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My keto hot chocolate recipe makes for a warm, creamy, rich hot chocolate using 4 simple ingredients. It’s easy to make and only 1 gram of net carbs!
Need more warm keto drinks? Try my keto coffee, bulletproof coffee, or keto pumpkin spiced latte next.
I come from a long line of hot chocolate lovers, and just because I’m watching my carbs does NOT mean I’m willing to sacrifice my favorite hot beverage.
Que, my sugar-free hot chocolate recipe. Made with a shortlist of ingredients, it’s full of warm, soothing hot chocolate flavor, just in a neat little low-carb package.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Simple ingredients. And I’ll bet you have most (if not all) of them on hand right now.
- Cheaper than Starbucks. As someone with a self-proclaimed Starbucks addiction, I can attest to how expensive their hot chocolate can be! Mine comes in at a fraction of the price.
- Perfect hot or cold. A bit of an oxymoron, I know, but you can serve this over ice for an iced hot chocolate instead.
- Fun to customize. Stick with my base recipe for a classic cup of hot chocolate, or add peppermint, hazelnut, or white chocolate (to name a few flavors!).
Ingredients needed
- Cocoa powder. For a mellow cup of hot chocolate, I suggest using Dutch-processed, unsweetened cocoa powder. For a more bittersweet flavor, use dark cocoa powder.
- Granulated sweetener. I used a brown sugar substitute, but granulated allulose or a powdered sugar substitute will also work.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any regular or dairy-free milk will work. For a mocha flavor, you can use my keto chocolate milk.
- Vanilla extract. Gives a lovely vanilla flavor throughout.
- Sugar-free chocolate. Use your favorite low-carb chocolate bar or sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Keto marshmallows. Optional, but what is hot cocoa without marshmallows?!
- Whipped cream. I love adding some fresh keto whipped cream, especially when I’m craving Starbucks!
How to make keto hot chocolate
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Combine ingredients. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cocoa powder, sweetener, milk, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Step 2- Add chocolate. Add the chocolate chips and let it sit for several minutes, then stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
Step 3- Serve. Pour into two mugs and top with marshmallows and whipped cream.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make it even creamier. Swap half of the milk for heavy cream or canned coconut milk.
- Microwave it instead. When time is of the essence, I’ll microwave the ingredients instead. If you do this, use a large bowl and microwave everything in 30-second intervals.
- Choose your sweetener wisely. I tested a few different types, and I would avoid using erythritol or monk fruit sweeteners as they don’t dissolve as smoothly as allulose. If that’s all you have, consider using a liquid sweetener like keto maple syrup or keto simple syrup instead.
Variations
- Peppermint. Add 1-2 drops of peppermint extract.
- Mocha. Add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee or decaf coffee.
- Hazelnut. Add 1-2 drops of hazelnut extract.
- Salted Caramel. Drizzle sugar-free caramel syrup into the hot chocolate and add a pinch of salt to the hot chocolate mixture.
- White chocolate. Swap the chocolate chips for 1-2 tablespoons sugar-free white chocolate.
Storage instructions
To store: Hot chocolate is best enjoyed fresh, but if you make a bigger batch, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days.
To reheat: Microwave in 30-second intervals or reheat in a saucepan over the stove. Once hot, add the marshmallows and whipped cream.
Frequently asked questions
Unsweetened cocoa powder and cacao powder are keto-friendly, provided they have no added sugar. A two-tablespoon serving yields just 2 grams of net carbs.
A typical medium-sized hot chocolate can easily contain up to 40 grams of carbs per serving. This keto hot chocolate recipe yields just 1 gram of net carbs.
Technically, yes, hot water can be used instead of milk, though I think the texture will be quite lacking. If you don’t have milk, consider trying my sugar-free hot chocolate mix instead.
More of my favorite keto-friendly drinks
Keto Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar substitute monk fruit sweetener or erythritol
- 2 cups milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon keto chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup keto whipped cream
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add your cocoa powder, sweetener, milk of choice, and vanilla extract. Place it over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Once it begins to boil, remove it from the heat.
- Add the chocolate chips and let sit for several minutes, before whisking together.
- Pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 2022, updated and republished September 2024
I cannot believe keto foods can be so much full of chocolate and sweetness!
Very yummy!! I didn’t have heavy cream or the marshmallows but was still delicious. I did add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor even more…. chefs kiss.
Thank you!
This is so good! I never thought keto hot chocolate would be so yummy! Must try!!
This was the best low carb hot chocolate recipe I’ve ever made!
So good! I used unsweetened almond milk and heavy whipping cream. And Instead of chocolate chips I used a square of 85% dark chocolate. Delicious!
This his honestly the BEST THING EVER!! I am new to Keto and this got me through my first two weeks! THIS TASTES SO GOOD I might drink it when I’m off keto! WOOO! Thank you!!
Just made this. Amended the following way…. Used 1 and 1/3 cup Almond Milk and 2/3 cup heavy cream. Used Lily’s Salted Caramel chips and a drizzle of Walden Farms Caramel syrup. This is HEAVEN!!
Cozy, comforting, and doesn’t taste low carb at all!
This was sooooo delicious. I followed the recipe almost exactly didn’t need the whip cream. Best thing I’ve had in a long time that isn’t riddled in sugar. I’ve already shared the recipe!
Question- In the article you suggest using allouse instead of monk fruit or erythritol but the actual recipe calls to use one of them?
Is the article accurate or is the recipe as written better?
It is allulose 🙂
Looks good! Do I have to whisk/stir the mixture constantly while heating in the saucepan, or can I just leave it be?
You can leave it be 🙂