This Keto-Friendly Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe makes creamy, rich hot chocolate with ingredients you probably already have on hand. This quick and easy hot chocolate can be part of a low-carb, keto, diabetic, gluten-free, grain-free, Atkins or Banting diet. There is even a dairy-free option!
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The Recipe for Keto Hot Chocolate
Looking for a delicious way to warm up? This hot chocolate will fit the bill! It’s loaded with chocolate flavor and has a luxurious texture that just can’t be found in a packet.
Best of all, if you eat low-carb, you probably have all of the ingredients you need on hand. If not, you’ll be able to find them in almost any grocery store.
In addition, this recipe can be made in just a few minutes. No need for a long wait to satisfy that chocolate craving!
The Inspiration for Keto-Friendly, Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate
This recipe is based off of a recipe my mother would make years ago if we happened to run out of hot chocolate mix. Of course, she used sugar and whole milk, so it wasn’t low-carb.
Instead of using sugar, I used one of my favorite sweeteners. The addition of cream no only decreases the carb content, but also gives the hot chocolate a velvety mouthfeel only present in the very best hot chocolate.
This is a recipe I’ve been making for years. While I already have a delicious hot chocolate recipe on the blog, I want add one that doesn’t require making a chocolate syrup first.
I also wanted to have a hot chocolate recipe on the blog that has a dairy-free option. I find that many of my followers are going dairy-free and I’m trying to accommodate all of you as best I can.
Since this is my go-to quick and easy hot chocolate recipe, I decided to write down the ingredients and share it with all of you.
Tips and Tricks
Dairy-Free Option
This recipe can easily be made dairy-free by substituting the thick coconut milk from a can for the heavy whipping cream. I find that this adds a slight coconut flavor that I find works well with the chocolate–kind of like a Mound bar.
Sweetener Substitutions
If you don’t have my favorite sweetener on hand, feel free to substitute what you have. If you do substitute, be sure to adjust the quantity if necessary to obtain the correct sweetness level.
For example, the sweetener I use is twice as sweet as sugar, if yours measures cup for cup like sugar, you will need to double the amount.
Super-sweet sweeteners such as pure stevia powder or pure monk fruit powder may not provide enough bulk to combine with the cocoa. Because of this, the cocoa may form into lumps.
Final Words
This Keto-Friendly Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe makes a delicious way to shake off the chill of a fall or winter day. Cradling a warm mugful in your hands, breathing in that sweet steam, and sipping that creamy richness will make any day just a little bit better. Enjoy!
-Annissa
It may be summer, but is always hot chocolate season! Indulge yourself with this super easy and yummy Keto-Friendly Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe! 🍫😋
Keto-Friendly Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe
This Keto-Friendly Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe makes creamy, rich hot chocolate with ingredients you probably already have on hand. This quick and easy hot chocolate can be part of a low-carb, keto, diabetic, gluten-free, grain-free, Atkins or Banting diet. There is even a dairy-free option!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated stevia/erythritol blend (Pyure)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (coconut milk from a can for dairy-free)
- 2 cups unsweetened original flavor almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Whisk together cocoa powder and the granulated stevia/erythritol blend in a medium saucepan. Try to break up any cocoa lumps.
Whisk in the heavy whipping cream or the coconut milk a tablespoon at a time to create a thick liquid.
Slowly stream in the almond milk into the mixture, while whisking. Heat mixture over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until hot. Do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour into cups, garnish if desired (I used whipped cream), and serve.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 6.7 ounces
Per serving:
Net Carbs (g): 2
wow these are some yummy photos and I love that this is sugar free its looks really good!
Now this is a hot chocolate made just for me! It’s perfect!
Glad it fit the bill!
-Annissa
I’ve tried almost every low carb, keto friendly hot chocolate. This is by far the best! It’s rich, dedicant & indulgent. Delish!
I love this recipe. So satisfying.
By far the best Keto hot cocoa ever ! I have tried others and well lets just say they dont compare .
Great hot chocolate! Not weak but bold. Didn’t have the sugar substitute so used Monk Fruit instead. Trying to quit coffee so using cup of hot chocolate. Love the simple recipe! It’s a winner!
