Prefer to use natural sweeteners? This coconut sugar hot cocoa is delicious, quick to make, and refined sugar-free. Whip up a single serving to enjoy right away, or make some homemade hot cocoa mix to give as a gift!
If you prefer to avoid refined sugar, this naturally sweetened hot cocoa recipe is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day. Not only is super simple to make, but it only requires three simple ingredients that you may already have at home.
Make a single serving and enjoy it right away, or follow the instructions to make a batch of hot cocoa mix that can be saved for later or given as a gift. This recipe has become our family's favorite way to enjoy hot cocoa!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: Whether you wish to make a single serving or a larger batch of homemade hot cocoa mix, you'll only need to set aside a few minutes of your time in order to do so.
- Naturally sweetened: While coconut sugar is still sugar and should be consumed in moderation, it is unrefined and derived from coconut tree sap, making it a more natural alternative to refined sugar.
- Only 3 ingredients: You'll only need 3 simple ingredients to make this easy recipe at home.
- Single-serve or mix: Want to enjoy a mug of hot cocoa right away? Keep scrolling for the details. Prefer to make some shelf-stable hot cocoa mix to save for later, or to give as a gift? You can do that, too!
Looking for more naturally sweetened drink recipes? Check out this Homemade Iced Cappuccino or this Homemade Drinkable Yogurt!
Required Ingredients
- Cocoa powder: I used Dutch-processed cocoa, but regular cocoa powder can also work.
- Coconut sugar: This recipe requires coconut sugar, which is a natural sweetener made from the sap of a coconut palm tree. Because coconut sugar is shelf-stable, you'll be able to use it to make dry hot cocoa mix, not just single servings.
- Milk: You can use skim, 2% or whole milk. Because this hot cocoa mix doesn't contain any skim milk powder, you won't be able to replace the milk with water. You can, however, use lactose-free milk or replace the milk with a non-dairy substitute like oat milk or soy milk.
The full ingredient list, quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make a Single Serving (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Combine sugar and cocoa powder. Pour the coconut sugar and cocoa powder into a standard-sized mug (about 10 ounces) and stir until combined. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon if desired.
Step 2: Add a bit of milk. Add 2 teaspoons of milk to the mug and stir with a spoon until a smooth paste forms.
Step 3: Add remaining milk. Fill the remainder of the cup with milk and stir to combine.
Step 4: Heat in the microwave. Place the cup in the microwave and heat on high for one minute. Stir with a spoon, then heat on high for another minute before enjoying.
This hot cocoa has become one of my go-tos on cold winter days. Refined sugar gives me headaches, so this recipe allows me enjoy hot cocoa without any of the unpleasant side effects.
How to Make Hot Cocoa Mix
Because coconut sugar, unlike many other natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup, comes in powdered form, you can also use it to make homemade hot cocoa mix to keep handy or to gift as a gift.
- Making your hot cocoa mix: To make hot cocoa mix using coconut sugar, combine two parts coconut sugar and one part cocoa powder in a mixing bowl, and whisk them together until combined. (You can also add a bit of cinnamon if desired.) Pour the powdered mix into a mason jar or airtight container of your choice until you're ready to use it.
- Using your hot cocoa mix: Add 2 tablespoons of hot cocoa mix to a standard-sized mug, then follow the remainder of the instructions for making a single serving—stir in 2 teaspoons of milk to create a paste, fill the remainder of the cup with milk (do not use water), heat in the microwave on high for one minute, stir with a spoon, then heat on high for another minute before enjoying.
Helpful Tips
- Start with dry ingredients: Whether you are making a single serving or using the powdered mix, make sure to add the dry ingredients to the mug before you add the milk. If you start with the milk, you'll likely end up with floating clumps of cocoa powder that don't properly combine with the liquid.
- Adjust the sweetness level: I personally like my hot cocoa to be on the sweeter side, and have found that using a 2:1 ratio of coconut sugar to cocoa powder (2 teaspoons of coconut sugar per teaspoon of cocoa powder) achieves that. If you prefer yours to be less sweet, you can use a 1:1 ratio instead.
- Don't heat for too long: Heating the hot cocoa in the microwave for too long may cause it to spill over. To help prevent this, heat the hot cocoa in one-minute increments, taking it out of the microwave after the first minute and stirring it with a spoon before you continue heating it.
More Naturally Sweetened Treats
If you have tried this Coconut Sugar Hot Cocoa or any other recipe on our website, please let us know how it went in the comments below. We can't wait to hear from you!
Coconut Sugar Hot Cocoa (Mix or Single-Serve)
Ingredients
Single Serving
- 2 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 4 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1-1 ⅓ cup milk dairy or non-dairy
Hot Cocoa Mix
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
Single Serving
- Pour the coconut sugar and cocoa powder into a standard-sized mug (about 10 ounces) and stir until combined, adding a pinch of cinnamon if desired. For a hot cocoa that isn't as sweet, you can change the recipe proportions to 1 tablespoon coconut sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
- Add 2 teaspoons of milk to the mug and stir with a spoon until a smooth paste forms. (Do not replace the milk with water.)
- Fill the remainder of the cup with milk and stir to combine.
- Place the cup in the microwave and heat on high for one minute. Take the cup out of the microwave, stir with a spoon, then heat on high for another minute before enjoying.
Hot Cocoa Mix
- Add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder and cinnamon (if desired) to a mixing bowl, and whisk them together until combined. For a hot cocoa that isn't as sweet, you can change the recipe proportions to ½ cup of coconut sugar and ½ cup of cocoa powder.
- Pour the powdered mix into a mason jar or air-tight container of your choice until ready to use.
- To use: Add 2 tablespoon of hot cocoa mix to a standard-sized mug and follow the instructions listed in steps 2 to 4 for making a single serving of hot cocoa.
Notes
- Start with the dry ingredients: Make sure to add the dry ingredients to the mug before you add the milk to avoid ending up with floating clumps of cocoa powder.
- Don't replace the milk with water: Because no powdered milk is included in the dry ingredients, you won't be able to replace the milk with water when making a single serving or when using your homemade hot cocoa mix.
- Don't heat for too long: To prevent the hot cocoa from spilling over in the microwave, heat it in two one-minute increments and take it out to stir in between.