You know when SpongeBob sings “the best time to wear a striped sweater is allll the time”?

That’s how I feel about having hot chocolate.

And now it’s even easier to have it at anytime with this shelf-stable powdered hot cocoa mix. Not only is it convenient and long lasting, but it’s dairy-free friendly and healthier than traditional hot cocoa mix.

How? Well for one, it’s homemade and having control over what goes into something, and the quality of the ingredients is impactful in itself. But the biggest factor here is in the sweeteners.

Most hot cocoa mixes have a 2:1 ratio of sugar to cocoa, meaning there’s twice as much sugar as there is cocoa powder. This recipe has a ratio much closer to 1:1, and it’s not straight sugar that is used (although it can be if that’s all you have or what you prefer!).

The sweeteners were chosen intentionally – coconut sugar and stevia brown sugar for the subtle caramel flavor they provide, and coconut and cane sugar as they’re less refined (nutrients are lost during the refining process so less processing means more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants). Also, coconut sugar doesn’t raise your blood sugar as fast as other sugars because of inulin, a prebiotic fiber, it contains.

All of these nutrient differences in less refined sugars (such as coconut sugar) vs. traditional sugar are very minimal, but every little bit counts in my book and small improvements really do add up in the end!

That said though, you can totally use any kind of sugar or sweetener you like; it was tested with just cane sugar in place of the coconut + brown sugar and was still super yummy!

Because this intro is already tiptoeing into forbidden *jump to recipe* territory, know that there are some exciting and innovative ideas for this hot cocoa at the end that you don’t want to miss :]

Healthy Hot Cocoa Mix

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Total Time 6 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• ¼ C cocoa powder
• 2 TBSP coconut sugar
• 2 tsp. stevia brown sugar*
• 2 tsp. cane sugar or sweetener*
• ¼ tsp. sea salt

Instructions

 

• Combine everything in a jar or container with an airtight lid
• Break up the brown sugar with a measuring spoon, then secure the lid and shake to mix it all together
• Heat up a milk of your choice and whisk one hefty, rounded tablespoon of mix per 8 oz. of milk (I usually do ~1.5 TBSP for a 10 oz. mug)
• Top with marshmallows, whipped cream, leave it plain, or place it in the fridge overnight to let the flavor develop even more, then reheat and re-whisk it for a richer, creamier chocolate flavor

Notes

• *Stevia brown sugar: can also use regular brown sugar or date sugar
• *Cane sugar or sweetener: powdered monk fruit sweetener or similar sweeteners can be used in place of cane sugar
• *2. No need for a blender or food processor to mix the ingredients together, it actually makes for a thinner, less creamy cocoa
• This makes ~7-8 cups of cocoa, depending on the size of the mug and how rounded the tablespoons are. The recipe can also be easily cut down to make 1-2 servings: 1 TBSP cocoa powder, 2 ½ tsp. sweetener (1 ½ tsp. coconut sugar, ½ tsp. stevia brown sugar, ½ tsp. cane sugar), and a pinch of sea salt.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you’re a visual person, you can find recipe videos on TikTok and Instagram!

For an extra rich mug of hot cocoa, there are a few optional ways to make it even thicker and creamier:

• Coconut milk powder (though be aware that some do contain dairy, surprisingly)
• Oat milk powder – JOI has a high quality one, and you can use code SU10 to save at checkout
• Cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• Your favorite coffee creamer
• Chocolate shavings or chips
• Or even peanut butter for PB hot chocolate

The first three could be added beforehand to the powdered mix where the remaining options would be incorporated when whisking the cocoa mix into the warmed milk.

Here are some fun ideas for how to use this functional recipe:

• Homemade gifts – make a large batch, divide into smaller jars, and tie a bow + tag with directions around the top
• In a housewarming basket
• Mixed into coffee
• Stocking stuffers
• To bring on camping trips or other travels
• Added to a protein shake or smoothie for more flavor
• For a bonfire night
• Party favors

*Insert corny joke about how it puts the fun in functional* LOL all jokes aside, this is a recipe you won’t regret making in bulk and keeping on hand!

If interested, the macronutrients are below. They are kept separate at the very end of each recipe blog so that this can remain a safe, positive space for all as not everyone wishes to see the nutritional information.

Macros per serving (based on 8 servings, not including milk): 6.4 C | 0.3 F | 0.5 P

Compared to 1 packet of name brand hot cocoa mix: 34 C | 2 F | 1 P

If you make more or less than 8 servings and want to know the macros per serving, take the macros for the entire recipe (below) and divide each macro by the number of servings.

Macros for the whole recipe: 51.6 C | 2.7 F | 3.9 P

The macros for recipes are also available on MyFitnessPal. Simply search the name of the recipe followed by “ – SUNutrition” (so for this recipe, search “Healthy Hot Cocoa Mix – SUNutrition”).