I love that this is sugar free, yet so rich and creamy! I do follow low carb most of the time and can’t wait to make this when the weather cools off!
This hot chocolate sounds very decadent. The addition of cream really must give it a lovely, smooth texture.
I love that you’ve made this Keto friendly — I have a niece who adheres to a Keto diet, so I’ll definitely share this with her.
You really can’t beat a good hot chocolate this time of year 🙂
Annissa,
This hot chocolate is so good!! I used Lakanto and doubled the sugar like you suggested, and this stuff is the best!
Hi haley,
Do you find that you prefer the Lakanto over Pyure? I’ve used it in a few recipes and like it.
-Annissa
I haven’t used Pyure but I definitely prefer Lakanto over Swerve. I also find that I don’t have any stomach issues with Lakanto and with Swerve, it always happens.
That makes sense. Swerve has oligosaccharides which probably act as a prebiotic fiber. It’s great to feed good bacteria, but sometimes it can be a little much for people and needs to be introduced slowly.
Your recipe was excellent! I used heavy cream and it was rich and creamy. I varied from the instructions a bit. I put everything in a mini blender, I added a dash of cinnamon, blended it, poured it into a mug and microwaved it for 2 minutes. It came out perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Thanks for sharing your cool technique!
-Annissa
This was delicious, I used unsweetened cocoa powder, coconut crystals (cane sugar alternative), cream and oat milk. Probably a few more carbs but worth it!
I have made 3 different “keto” Hot Chocolate recipes… so far, i like this one the best. I have also added some cinnamon to it (for hubby). And it also is really good. Very creamy and hits the spot on these cold mornings when you really don’t want another cup of coffee. Thank you for sharing
Joni,
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your feedback! I love the idea of adding cinnamon to it.
Annissa
Love this hot chocolate
I add peppermint to it… so yummy!
Peppermint sounds like a nice addition especially during the holiday season. I definitely will try this recipe and thanks!
First snow of 2019 and this keto friendly hit coco fits the bill. My daughter lives hot chocolate and ask for it often. I’ve tried other recipes and this the the ONLY one she loves.
I’m jealous of your snow, but it was chilly enough here that I had an excuse to make it for myself this morning. Glad it was a hit with your daughter. Kids are the toughest critics, so this means a lot!
-Annissa
I use as chocolate milk when it gets cold in icebox. It’s good
Great idea!
-Annissa
Hello,
What would be the best substitute for the almond milk? I have a peanut/tree nut allergy
Mel,
The unsweetened coconut milk in a carton would work fine for this recipe. I’ve used this before and it adds a nice, coconut note to the flavor.
-Annissa
You can use coconut milk. It’s found in the same refrigerator section as almond milk.
Can you use soy milk instead of almond?
Yes.
I had been craving hot chocolate all day. We are supposed to have freezing temperatures tonight around 0. Again all I could think about was hot chocolate. I am new to keto and wanted to follow without cheating. This recipe is so much better than any hot chocolate you can buy. I am so glad I came across this
Glad it could take the edge off of a chill. Stay warm!
-Annissa
I love love love this recipe! Prior to going to Keto WOE I never had homemade hot chocolate. Now I can’t imagine any other way! I’ve been adding a bit of peppermint extract, so good!! Thank you for the recipe.
Now you have me craving hot chocolate with peppermint. On the way to the kitchen… Yum!
-Annissa
I also added peppermint oil for my husband who loves minty things. Then I blended the hot chocolate – it added another dimension which was great!
I love peppermint and chocolate together. I’m going to have to try that!
-Annissa
Good recipeI used soy milk, but I didn’t like the stevia it tastes fake.
I’m day 3 of Keto (Vegan).
So this is all new.
Put on Keto by Natural Practitioner.
I only had cocoa powder, whole milk and stevia/erythriol blend, and instead of a saucepan I put them in a milk-frothing pitcher and used my espresso machine’s steam wand. It was a foamy, plush delight. I could probably even do without the sweetener, as whole milk develops a natural sweetness when you steam it.
Sound yummy!
-Annissa
I only had cocoa powder, whole milk and stevia/erythritol blend so I used those, then instead of a saucepan I put it all in a milk frothing pitcher and used my espresso machine’s steam wand. It was a foamy, plush delight. I could probably do without the sweetener, as whole milk gets sweet when you steam it.
