Sugared & Stirred

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vegan hot cocoa

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot cocoa spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice – everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

We’re in the throes of holiday season, and that means consuming all things gingerbread for the next few weeks – and enjoying every spicy, sweet second of it! Ginger snaps and molasses cookies are some of my all time favorite cookies. The melding of rich molasses with the flavorful spices of gingerbread is just too good. For this Gingerbread Hot Cocoa, we’re simply adding gingerbread spices to my best rich hot cocoa recipe. You won’t find any molasses in this recipe as I like to keep things as simple as possible for a quick cup of cocoa – and adding more than one ground spice is as much complication as this recipe needs! I promise you won’t miss the molasses!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s thick, creamy, and heavy on the cocoa
  • The gingerbread spices make it extra cozy
  • You can add as much or as little spice and sweetener as you’d like
  • Any milk will work for this recipe

What You’ll Need

  • Plant-based milk (or regular milk) adds a creamy texture to this hot cocoa. You don’t want to skimp by using water – milk really is the best for rich hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder brings all the chocolate flavor. I like a regular (natural) cocoa powder for this recipe, but you can also use a Dutched cocoa powder for an even richer chocolate flavor.
  • Agave syrup is sweeter than cane sugar (and better for you by having a lower GI!) and easy to whisk into the milk and cocoa. If you don’t have agave on hand, feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener OR regular cane sugar (just be sure the sugar dissolves completely before enjoying your cocoa).
  • Ground ginger brings the ginger to gingerbread! You won’t want to leave this out.
  • Ground cinnamon also adds to the classic gingerbread flavor.
  • Ground nutmeg is one of my favorite spices to bake with. It adds a lovely flavor and goes right along with the other gingerbread spices.
  • Ground allspice adds that oomph and extra spiciness. I like to add just a tiny pinch for one cup of cocoa. You can replace the allspice with ground cloves or a little more ground nutmeg, or leave it out altogether for a more subdued flavor.
Yield: 1 Serving

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice - everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plant-based milk (or regular milk)
  • 2 Tbsp natural (regular) cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp agave syrup (or other liquid sweetener to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground allspice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the milk, cocoa powder, agave, and spices.
  3. Whisk continually until all ingredients are combined, scraping the cocoa from the sides and bottom of the pan as needed.
  4. Whisk for a couple of minutes or until hot cocoa reaches the desired temperature.
  5. Carefully pour into your favorite mug and top with marshmallows, whipped cream, and/or a gingerbread cookie!
© Rachael
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

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Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

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This recipe is sponsored by Torani, and all thoughts and opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sugared & Stirred possible!

Rich and flavorful Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa is so easy to make and takes only 4 ingredients! This decadent, homemade hot cocoa is uniquely sweetened with Torani’s Flavor of the Year: Salted Egg Yolk – a delightful sweet/savory flavor with custard, caramel, and umami notes. This may just be the best hot cocoa you’ve ever had!

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

If you’re here then there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with the salted egg yolk flavor. And if not, then you’re curious enough to learn more about it! Having originated in China centuries ago, this sweet & savory flavor has been gaining popularity in Southeast Asia in recent years. It has a sweet, custard-like flavor with notes of savory umami. And coincidentally, it pairs perfectly well with chocolate!

You can think of this hot cocoa as an elevated, more complex version of the cozy drink we all know and love. The Salted Egg Yolk adds a hint of egg custard flavor and even more richness to an already decadent hot cocoa. Check out the simple, 4-ingredient recipe below and let me know what you think!

What You’ll Need for this Hot Cocoa

  • Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup is essential to getting the rich, custard-like flavor of this hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder creates the chocolate flavor. You can use natural or Dutched cocoa powder. I chose to use a mix of the two. Dutched cocoa powder is richer in flavor and darker in color.
  • Milk makes up the bulk of the hot cocoa. It adds a creaminess that water could never replace. Feel free to use whatever milk product you like. I prefer oat or almond milk, but, of course, if you aren’t dairy-free then cow’s milk works as well.
  • Mini marshmallows melt together with a bit of the Torani syrup to make a lovely (and sweet!) marshmallow “fluff” topping; this is totally optional, but also super delicious!

More “Hot Cocoa” Treats

Spicy Hot Cocoa Muffins

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies

Yield: 2 Servings

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Salted Egg Yolk Hot Cocoa

Rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate sweetened with Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup. Top it with melted marshmallow for an even sweeter treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa

Marshmallow Topping

  • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 1 Tbsp Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup

Instructions

  1. Make the Hot Cocoa: in a medium saucepan, add the Torani syrup, cocoa powder, and then the milk. Place over medium high heat and whisk until the mixture is hot. Be sure to scrape the bottom of your pan with the whisk as you mix. Set hot cocoa aside.
  2. Make the marshmallow "fluff": add about an inch of water to another clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the water. Add the marshmallows and 1 Tbsp of Torani Puremade Salted Egg Yolk Syrup to the bowl, stirring constantly until melted.
  3. Pour the hot cocoa into two mugs and immediately top with the marshmallow. If the marshmallow begins to cool too much, it will be extremely sticky and difficult to spoon onto the cocoa; it's best to use it right away.
  4. Enjoy!
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Category: Drinks

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Vegan Hot Cocoa From Scratch

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Creamy and rich, Vegan Hot Cocoa made with plant-based milk and dark, Dutched cocoa powder. This quick and simple recipe comes together in no time!

Vegan Hot Cocoa

It’s snowing and far below freezing here in Missouri today, and what’s better than a cup of homemade hot cocoa loaded with marshmallows?! For me, it’s one of the only redeeming parts of this kind of cold. That, and all the cozy couch snuggles I’ve been getting with the kids. 

This recipe is very simple, and you’ll have delicious and rich homemade hot cocoa in only 5-10 minutes! Utilizing ingredients you likely have on hand (perfect for that last-minute craving), you’ll no longer need to keep store-bought hot cocoa in your pantry. I promise this 4-ingredient recipe is all you need from here on out.

What You’ll Need:

  • Plant-based milk is the base for this recipe. You can definitely use water, but I like to use milk for a creamier drink.
  • Cocoa powder gives it that classic chocolate taste. I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder (like Hershey’s Special Dark), but you can use natural or Dutched.
  • Agave sweetens this hot cocoa. I like agave because it’s low glycemic index and tastes sweeter than regular cane sugar (so you need to use less!). Feel free to use your own sweetener of choice – sugar, honey, etc.
  • Vanilla extract adds depth to the flavor. You can mix things up and add in peppermint extract…or even orange extract for a flavored hot cocoa.

More chocolate marshmallow recipes:

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies

Spicy Hot Cocoa Muffins

Yield: 2 Servings

Vegan Hot Cocoa

Vegan Hot Cocoa

Creamy and rich vegan hot cocoa that comes together in no time!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plant-based milk (or water)
  • 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (or natural cocoa)
  • 3-4 Tbsp agave
  • Splash of vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Add the milk, cocoa powder, agave, and vanilla extract to a medium saucepan. I like to start with less agave (3 Tbsp) and add more after tasting if I want the hot cocoa sweeter.
  2. Place the pan over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently to keep the cocoa powder from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Immediately remove from the heat and pour into mugs. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream and chocolate syrup!

Notes

  1. Plant-based milk (or regular milk for non-vegan) will make a creamier hot cocoa. You can use water, but I recommend milk of some kind.
  2. Agave is low glycemic index and tastes even sweeter than regular sugar. You can use whatever sweetener you like.
  3. Try replacing the vanilla extract with peppermint or orange extract!

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred