I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach, gluten-free recipe creator, and home detoxification expert with a focus on gut health. I show burned-out women with digestive issues how to take a proactive, holistic approach to healing by sharing nutrient-dense recipes, and sustainable lifestyle tips that are easy to implement in everyday life.
Once chilly weather sets in, I crave warm, creamy drinks. This healthy hot chocolate recipe is my go-to late-morning indulgence. It pairs two superfoods, cacao, and ginger, to create a rich, subtly spicy, healthy alternative to traditional hot cocoa.
Made with concentrated almond milk and sweetened with stevia or monk fruit drops, this recipe is free from added sugar and dairy (just like my Tiramisu Latte Recipe).
Add a scoop of collagen peptides for extra protein or leave them out for a vegan treat.
Bitter cacao and spicy ginger are one of my favorite flavor combinations. This healthy hot chocolate always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside (literally and figuratively).
Traditional alkalized cocoa is highly processed, stripped of nutrients, and full of sugar. However, raw cacao powder retains the nutrients and supplies antioxidants, fiber, and flavonoids. Plus, the richness makes it taste so much better!
I’ve made this dairy-free hot chocolate recipe with fresh ginger, jarred ginger, ginger tea and ground ginger (not pictured). Use what you already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
This recipe is easily customizable, with four different methods to incorporate the ginger. Here’s what you’ll need:
GINGER (choose your own adventure):
FRESH GINGER: 1-inch piece, chopped. The smaller the pieces the more flavor. Don’t bother peeling it.
GINGER TEA: 1-2 bags of your favorite ginger tea. Yogi and Traditional Medicinals are what I use.
JARRED MINCED GINGER: 1 ½ teaspoons. Ginger People is a common brand. This will add a little texture to your hot chocolate, but it’s not very noticeable.
GROUND GINGER: ½ teaspoon (the fresher it is the stronger the flavor). This method is my least favorite, but it does work, so I included it as an option.
RAW CACO POWDER: 1 tablespoon (adjust to taste). Cacao contains some caffeine, so be mindful if you’re very sensitive.
COLLAGEN PEPTIDES: Turn your healthy hot chocolate into a liquid snack, with 1 scoop of unflavored collagen peptides. It’ll add about 10 grams of protein without altering the flavor. I buy these from Thrive Market. (Enjoy 40% off your first box with my link). Leave them out if you’re vegan.
UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK: ¼ cup provides satiating fat that softens the flavor and gives your hot chocolate a creamy texture. For the best results, look for a concentrated option without gums or fillers, such as Elmhurst or Three Trees. Walnut milk is also delicious here, but any non-dairy milk will work.
LIQUID STEVIA OR MONK FRUIT DROPS: Non-nutritive, natural sweeteners don’t raise blood sugar. Look for pure varieties that don’t contain gut-irritating sugar alcohols.
How to Make Healthy Hot Chocolate (4 Ways)
Option 1 – Fresh Ginger
Bring 12 ounces of filtered water to a boil and steep the chopped ginger for at least 5 minutes to make a tea. (The longer you steep the ginger, the stronger the flavor, so I typically don’t take it out).
Dissolve the cacao powder and collagen peptides (if using) into the ginger tea. A latte frother makes quick work of it, but a small whisk works, too.
Top with almond milk and sweeten to taste.
Option 2 – Ginger Tea:
Follow the instructions above, steeping the tea bag for 5-15 minutes before removing it and adding the remaining ingredients.
Option 3 – Jarred Ginger
Bring 12 ounces of filtered water to a boil and stir in the jarred ginger, cacao powder and collagen until smooth.
Finish with the almond milk and sweetener as desired.
Option 4 – Ground Ginger
Follow the instructions for option 3 above using ground ginger.
Helpful Tools to Make Healthy Hot Chocolate
You don’t need fancy tools to make ginger hot chocolate, but these simplify the process for a range of beverages, including Warm Cinnamon Milk.
Insulated Mug: Keeps the water warm while the ginger (or tea) steeps.
Latte Frother: A latte or matcha frother ensures the cacao and collagen dissolve smoothly. It also adds foam if you use milk with high-fat content. I use a frother anytime I make one of my Coconut Milk Matcha Lattes.
Electric Tea Kettle: They boil water fast. I love this one because it has various temperature settings for different types of tea.
Ginger Hot Chocolate for Winter
Spicy ginger brings an unexpected twist to this healthy hot chocolate recipe. It’s rich, creamy, and warming–the perfect solution to chocolate cravings on a cold day.
Anti-inflammatory ginger may support digestion, while cacao offers powerful antioxidants. Collagen peptides provide a boost of protein if you choose to use them, making this drink a healthy snack to cozy up with.
Let me know which method you like best in the comments below!
Spicy ginger brings an unexpected twist to this healthy hot chocolate recipe. It’s rich, creamy, and warming–the perfect cozy beverage for cold days. Dairy-free without added sugar, it’s made with almond milk and stevia to create an indulgent beverage that’s good enough to drink daily.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
12ounces boiling water
1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped (see alternatives below)
1 tablespoonraw cacao powder
1 scoop unflavored collagen peptides (optional)
1/4cupunsweetened almond milk
Stevia or pure liquid monk fruit drops to taste
Ginger Variations
1–2ginger tea bags
1 1/2 teaspoonsjarred minced ginger
1/2 teaspoonground ginger
Instructions
Method 1 – Fresh Ginger:
Bring 12 ounces of filtered water to a boil and steep the chopped ginger for at least 5 minutes to make a tea. (The longer you steep the ginger, the stronger the flavor–I don’t take it out).
Dissolve the cacao powder and collagen peptides (if using) into the ginger tea.
Top with almond milk and sweeten to taste.
Method 2 – Ginger Tea:
Follow the instructions above, steeping the tea bag for 5-15 minutes before removing it and adding the remaining ingredients.
Method 3 – Jarred Ginger:
Bring 12 ounces of filtered water to a boil and stir in the jarred ginger, cacao powder and collagen until smooth.
Add the almond milk and sweetener.
Method 4 – Ground Ginger:
Follow the instructions for option 3 above using ground ginger.