Don’t get me wrong, I do intend on trying it with the cream and vanilla.
This is so stinkin good! I finally made a bunch of dry ingredients in a jar so I can have it ready. I do a little less hwc and use Califia Farms unsweetened milk. What a fabulous treat for those of us trying to eat less sugar. Thank you for sharing!!❤️
You’re welcome!
Through every word if the description, I was really excited to try this recipe. Then I got to the actual recipe and saw almond milk and was so sad. I can’t use any nut milk, nor do I like soy milk. Coconut milk is kinda ok taste-wise, but generally, I only ever use heavy cream when I make coffee. So far, I’m 0 for 4 on finding a keto hot cocoa I can enjoy. 🙁
Other milks should be okay to use for this recipe.
-Annissa
I was thinking to make up a big batch of dry mix to have on hand, and since I don’t buy milk, I was going to add some powdered non dairy creamer to it so it would be creamy. It’s my go to in a pinch for mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes. Could that work for you?
Haven’t tried this recipe, but I’m just starting Keto and looking forward to trying it. What do you think about adding collagen powder and butter to increase fat intake. Do you think it would work with the hot chocolate. I do not drink hot tea or coffee ever! So I am looking for an alternative to start my day. THANKS!
You could add either of those (or both). Sounds like a great way to start the day! I wish you luck on your keto journey! Keep us posted!
-Annissa
Ooooh yeah! Good idea!! I also added a little Espresso powder. Deeelish!
Yummers! I taste-tested this so much while it was heating I darn near finished it before pouring the remainder into a small cup.
Since this is for 3 servings, can you refrigerate the other two servings and warm them up for the nest two days?
Yes, I think that would be fine. Just warm them up gently.
-ANnissa
Really looking forward to giving this a try, but think you should change the serving size. Who actually ever drinks 7 ounces?? 12 oz. is a standard nowadays (I drink 12 oz of hot tea nightly). It will only up the carbs to 3 or 3-1/2 and will be more like what people are actually consuming. Thanks for your time.
I provide serving sizes not to prevent people from eating more, but because I need to choose an amount to use to calculate. I try to choose a normal serving size. Many china sets have cups that hold 6 to 8 ounces. If you want to drink 12 ounces of hot chocolate, I’m not going to stop you. You will need to alter the calculations.
I just got back from a trip to Italy. The standard cappuccinos and hot chocolates served there were probably less than 5 ounces. Serving sizes in the United States have indeed increased. It appears that the super-sizing trend has been good for the health of this country.
With that said, I also drink hot tea as a 12 ounce serving and have several of these a day. The difference to me is that my jasmine green tea has almost no calories while hot chocolate is much more calorie intensive and therefore more satisfying.
Best wishes with your journey toward health.
-Annissa
Excellent recipe! And speaking of Italy, yes, a standard espresso cup holds 5 oz. Also, for an extra kick/treat, I added a little espresso powder for a delicious mocha! And very few net carbs! A definitie keeper for the winter.
Mmmmm..mocha!
-Annissa
I halved the recipe to make one serving. That just about completelky filled my go to tea cup and only 1.5 net carbs. I myself wouldn’t “waste” 3 – 3.5 net carbs on one cup of hot cocoa myself but anyway you do it, it was. easy enough to figure out. Delicious!
Can it be made with coconut milk instead of almond?
Yes, for sure.
Just like my mom used to make. Ketofied! Thank you!
We had an early soccer game this morning. It was 40 degrees and drizzling. I thought about hot chocolate during the whole game. I cant drink coffee or hot tea due to a severe caffeine sensitivity, so hot chocolate is one of my only options for a good, cozy warm drink. I found this recipe, and I knew I had to make it as soon as we got home. It was very easy to make and it’s DELICIOUS! The kids even loved it. No one knew it had almond milk and a sugar substitute. I put a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top to make it extra creamy. This will be a go-to for this winter. Thank you!
Loved the cinnamon addition idea from above and I subbed whole milk also and was perfect!
I love this recipe! Great recipe as is but I added a little cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg the second time I made it. Love!!! Thank you!
