We’re big hot chocolate fans here. My kids want it every morning, and it’s one of my favorites as well. Unfortunately, it’s basically just dairy and sugar and a great way to start the day if your ideal day starts with a stomachache.

Mugs | Crockpot | Ladle

With the dairy allergies in our home, I’ve been trying to find a recipe that we can all sit down and drink together, and not slip into a sugar coma right after. My old recipe (the one I’ve made for years) is basically made with chocolate bars, but a dairy-free equivalent would cost like $100 (good dairy-free chocolate is $$$) so I decided to try a different approach. Cocoa nibs.

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Cocoa nibs are crushed up cocoa beans that have been roasted, but not processed into what we recognize as chocolate. They have no sweetness, and are all bitter. But that allows us to control where our sweetness comes from and make a better swap. Steeping the cocoa nibs with peppermint tea packets creates a great base for our drink, that can then be built upon.

I use a mix of sugar and Stevia. The ratio depends on how low you want to be on the glycemic index, and how high your tolerance is for natural sweeteners like Stevia. They can be a bit metallic, so I prefer a mix of the two. With this recipe each 8oz cup ends with about 1 tbsp of sugar instead of the average 1.5tbsp from popular store bought varieties, but that can be dropped further if desired by adding less sugar and adding a few more drops of Stevia.

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5 from 2 votes

Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate (Lower in Sugar, too)

A dairy-free alternative to classic hot chocolate. Cocoa nibs and peppermint tea steeped in hot water, then added to a variety of creamy, dairy-free products. This recipe makes 1 gallon – about 16 servings.

Course: Drinks

Servings: 16 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon water
• 10-15 oz cocoa nibs depending on how strong you want it
• 4 tea bags peppermint tea
• 25.4 oz nut pods creamer I used toasted marshmallow flavor and it was bussin'
• 20 oz vanilla flax milk
• 2 14oz cans coconut cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 15 drops Stevia vanilla flavor

Instructions

• In a large pot on the stove, bring the water to a boil.
• If desired, separate the cocoa nibs into 5-7 equal parts and wrap in cheesecloth, then tie up tightly. Otherwise you'll need a fine-mesh strainer on hand.
• To the hot water add your cocoa nibs and peppermint tea packets. Turn off the heat and let steep for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the tea bags and cocoa nibs (strain if needed). Rinse out the pot and add the liquid back. Add the remaining ingredients and heat over medium low until steaming, but don't let it boil.
• Add to a crockpot on the "warm" setting to keep warm. Enjoy!