Most people would agree that processed hot cocoa from the store is not a healthy choice. However, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater!
A cup of healthy hot cocoa made with fresh raw milk is a soothing and very healthy treat on a cold evening in front of the fire or watching a movie.
In this video and recipe below, I show you a healthy hot chocolate recipe to make and enjoy that avoids the GMO sugar, artificial flavors and other additives in commercial hot cocoa mixes.
This can be an occasional addition to the kids’ lunchbox on cold days too. Just put in a thermos and it stays nice and warm until lunchtime!
Homemade Hot Cocoa How-to Video
The key to making the best homemade hot chocolate is retaining all the probiotics and enzymes in the raw grassfed milk. Using a digital food thermometer to ensure the milk is hot but not hot enough to destroy these nutrients is key!
Each 8 oz serving in this recipe has 12 g of unrefined sugar compared with 18 g or more of refined sugar (usually GMO) in one envelope of hot cocoa mix from the store!
I recommend using cocoa powder and not cacao powder for this recipe. The reason is that raw cacao is very high in anti-nutrients like phytic acid and lectins. Cocoa powder is roasted as traditionally practiced. Hence, it is much lower in these substances which can trigger gastric distress in some people and block the nutrient absorption.
If you would prefer a hot cocoa recipe that is caffeine-free, this recipe for white hot chocolate is delicious!
Homemade Hot Cocoa Recipe
Healthy and homemade hot chocolate recipe that retains all of the enzymes and probiotics in grassfed milk and uses the best whole sweeteners and the low anti-nutrient cocoa.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk preferably raw and grassfed
- 2 Tbl evaporated cane sugar preferably organic
- 1 Tbl cocoa powder heaping, preferably organic
- 1 tsp chocolate extract
- sprinkle cinnamon freshly ground is best
Instructions
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Warm milk on the stovetop to 117 F. Use a food thermometer or a clean finger to judge the temperature (when it feels hot but doesn't burn, it's about 117F so enzymes and probiotics remain intact).
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Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.
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Quickly whisk in sucanat, cocoa or carob powder and chocolate extract. Add optional cinnamon if desired.
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Pour into mugs and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Substitute carob powder if a caffeine free hot cocoa is desired.
Use store bought or homemade coconut milk for a dairy free version!
Substitute the cane sugar with organic coconut sugar or dark maple syrup if desired.
If you love marshmallows in your hot chocolate, this recipe for homemade marshmallows is a good one to try.
Just received my carob powder and chocolate extract last night from Azure Standard. I am now sitting here with a cup of hot “carob”? It is the first time carob has been in this house. My son and I are enjoying your recipe. Thanks for giving us a wholesome yummy recipe to warm us up!
Hi Sarah, wonderful! Thank you for the testimonial.
Hi Anita, its granite tile. Glad you like it! 🙂
I would like to know what kind of material your kitchen counters are made with? We are remodeling our kitchen and I love the looks of your counter.
Hi Charito, thank for the well wishes. I just whipped up a batch of this for the kids’ school lunches today. We’ve got frost on the ground down here in FL! Very cold and its not even winter yet!
it’s so delicious and i will share this to my family this winter season who are residing in USA,Canada, Europe and South America. I know my grands will love it. Thanks for such a wonderful information, great recipes and healthy foods to share. More power to your program!!! God bless!
Hi Rachel – you can definitely use stevia in place of sugar or use half the sugar and replace with a bit of stevia. Adjust it how it suits you! 🙂
Thanks for posting this! I’ve been wanting to make hot chocolate without the mix and without tons of sugar. I’ll probably just use cocoa powder. Have you tried using stevia in place of some of the sugar? I often use it to sweeten my tea (the other hot drink I drink.
Also, I love adding just a pinch of cyanne pepper to my cocoa along with a sprinkle of cinnnimon.
Okay, all this talk about adding an egg yolk, but how exactly do you perform this addition? Do you need to strain it afterward to get any solids out of the drink?
Hi Lynn, no charge for the videos. Must be a setting on your computer as all is well from my end.