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Home » Recipe » Diet » Vegan

Spiked Vegan Hot Chocolate

Created On: December 18, 2022 | By Debbie | 3 Comments

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Curl up with mug of this delicious spiked vegan hot chocolate made with melted chocolate, sweetened with maple syrup, and spiked with a bit of bourbon. A yummy, dairy-free treat!

spiked vegan hot chocolates in glass mugs with whipped cream on top.

There’s nothing better on a cold winter night than huddling up on the couch with a cup of this yummy spiked vegan hot chocolate or this hot spiced wine and one of these almond butter chocolate chip cookies. All you need are a few simple ingredients to whip up a mug of this hot chocolate. It is so much better than a store-bought hot cocoa mix!

Table of Contents

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  • Why You’ll Love this Recipe
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • What Spirits are Good in Hot Chocolate?
  • Step by Step
  • Expert tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Cocktails You’ll Love
  • Spiked Vegan Hot Chocolate

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • A delicious vegan and dairy-free option for the holidays!
  • Just 6 simple ingredients like soy milk, chocolate chips, and maple syrup.
  • Rich and creamy and so much tastier than store-bought hot chocolate mix.

Ingredients You’ll Need

spiked hot chocolate ingredients in small bowls with labels.
  • Soy milk: I like to use soy milk because I think it makes for a richer hot chocolate than other plant-based milks. However, you can use any non-dairy milk like almond, oat, or rice.
  • Chocolate Chips & Cocoa powder: The combination of both melted chocolate and cocoa powder adds a ton of rich chocolate flavor to this dairy-free hot chocolate. You can use 1 ounce of chopped dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips for a less sweet hot chocolate.
  • Maple Syrup: Adds some natural sweetness to the hot chocolate and pairs really well with the bourbon.
  • Bourbon: I love the combo of bourbon and chocolate but feel free to sub with some other liquor if you prefer.
  • Sea Salt: Add a pinch of salt to your hot chocolate to balance out the sweetness and highlight the chocolate flavor.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

What Spirits are Good in Hot Chocolate?

Not a big fan of bourbon? No worries! There are lots of other liquor options that still taste great on hot chocolate.

  • Vegan Almond Milk Baileys: Adds a delicious creamy and nutty note.
  • Spiced Rum: Serve with a cinnamon stick to lean into the delicious spice vibes from the rum.
  • Coffee Liqueur: Who doesn’t love a hot mocha on a cold day. Coffee and chocolate are a classic combo.
  • Peppermint Schnapps: Peppermint and chocolate are such a great pair. Garnish with a candy can for extra festive flair. Also, skip the maple syrup as schnapps is sweet.
  • Peanut Butter Whiskey: I never knew that peanut butter liquor was a thing until I had peanut butter whiskey in a coffee cocktail during brunch a few months ago and now I’m obsessed. It would be the perfect thing to add to a spiked hot chocolate!
  • Cointreau/Triple Sec: Adds a yummy orange flavor – kind of reminds me of a holiday chocolate orange.
  • Flavored Vodka: A great way to add more flavor – try vanilla vodka, raspberry, orange vodka, or whipped cream vodka.

Step by Step

add hot chocolate ingredients except liquor to small saucepan.

Step One: Add all of your hot chocolate ingredients except the liquor to a small saucepan.

warm hot chocolate in saucepan with a whisk.

Step Two: Warm hot chocolate on the stovetop over low-medium heat until hot. Use a whisk to stir while cooking. Remove from heat and stir in liquor then pour into serving mugs.

Expert tips

  • Add your booze after cooking. If you add your alcohol during cooking some of the alcohol will cook off so you have a less strong drink.
  • Sweeten to taste. Adjust the sugar in this recipe to your liking. If you are using a sweetened milk, you may want to skip the sugar.
  • Make it frothy. Add your warm hot chocolate to a blender and puree for 30 seconds to a minute on high to make extra frothy hot chocolate. Then, add your booze.
  • Don’t skip the salt! The salt helps balance out the sweetness of the hot chocolate and enhances the chocolate flavor.
spiked vegan hot chocolate in glass mug with whipped cream.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this sugar free?

Yes! Use sugar free chocolate and replace the sugar with alternative sweetener of choice like stevia. (You’ll just need to adjust the amount of any sweeteners added as you will need much less.)

How do I make spiked hot chocolate for a crowd?

Simply double/triple the recipe below and add to a crockpot instead of a saucepan. Turn on low until chocolate has melted and the hot chocolate is hot then switch to the “warm” setting.

How much alcohol do you add to spiked hot chocolate?

We usually add 2 oz of alcohol for every 6-8 ounce cup of hot chocolate. For sweeter liquors like peppermint schnapps, you may want to use 1 1/2 ounces.

More Cocktails You’ll Love

  • mulled wine in glass mugs.

    Mulled Wine (Hot Spiced Wine)

  • Simple Rosemary Margarita

  • Pomegranate Ginger Sangria | The perfect simple cocktail for winter gatherings made with wine, ginger kombucha and fruit!

    Pomegranate Ginger Sangria

  • cranberry gin cocktail in two glasses garnished with fresh cranberries and lemon.

    Cranberry Gin Cocktail

Did you love this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and tag #dietitiandebbie on instagram!

spiked vegan hot chocolate in glass mugs

Spiked Vegan Hot Chocolate

Created by: Deborah Murphy

Course Beverage
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 10 minutes minutes
2
This spiked vegan hot chocolate made with soy milk, chocolate chips, and sweetened with maple syrup is so much better than store-bought! Spike with liquor of your choice and top with your favorite non-dairy whipped cream for a yummy treat. 
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (I like soy milk)
  • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 4 ounces liquor (bourbon, whiskey, etc)
  • 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, add all of your ingredients except the bourbon. Heat over medium heat. Stir and continue to heat until chocolate has melted and mixture is hot.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in your liquor of choice. We really like bourbon or peanut butter whiskey.
  • To serve, top with a non-dairy whipped cream and chocolate shavings or vegan toasted marshmallows. 

Notes

  • Chocolate Chips Substitution: 1 ounce of chopped dark chocolate can be used instead of chocolate chips.
  • Liquor Suggestions: Bourbon, peanut butter whiskey, vegan Baileys, peppermint schnapps, flavored vodka, coffee liqueur, triple sec. See post for notes on choosing a liquor.
  • Sweeten to taste. Adjust the sugar in this recipe to your liking. If you are using a sweetened milk, you may want to skip the sugar.
  • Make it frothy. Add your warm hot chocolate to a blender and puree for 30 seconds to a minute on high to make extra frothy hot chocolate. Then, add your booze.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 503IU | Calcium: 348mg | Iron: 3mg

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posted in: 10 Ingredients or Less, Beverages, Christmas Recipes, Gluten-Free, Holiday Recipes, Vegan, Winter

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Logan Hodges says

    December 2, 2017

    I’m looking for a recipe for a party, can this be made and then kept warm in a crockpot?

    Reply
    • Dietitian Debbie says

      December 2, 2017

      Hi Logan,
      I haven’t tried it myself yet, but keeping it warm in a crockpot should be fine!

      Reply
  2. Steph @ The Grateful Grazer says

    December 28, 2015

    I swear, you have the best cocktails + spiked bevvies! Can’t wait to try this one 🙂

    Reply

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