Creamy and decadent, this oat milk hot chocolate recipe is basically a hug in a mug.
We started making homemade hot chocolate about 5 years ago because we were out of hot cocoa packets, and honestly, we’ve never turned back! Through lots of trials, our recipe uses a combination of cocoa powder and chopped chocolate to create a luxurious mug of hot chocolate that is sure to make you feel warm and cozy.
Jump to:
Why you’ll love this Oat Milk Hot Chocolate Recipe
Level of difficulty: Easy. Measure, heat, stir, and enjoy!
Flavor: Creamy, chocolatey, goodness.
Time: It will take you approximately 10 minutes to prepare your oat milk hot chocolate.
What you’ll need for Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
- Unsweetened Oat Milk*
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate (62%-70% range), rough chopped
- Brown Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Canned Whipped Cream or Marshmallows for topping
*Dairy milk can be used in place of the oat milk in this recipe if desired! Use 2% or Whole milk for the creamiest homemade hot chocolate
Full recipe and ingredient measurements outlined in the recipe card below.
How to make Hot Chocolate with Oat Milk
Add oat milk, cocoa powder, chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar to a small saucepan over warm over medium heat, and whisk to combine. Stir frequently until steaming and desired temperature is reached (approximately 8-10 minutes). Do not boil.
Pour into your favorite mug and top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
Sip, relax, and enjoy!
Hot Chocolate Oat Milk Recipe Variations
This oat milk hot cocoa is vegetarian as written, and can easily be made vegan, gluten free, and dairy free!
- To make this into a vegan hot chocolate, you will want to swap out the brown sugar for a vegan-friendly sweetener such as pure maple syrup. You will also want to be sure to select a vegan whipped topping or vegan marshmallows to add on top of your oat milk hot chocolate
- To make this into a dairy free hot chocolate recipe you will need to select a dairy free whipped topping or dairy free marshmallows to add on top of your non dairy hot chocolate
- To ensure this is a gluten free hot cocoa, check the label on your oat milk to verify it is certified it’s GF (see notes in the FAQs on why). If choosing to enjoy marshmallows instead of a whipped topping on your oat milk hot cocoa, you’ll also want to check the label on your marshmallows as they are not always GF. This is especially important if you’re serving this oat milk hot chocolate to someone with a gluten intolerance.
How to Store Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
If you’re not enjoying all of your hot cocoa with oat milk immediately, bring the leftovers down to room temperature prior to storing it in an airtight container (I like using an upcycled glass jar) in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat the cocoa in a small saucepan on the stove over medium low heat or in a mug in the microwave in 30-second increments until your desired temperature is reached.
FAQs for Hot Cocoa with Oat Milk
I’ve taste-tested a wide variety of oat milks, and the ones I would recommend using are: Califia Oat Milk (I particularly enjoy their Barista Oat Milk variety), Oatly Oat Milk (both their full-fat and low-fat varieties are nice), and Elmhurst Oat Milk. However, if there are other brands in your local grocery store, give them a try!
You may be wondering, does oat milk have gluten? While oats are naturally gluten free, there is often cross-contamination due to being grown next to wheat or processed in a facility that also processes wheat products. If you’d like to make this an oat milk hot cocoa recipe and have a gluten intolerance, select an oat milk brand that has been certified as gluten free.
Definitely! Two options include:
Option 1: Leave out the brown sugar all together to create a sugar free hot cocoa recipe (to be honest, I have forgotten to add in the sugar a few times and I still enjoyed it…so this is actually a good option for this recipe)
Option 2: Substitute the brown sugar with a refined sugar free sweetener, like pure maple syrup.
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
Hot Chocolate (Oat Milk)
Ingredients
- 1 C unsweetened oat milk
- 1 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional but recommended toppings: whipped cream or marshmallows*
Instructions
- Add oat milk, cocoa powder, chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar to a small saucepan over warm over medium heat, and whisk to combine. Stir frequently until steaming and desired temperature is reached (approximately 8-10 minutes). Do not boil.
- Pour into your favorite mug and top with whipped cream or marshmallows.
- Sip and enjoy!
Leave a Reply