It’s the perfect time to start curling up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. However, I often find that typical hot chocolate feels a bit overly sweet and heavy—particularly for my kids! After trying a ton of boxed options, I decided to develop my own kid-friendly healthy hot chocolate recipe.
I’m happy to say this one is a hit! It’s absolutely child-approved and a recipe my own four children ask for all winter long. Even better? It has just four ingredients!
I will note that this recipe is refined sugar free and dairy free. Because of this, it’s not as rich and chocolatey as some people may prefer. I find it’s the perfect amount of sweetness for children or those who are working on health goals, however!
If you haven’t made hot chocolate from scratch before, I’ve got great news: it’s not complicated! In fact, this healthy hot chocolate is so simple to make that it’s almost as quick as the store-bought packets!
In my home, a warm mug of hot cocoa is pretty much a necessity this time of year. Especially forkids, because hot cocoa is a very good motivator to stay outside longer.
You know when they want to come in after 10 minutes, and you’ve spent 15 minutes bundling them up? Just offer them hot cocoa if they stay outside a little longer. It works (almost) every time.
Ingredients
I have to be careful about what I feed my kids (and myself) because we all have food sensitivities. That means we can’t buy the store-bought hot cocoa packets, which are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients I can’t pronounce.
So this year, when my children started asking for hot cocoa, I decided to create our own healthy hot cocoa recipe. I’ve come up with a few variations, but this particular version is a favorite with my kids.
In fact, they’ve told me it tastes just as good, if not better, than the old “store stuff.” (Score!)
Here are the four simple ingredients in this homemade hot cocoa recipe:
Cocoa powder – I use cacao powder myself,but you can use baking cocoa too. Cacao powder is more bitter, so you may need to increase the sweetener slightly if you go this route.
Okay, let’s walk through how to whip up a batch of hot chocolate in just minutes.
Grab a small saucepan, and use it to heat the almond milk. Next, whisk in the cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla extract.
Make sure to whisk it well, so there are no lumps.
Alternatively, you can carefully pour it into a blender (or use an immersion blender). Just don’t burn yourself! Blend or whisk until it’s nice and frothy, then pour into a mug and serve.
See how simple that is?
Variations + More Hot Chocolate Recipes
Peppermint hot chocolate: Add a few drops of peppermint extract while you are whisking.
Creamy hot chocolate: Top with a dollop of your favorite whipped cream (use a non-dairy one if you want to keep this recipe dairy-free).
Peanut butter hot chocolate: Yes, I have an entire recipe showing you how you can make a peanut butter hot chocolate!
Want even more ideas? Check out this post with the
Mineral Boost: Cocoa is naturally rich in minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc, which are essential for children's growth, development, and overall well-being.
Hot chocolate can be a comforting and delicious treat, but it is important to remember that, like other sugary foods, it is also high in calories, sugar, and fat. If consumed in moderation, hot chocolate can be part of a healthy diet as it provides some essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Cacao and chocolate products are best reserved until closer to the second birthday because they contain caffeine. That said, small tastes of chocolate and small sips of atole, champurrado, hot cocoa, or another alcohol-free cacao or chocolate drink after a baby's first birthday are safe.
If you have a major sweet tooth, hot cocoa might be the better option.But if you're someone who enjoys richer flavors, hot chocolate is the better choice. Although hot cocoa is the sweeter drink, both hot chocolate and hot cocoa are full of sugar, so neither is really healthier than the other.
A small hot chocolate from a high street coffee shop can contain nearly five teaspoons (20g) of sugar. These extra calories can cause weight gain, increasing your risk of heart disease.
Mood-boosting effects: Drinking hot chocolate has been shown to increase levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain, which can improve mood and reduce stress. A healthier option: Compared to coffee, hot chocolate contains less fat and calories and is a good source of antioxidants.
While not a typical weight loss aid, hot chocolate can fit into a weight loss plan if consumed in moderation, made with low-calorie ingredients, and used as an occasional treat to satisfy sweet cravings. Opting for low-fat or plant-based milk and minimizing added sugars can help reduce its calorie impact.
Although hot chocolate doesn't necessarily need an even more creamy, decadent taste, using milk certainly enriches the experience. We suspect that milk adds a creamier taste than water alone, and when combined with the notes of chocolate, the smooth undertones of the milk simply add a delicious backdrop.
Several studies showed that cocoa powder might have the following properties: It may be an antioxidant.It may lower the blood pressure.It may improve the heart health.
Citrus fruit is well known for having a high dose of vitamin C, and lemon is no exception to this rule. Vitamin C helps your baby's immune system fight off illnesses. Lemons are also a good source of fiber and even contain potassium, calcium, and protein.
It's okay to offer some juice in moderation, but make sure it's 100 percent juice (such as apple, orange, cranberry or pomegranate), which can provide some nutrients to a busy, picky toddler. Remember, too, that your tot shouldn't be toting a sippy cup filled with juice all day long.
Hot chocolate has a certain amount of magnesium in the chocolate, so that can be relaxing - and can help you sleep. So may any hot drink except high caffeine drinks. So, you may sleep better.
The cornstarch version thickened quickly, making the hot chocolate very thick and creamy, and in the end we decided on a combination of cornstarch and confectioner's sugar, for the ideal texture and sweetness.
Ovaltine is an excellent source of several B vitamins, including Vitamin B6, niacin, and thiamin. The nutrition value of Ovaltine can vary slightly depending on the flavor you choose and the beverage you mix it with. For example, adding the powder to milk will result in more calories, protein, vitamin D, and calcium.
For a sore throat, either warm or very cold liquids are soothing: warm tea, hot chocolate, ice pops, and cold juice. You might want to skip any citrus juices, since they're acidic and can hurt some children's throats.
Generally, drinking hot chocolate before bed is safe for most people. The only consideration would be that if it has a high caffeine and sugar content, it may affect your daughter's sleep. In some people, it may also cause lactose intolerance and allergies.
Many studies support that consuming chocolate at least once a week helps stimulate your children's brain response. And what is this due to? Chocolate contains flavonoid, a substance that improves blood flow and stimulates neuronal activity while regulating blood sugar levels. Stronger teeth.
All types of chocolate are classed as “discretionary” foods, the same as biscuits, cake and sugary drinks. This means they should be considered as treats. As a rough guide, kids aged two to three years should not have more than one serve per day of discretionary foods and for older kids up to three serves per day.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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myself,but you can use baking cocoa
myself,but you can use baking cocoa
too. Cacao powder is more bitter, so you may need to increase the sweetener slightly if you go this route.
