Oat Milk Hot Chocolate

Name: Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp cocoa powder, (unsweetened); 2 cups oat milk, (unsweet, full fat); 2.5 tbsp cane sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/8 tsp salt

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This cozy Oat Milk Hot Chocolate will keep you toasty warm this winter! Just a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes are all you need to make rich, creamy hot cocoa! Everyone will love a mug of this velvety smooth sweet treat!

One of my favorite memories as a teacher was serving hot cocoa at our winter celebrations. This was always my go-to recipe! It’s delicious, dairy-free, not overly sweet, and so easy to pull off. My sweet students loved the decadent, chocolatey goodness.

Its 5 simple ingredients are easy to find and you can use the stovetop, microwave, or crockpot to make it! The best part for me is that this indulgent treat is vegan. 😊

Using oat milk makes it so creamy and flavorful! If you’re an oat milk fan, be sure to check out my Oat Milk Chia Pudding!

This simple homemade recipe makes two servings. Although, you can easily adjust it depending on how many people you're serving.

It's perfect for a party! Oat milk hot cocoa is a great star for a hot chocolate bar. Serve it up along with some Butterscotch Sauce, S'mores Cookies, and Ladyfingers!

Contrary to what one might think, hot chocolate is not just a dump-and-heat kind of recipe. There are a couple of quick tricks needed to create a smooth texture.

Similar to cornstarch, cocoa tends to clump together in liquid if you're not careful. It's a common misconception that heating it longer can help, but that can actually lead to overcooking or burning the cocoa.

I mention this within the recipe, but basically, if you want to avoid a grainy texture, push your cocoa powder through a sifter and then create a thick paste before adding the other ingredients. Super easy!

Reasons To Love This Recipe

5 ingredients
Not too sweet
Quick and easy
Dairy-free, vegan
Smooth and creamy
Nut-free, gluten-free

Ingredients and Substitutions

Labeled ingredients for oat milk hot chocolate.

Cocoa Powder - Use unsweetened cocoa, cacao, or dutch processed cocoa. Make sure to check the ingredients as some may have added dairy. Cacao is simply unprocessed cocoa and is packed with healthy nutrients while the dutch process has a comforting earthy flavor.
Oat Milk - Unsweetened, full fat, oat milk goes so well with chocolate but other plant-based milks can work as well. Try not to buy the kind that says “lite” as that will create a thin consistency. I like Oatly brand here.
Sweetener - Cane sugar is amazing in this cocoa, but another type would work as well such as maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.
Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract adds a sweet, warm element.
Salt - Salt takes the chocolate over the top! It not only brings out the rich flavors, but it also brings balance to the warm drink overall.

How to Make Oat Milk Hot Chocolate

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Sift the cocoa through a mesh strainer and into a small saucepan. Sifting helps to decrease the naturally formed clumps.

Put the pot over low heat.

Shake the oat milk before pouring it out of the container so you get a thicker consistency. Add 3 tablespoons of the oat milk to the pot.

Whisk this into a paste. Keep stirring until it's a smooth, lump-free mixture.

Turn the heat up to medium and slowly pour in the remaining oat milk. Whisk continuously until it's fully blended and let the cocoa heat up for 3 minutes.

Stir in the cane sugar.

Take the pot off the heat once the sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Taste to see if you'd like to add more sugar to make a sweeter hot chocolate.

Enjoy it with your favorite toppings! I like to add vegan marshmallows, almond or coconut whipped topping, and a dusting of cinnamon.

Tips

Make sure to shake the oat milk really well before using it to get a thicker consistency.
Sifting the cocoa and forming a paste before adding the plant milk helps to ensure the hot chocolate is smooth and not grainy.
If you want it very thick, you can stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon plant milk while heating it or froth it before serving.

Add-In and Topping Ideas

Cinnamon
Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Syrup
Instant Espresso
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Peppermint Extract
Vegan Marshmallows
Vegan Whipped Topping
Cayenne or Chili Powder
Make it Boozy with Liquor
Candy Canes, Crushed Mints
Butterscotch Sauce or Caramel

Storage & Reheating

Store this oat milk hot chocolate in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4 days.

How do you microwave oat milk hot chocolate?

Sift 1.5 tablespoon of cocoa powder into a microwave-safe mug. Set aside 1 cup of oat milk. Add 1.5 tablespoon of plant milk to the mug and stir it into a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk and heat it for 20-30 seconds. Stir it until smooth, add the sugar, and heat for another 30 seconds. Heat it until hot, stirring in between. Add the vanilla and salt before enjoying. This makes one serving.

How do you make hot cocoa in a slow cooker?

Add the cocoa to the crockpot basin through a sifter. Turn it on to the low setting and add a small amount of plant milk. Whisk it to make a smooth, lump-free paste. Stir in the remaining plant milk and the sugar. Cover the slow cooker and keep the heat setting on low until you're ready to serve. Just before serving, stir in the vanilla and salt.

No-Waste Ideas

Use cocoa powder for Vegan Tiramisu.
Make Chia Pudding with some of your oat milk.

What to Serve with Hot Chocolate

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