Craving the most indulgent cup of hot chocolate you've ever tasted? Get ready for a treat that’s rich, velvety, and so thick you could almost stand a spoon in it! My keto hot chocolate recipe is the real deal—a decadent, sugar-free version of European-style hot chocolate that will leave everyone coming back for more. This isn't just any hot chocolate; it’s an experience the whole family will love, and I promise you've never had keto hot chocolate quite like this!
This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto-Friendly, Gluten Free and Vegetarian.
Table of Contents
8 Reasons to Make Keto Hot Chocolate:
- Super rich, thick, and delicious hot chocolate
- A sugar-free hot chocolate that is full of flavor.
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients - no artificial flavors!
- It completely satisfies your sweet tooth without the carbs.
- Perfect for cozy nights by yourself or with family or friends.
- Quick and easy to make - ready in 5 minutes.
- Rich in healthy fats for people looking at their macros!
- Low carb and keto-friendly… a decadent treat.
Is Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Low Carb?
Yes, this keto hot chocolate is low carb at just 4g net carbs per serving. Keep in mind that the servings are smaller in size because it is VERY rich in flavor. Also, this is a treat and not something that should be consumed every day. Even when we are in keto, we have to live life. As a comparison, a typical cup of hot chocolate that is made with a traditional recipe with refined sugar and Vitamin D milk (whole milk) would have around 40g net carbs per serving. We are doing great at just 4g!
Ingredients List For Easy Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe
1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups coconut milk, (unsweetened, chilled and full fat)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute (Lakinto link)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch kosher salt
Ingredient Substitutions
- Brown sugar substitute: the brown sugar substitute is different than a granulated natural sweetener. It provides more warmth, but if you don’t have it, feel free to use granulated allulose, granulated erythritol or granulated xylitol.
Additional Ingredients
- Cinnamon: add just a dusting of ground cinnamon to the top of the keto hot chocolate for a touch of deliciousness.
- Keto whipped cream: Every good mug of hot chocolate needs some whipped cream. If you make my keto whipped cream recipe, add in a touch of vanilla powder for a real treat.
- Shaved chocolate: find some 100% chocolate and use a microplane to shave some chocolate over the top of the whipped cream. Not only does it look fantastic, but it tastes great too!
NOTE: These ingredients are not part of the original recipe- use them to enhance or customize the recipe to your liking.
Cooking Tools
To make this easy keto hot chocolate recipe, you will need the following cooking tools:
Please note that the links above will take you to affiliate products that are either exactly what I use in the recipe or very close!
How to Make Keto Hot Cocoa: the Complete Cooking Guide
This is literally one of the easiest ways to make hot chocolate without sugar. Once you have all the ingredients gathered up, the keto hot cocoa is ready in under 5 minutes.
Cooking Methods:
- Mixing
Preparation Steps:
- Gather all the ingredients together and measure.
Cooking Steps
- Add all of the hot chocolate ingredients into the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk gently until the mixture is thick and warmed through.
- Taste and adjust either sweetness or a pinch more of salt.
- Pour into your favorite winter mug and top with keto whipped cream. Enjoy!
Step 1: Add the coconut milk to a saucepan on medium heat. Stir gently to begin heating it.
Step 2: Slowly pour heavy whipping cream into the saucepan with the coconut milk while stirring to combine.
Step 3: Add the cocoa powder, brown sugar substitute, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt to the saucepan.
Step 4: Whisk gently to combine all ingredients until the mixture is smooth and the cocoa powder is fully dissolved.
Step 5: Continue whisking over medium heat until the hot chocolate thickens slightly and is warmed through.
Step 6: Taste and adjust for sweetness or add an additional pinch of salt if needed.
💡 My Pro Tip
This is a very thick and rich hot chocolate recipe. If you want it thinned down a bit, add a tablespoon of hot water at a time until you have found the desired consistency. Adding whole milk will increase the overall net carbs as the milk has almost double the carbohydrates than heavy cream. When you have found the consistency you want, taste and adjust the sweetness or salt level, being careful not to add too much salt.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
- Double the batch: Making a double batch of this low-carb hot cocoa is a great idea. It stores well in the fridge and reheats easily, making it a great time saver for when you want hot chocolate on the go!
- Drink it cold: Although this is a recipe for HOT chocolate, it also tastes great cold. It’s more like the most rich chocolate milk you’ve ever had. When I feel the need for sweets, just a small glass of the cold chocolate mix puts me back in the right direction!
What to Serve with Keto Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate can be served on its own, but it gets better when paired with these decadent low carb and keto recipes. For me, this just makes the experience unforgettable.