I love cold weather just because it gives me an excuse to make this.
Annissa
Curious, if for the holidays, you think a large batch of this warming in the crockpot would hold up?
Thanks,
Robin
I don’t see why it wouldn’t. You might need to stir it every once in a while. Sounds like a wonderful idea!
-Annissa
This was delicious! It did get lumpy when I was adding the almond milk, but I put in the blender for a few seconds and it ended up as smooth as silk. I will make this often. Thanks for the sharing the recipe!
With this recipe, you need to add the wet ingredients very slowly and stir to make a paste, then a slightly thinner paste, then thin that one out. I suspect the reason lumps formed is that you may have rushed this process a bit. It’s hard not to when it smells so good!
-Annissa
looks yummy & I have an open carton of almond milk, which I was thinking is should toss. now I can use it up, plus who doesn’t like hot chocolate…thanks for creating this recipe
You’re welcome! It’s a great way to use up that extra almond milk!
-Annissa
Thanks for the recipe. I am drinking it now and am thankful for warm chocolate! I used Hershey’s cocoa powder but next time I plan to try dutch cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor.
This is so creamy and rich! It was so good, my family couldn’t even tell it was sugar free.
I made a two serving batch of this yesterday. I drank one serving and it was so satisfying and filling. This morning I turned it into a peppermint mocha by adding it to my coffee and adding some sugar free peppermint syrup. I always used to love peppermint mochas during the holidays and now I can have it again. Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it! I love peppermint and chocolate together as well. I remember stirring my hot chocolate with a peppermint stick when I was little. I love your idea of adding some peppermint syrup to get the same effect without all of the sugar.
-Annissa
Can you put leftovers in the fridge until the next day?
Yes. I would reheat slowly while whisking. If it separates for some reason (I don’t think it will), you can put it in a blender. Be careful it isn’t too hot if you do this as you don’t want to burn yourself if some splashes out.
-Annissa
Very good, but needs some salt added. I added til it tasted right, prolly near 3/4 teaspoon.
Usually I get comments that I add too much salt. Good to know there’s someone out there who likes salt even more than I do!
-Annissa
WOW! My husband asked for hot cocoa, neither of us expected this level of flavor. Thanks a bunch for this sweet, decadent, treat!
You’re welcome!
Annissa
Delicious! Found THE recipe I was looking for. Thanks so much!
This really hit the spot! So rich and creamy-yummm! I used Ghirardelli cocoa powder and swerve for sugar also added a bit of stevia liquid at end (because I have a sweet tooth). Great recipe very satisfying! Thanks!!
Glad you enjoyed it! It makes sense that you needed to add a bit of stevia as Swerve is not as sweet as Pyure blend that I use.
-Annissa
So yummy, rich and creamy.
Spoken like a true chocolate lover!
-Annissa
I don’t use sweeteners but dairy is problem for my hubby. Going to give this delicious sounding hot chocolate a try with coconut cream and the almond milk!
Love! I love that I can drink this all winter long, guilt FREE!
Such a warm and comforting hot chocolate! This week has been the first cooler one of the season and could definitely use this today. Yum!
Hot chocolate is one of my favorite things about winter!
-Annissa
It’s like a yummy dessert. Add a little extra sweetener. Also used my immersion blender just before pouring to make it nice a frothy, then topped with whipped cream. So delicious. It’s chilly outside so this hits all the marks.
Wow! This is actually the best hot chocolate I have ever had! I used coconut milk and almond milk and heavy cream because I only had a little of each. It was delicious.
I used heavy cream, almond milk, and Swerve and this is the best hot cocoa I’ve ever had. What a treat!
I made a double batch and then froze the leftover in silicon molds. Then made it into a frozen hot chocolate by blending it with some almond milk and a tab of sugar free vanilla creamer. Amazing!!!!! Thank you for this recipe!!!
Can I reheat leftovers nicely? It’s only me that will drink it.
To reheat, put it in a saucepan and heat it slowly, whisking frequently.
-Annissa
This was easy and fantastic! I used Silk Heavy Cream and was so smooth
Seriously FANTASTIC hot chocolate!! Possibly better than regular sugar hot cocoa. I used xylitol sweetener and just got Dutch process cocoa, Valrhona Cocoa Powder, (ordered online).
