ll use vanilla almond milk to reduce the amount of sugar needed, then it’s already sweet.
- You can use any sweetener desired if you’re using unsweetened milk.