- Keto Whipped Cream: my absolute favorite topping for hot chocolate. I always make this recipe when making hot cocoa.
- Low Carb Brownies: if we're going to indulge, then let's really do it. Whip up a batch of these soft-baked low-carb brownies.
- Keto Peanut Butter Cookies: I love dunking these peanut butter cookies in my low carb hot chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate are a culinary match!
- Fluffy Keto Waffles: Hot chocolate for breakfast? Yes. Why not try a keto waffle to go along with this yummy hot chocolate? So good together.
Storage and Reheating
Let’s take a look at how to store this keto hot chocolate and reheat so it tastes as good as the day you made the recipe.
Storing Keto Hot Chocolate:
- Once the keto-friendly hot cocoa has cooled to room temperature, you can add it either to an airtight container or pour it into a small glass pitcher covered with plastic wrap. I like to use a pitcher so I can pour it easily if I want a small glass of cold chocolate mix (see the time-saving tip for more information). It will last easily in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Reheating Tips:
I reheat my keto hot chocolate the same way I made it, in a saucepan over low heat. I use the same sauce whisk to prevent burning, and it is ready to serve within 3-5 minutes.
If you are using a microwave, place the hot chocolate in a microwave-safe mug and reheat on medium-low until warmed through.
Freezing Tips:
- Yes, you can freeze this hot chocolate recipe easily. My favorite method is in LARGE silicone ice cube trays. Once frozen, I pop them out and put them into freezer bags. This allows for individual servings when I am in the mood for low carb hot chocolate at any point. These hot chocolate cubes stay frozen for up to a year. To use again, you can either defrost in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.
Recipe Conclusion
When I started on my low carb journey in 2017, I thought that I would never have hot chocolate again. Back then, there weren’t as many delicious sugar alternatives as today. Over the years, I have been playing with this recipe to get it just right… and this version is as close to a European hot chocolate as I have ever made. It is just so good.
The true test is when my kids tried many of my previous attempts. Typically, I would get a response like “close… I mean, it’s good.” I would keep tinkering until this recipe was made, and both kids had big smiles on their faces. No response means that it is just right, and my kids have had some of the best hot chocolate in Europe.
I hope you try my keto hot chocolate recipe, even if you’re not eating low carb or keto. It is simply amazing, and I know that anyone you give a warm mug of this amazing hot chocolate drink will love it.
Please write in the comments any questions or suggestions you may have. You can also find us on Facebook or Instagram.
Other Delicious Keto Drinks To Make:
Every now and again, it is nice to make drinks that taste better than water while on keto! Take a look at these delicious treats:
- Pumpkin Spiced Latte: Just as good as it sounds! Give this a try if you love everything pumpkin-spiced.
- Keto Coffee (aka Bulletproof Coffee): The perfect way to start the day... and the way I start every single day of my life. Check out this recipe if you haven't tried it already.
- Low-Carb Iced Latte: Some days, I just need a little caffeine pick-me-up, and this iced latte fits the bill. It's slightly sweet and completely delicious.
- Protein Powder Shake: You will love this berry-infused protein power shake. Yes, it's packed with protein power (and hemp powder!) to get your day going strong!
FAQs
Yes, if the hot chocolate recipe is made with keto-friendly ingredients. The recipe is keto when using erythritol, xylitol, allulose or stevia as the sweetener. Additionally, it should be made with heavy cream rather than milk, as milk has twice the carbs of heavy cream.
Keto hot chocolate is a hot beverage that is made in a very similar manner to traditional hot chocolate but uses keto ingredients. In the place of refined sugar, keto hot chocolate uses granulated allulose, xylitol, erythritol or a monk fruit sweetener blend. Additionally, in the place of whole milk, keto hot chocolate uses heavy cream as it has about half of the carbohydrates as regular milk.
There are many hot drinks that are keto-friendly including keto coffee (coffee mixed with MCT oil and grass-fed butter), keto lattes, and keto hot chocolate, to name a few. Recipes vary, so please ensure the overall net carb count is appropriate for the keto diet.
Keto Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1.5 cups coconut milk (unsweetened, chilled and full fat)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute Lakinto link
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Assemble and measure all ingredients.
Cooking Instructions
- Combine the hot chocolate ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens and is heated through.
- Taste the hot chocolate and tweak the sweetness or salt to your preference.
- Pour into your favorite mug and top with keto whipped cream. Sip and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”
2 Responses
I watched your video on IG today and made this recipe- so good! I added cinnamon to the mix and it was just perfect.
Hi Maya:
That's great that you saw the video! And cinnamon tastes amazing in this hot chocolate recipe.
Have a great day in the kitchen-
Scott