Protein Hot Chocolate — Sugar-free and Dairy-free

This rich and creamy Protein Hot Chocolate is the perfect healthy twist on everyone's favorite cold-weather drink. 

This rich and creamy healthy hot chocolate is a single serving (though you'll want to share with family and friends for sure), super healthy, loaded with protein, and has none of the added sugar of most hot chocolates out there. And it's ready in minutes.

If you’re going to drink hot chocolate, why not have it do more for you than just taste good?

Why Protein Hot Chocolate?

Years ago, I never would have thought that I'd be writing about (or drinking) Protein Hot Chocolate.

I was totally in the low fat mindset, but that also meant high sugar, and I really wasn't thinking about protein at all.

Not smart.

Fats, proteins, and fiber help mitigate the effects of carbs on blood sugar, and I ended up with all kinds of health problems including candida, Hashimoto's and more.

Fast forward to today. I now eat a lot of fat and a good amount of protein, and no sugar and I watch my carbs. And this healthy hot chocolate, full of protein and healthy fats, is exactly that.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This protein hot chocolate makes a large cozy mug of rich, real hot cocoa made with coconut milk (I use homemade coconut milk because it's so much cheaper than cartons) with a solid hit of protein. It’s warm, creamy, and tastes like dessert, but it works as a healthy breakfast, nourishing afternoon snack, or late-night treat that won’t leave you with a sugar crash.

And if you're trying to increase your protein intake, it's a fabulously delicious way to do just that.

You can make it with either chocolate protein powder or vanilla/unflavored protein, and the recipe includes cocoa and sweetener adjustments for both. No need to buy a specific brand or type of milk. Use what you have, make adjustments as needed, and enjoy.

I love having this in the morning instead of my usual protein shake, or even for a high protein snack any time of day.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Please see the printable recipe card for complete information about ingredients and directions.

• coconut milk or other milk, as desired
• protein powder
• cocoa powder
• sweetener (I prefer stevia extract)
• salt
• chocolate chips, chunks, or dark chocolate (optional but recommended)
• marshmallows, whipped coconut cream, more chocolate powder, cinnamon powder, or chocolate shavings as desired for topping

Protein Powder Options

You can use whatever protein powder you like. Here's a list of the main options available these days.

• Whey Protein: Whey protein is derived from milk and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. I don't use whey due to the fact that I don't eat a lot of dairy. If you're going to choose whey protein, I highly recommend choosing a clean, grass-fed option. 
• Beef Protein: A beef protein drink sounds weird, but it's actually great. It's a complete protein and works well for many who can't have dairy or soy. Equip has top-notch quality beef isolate protein. Note that beef protein clumps in cold drinks due to its collagen component, but it works really well in warm drinks like this.
• Soy Protein: Soy isolate powder is super creamy, but it's hard to find organic soy protein powder and most all soy in the US is GMO. Here's one good option, however.
• Plant-Based Isolates and Blends: Plant-based protein powders come either in single-protein powders (pea, rice, hemp, chia, etc.) or a blend of plant proteins plus other ingredients. Individual vegan proteins are typically not complete proteins on their own, and they often don't taste great. Most combination protein powders, however, are complete.

Variations

Here are some great flavor options for this protein hot chocolate. The possibilities are endless!

• Mocha: Add 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons instant coffee or ½ to 1 teaspoon espresso powder, or replace a few tablespoons of the coconut milk with strong brewed regular or decaf coffee or espresso.
• Spiced (Mexican-ish): Add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder.
• Peppermint : Add a drop of peppermint extract.
• “Nutty”: Add a spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or pumpkin seed butter to add creaminess and a nutty flavor.
• Other Flavors: Add a drop of almond or coconut extract or any type you like. These two are fabulous with cocoa: think Mounds and chocolate covered almond flavors.
• Higher Protein: Depending on your goals, you can add more protein powder. After whisking it in, thin it with hot water or more milk if needed.

Protein Hot Chocolate Mix

This recipe can easily be made into a homemade protein hot chocolate mix. Simply combine multiple servings of the dry ingredients and store in an airtight container until ready to use. You can even add dried coconut milk to the mix so you only need to add water to use it.

Recipe Notes

• Other Protein Powder Flavors: If you choose a non-chocolate protein powder, you'll want to add about another tablespoon of cocoa powder to the recipe. If using an unsweetened protein powder, you'll want to add additional sweetener as well and double the vanilla if you like.
• Milk Options: I love using coconut milk for this recipe because it's rich, creamy, and low-carb. Plus, we make our own, so it's amazingly inexpensive. You can use whatever milk, dairy-free or otherwise, for this recipe. If using a dairy-free milk that has sweeteners added, you'll either want to reduce the sweetener or omit it.
• Oat Milk Tip: If you use oat milk for this recipe, you can likely reduce the sweetener.
• Sweetener Options: Start with less sweetener and add more as needed. I personally use stevia extract or pure monk fruit, but you can use whatever you like, including coconut sugar, honey, or a granulated low-carb sweetener. If you do use a granulated sweetener, I recommend powdering it so it dissolves more easily.
• Whisk/Stir: Whisk the mixture continually when heating to prevent clumping and scorching.
• Heat: Heating this mixture too hot can lead to the protein powder clumping and the milk scalding or separating. Using medium-low or low heat is best.
• Don’t boil: Make sure to not boil the mixture, as this can affect the texture and taste.