☕️ What Makes This Recipe So Good
Rich and luxurious. Warm and cozy. Free from dairy, grains, gluten, and refined sugar. I’m in! This homemade paleo hot chocolate is one of my very favorite winter recipes, whether or not I’m “paleo” at the time. I’m certainly not one to deprive myself of all the treats and goodies of the holidays. Honestly, that makes me love this hot cocoa recipe even more! I can indulge in a mug of classic hot chocolate while also giving my body a small break from all the super sweet, super heavy, super decadent foods of the season. Making paleo hot chocolate is ridiculously easy and quick. If you’ve ever made stovetop hot chocolate from scratch before, the process is exactly the same. You’ll be able to settle in with a cozy mug in roughly 15 minutes! I haven’t tested it yet, BUT! I have a feeling you could turn this into a Crockpot paleo hot chocolate recipe if you wanted to. Here’s what I’m thinking: add everything at the same time and whisk to incorporate. Set the slow cooker for 2 hours on LOW heat and whisk often so nothing sticks or scalds. Again, I haven’t tested it yet, so no guarantees on the results. If you try it out, leave a comment below and let me know how it goes!
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
Whipped coconut cream is the perfect finishing-touch for paleo hot chocolate, and making it could NOT be easier. All you need to do is put an unopened can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight! As the canned coconut milk chills, it separates into two parts. One is a thick, white, somewhat-solid layer of coconut cream. Beneath that is a layer of water. It’s not coconut water, though. It’s just water that was used to soak the coconut flesh and create the coconut milk. You’re welcome to use it in other recipes, drinks, or smoothies if you’d like, but there’s nothing particularly special or nutritious about it. Scoop out the thick coconut cream, though. That’s the part you’ll need to use for whipped coconut cream! Speaking of the coconut milk, make sure you use unsweetened, full-fat, canned coconut milk. Why so specific? Well! 1) Most sweetened coconut milks aren’t paleo. They can also make your hot chocolate too sweet, since the recipe doesn’t account for using sweetened milk. 2) Full-fat coconut milk will make your hot chocolate creamier and richer than lighter versions. 3) Carton coconut milks are usually diluted with water, which means canned coconut milks are typically thicker and less liquidy. Basically, for the best results, use unsweetened, full-fat, canned coconut milk. If you use a chocolate that’s made with paleo-compatible sweeteners, start out with just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup instead of 2. You can always add more if you taste the hot cocoa mixture and think it’s needed!
🥘 Paleo Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat
Pumpkin Muffins with a Spiced Crumb Topping Jerk Salmon with Mango Salsa Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Apples Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole with Eggs and Sausage Paleo Pancakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free) Instant Pot Chicken Thighs (Fresh or Frozen, Bone-In or Boneless) Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes Everything Bagel Chicken and Scallion “Cream Cheese” Sauce Oven-Finished Sous Vide Brisket