Glad you enjoyed it!
-Annissa
Can I reheat in microwave
Hi Tracie,
I think you will have better luck reheating on the stovetop in a pan while whisking frequently.
-Annisssa
This is SO delicious and perfect for the cold wintery months. Since finding this recipe, I’ve had it every day to break my fast. You would never know that there is no sugar in it.
This is SO delicious! Since finding the recipe, I’ve had it every day and use it to break my fast. You would never know that it doesn’t have sugar in it and even if I weren’t eating keto, I would continue to make this.
Thanks so much! I always love it when people like my keto-friendly versions more than the high-carb versions.
-Annissa
Finally I can drink hot chocolate again without feeling worrying about all that sugar. This is perfect and it taste so good.
This is so creamy and decadent. However i do question the nutrition value. I will continue to make this. Love it
This was lovely! Thank you for posting.
I whisked it all up as it was heating, using my stick blender…it was all frothy on the top!
That’s a great trick!
-Annissa
I tried the dairy free version first as l was making this for myself and a friend who limits dairy and we both loved the hot cocoa! It was SO delicious and l am definitely curious to try thr whipping cream version now too. This was such a treat and l will definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for creating such a lovely keto drink.
As someone who doesn’t drink coffee and doesn’t like their tea altered, this is a wonderful cozy way to get sufficient fat into my day. The recipe does need a minuscule amount of salt to balance the flavors. All the flavorings mentioned so far in everybody’s comments sound very good. However, the cocoa doesn’t always need to be two servings and doesn’t require a pot getting dirty if you are comfortable using a microwave as well as have a small whisk. By halving the recipe and making it in a rather large microwave safe mug, the whisking devolves to four interludes: #1 to mix and de-lump the dry ingredients; #2 once the wet ingredients are added; #3 after some microwaving; then lastly #4 once it is hot enough. The cream to milk proportions cited are the minimum to get a lovely mouth feel, but more cream with less milk is just as easy and can help anyone reach their fat macros. It can be quite helpful at the end of the day. Thanks again – I’m thinking peppermint towards the holidays!
This left us with an awful aftertaste. I followed the recipe to a tee, even adding additional sweetener. I think it was the unsweetened almond milk, and the fact that I don’t think it was chocolaty enough. I will try it again using more heavy cream, less almond milk and more cocoa powder or better, yet melted sigar free chocolate chips.
Made this tonight and omitted the vanilla extract for peppermint, enjoying a nice rainy day, christmas lights and the smell of christmas.
I used Maple Hill organic zero sugar whole milk. I microwaved the milk and cream and then added the dry ingredients. The milk is zero carb for 8 oz and 8 grams of fat. I grated in a little bit of Lily’s salted caramel milk chocolate.
For those who want it creamier I dropped the almond milk to 1 1;2 cups and whipping cream to a full cup. Worked perfectly. Very nice. Thanks.
This sounds great! Can I substitute unflavored collagen powder for some of the powdered milk?
Powdered milk? I don’t have this in the ingredients. I’m not sure what you mean.
-Annissa
This was so amazing…I made this on a snowy day. I added just a little extra vanilla and monkfruit sweetener….even my kids loved this
It’s a snowy Nebraska night and I had the hankering for keto hot cocoa. I just made this and wow! So creamy and chocolate-y and puts that packaged hot cocoa mix to shame! I used monk fruit/erythritol blend for my sweetener and it still came out perfect. This is definitely going in my weekly rotation as a sweet treat! Thank you so much!
Glad it hit the spot!
My son and I began our Keto health plan (can’t stand the word “diet”) about 2 weeks ago. He and I like to think we are chocolate conossieurs. Yours is the first recipe we tried and I’m so glad because I won’t need to search again! Delicious, creamy, and decadent! Hit the spot with no guilt! Thanks!
It’s August, but I love hot chocolate any season! I saw this recipe today and made some for my husband and me. He loves it as well! This one is a keeper.
It’s 2022 and I’m here to say that this is *amazing*! I went out for a walk in freezing weather and needed something to warm my bones and this hit the sweet spot I was craving! I doubled the Lakanto sugar replacement.
How do you steam milk?