Keto drinking chocolate is a delicious sugar free hot chocolate recipe that’s thicker and more rich than standard hot chocolate. It’s almost like drinking warm low carb chocolate pudding! A true treat for keto chocolate lovers.
An updated version of my delicious keto drinking chocolate, now with even fewer carbs but the same rich chocolate flavor!
I first created this recipe in honour of a blogger friend, Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate, and More. She died of a sudden heart attack, and it was a great loss to the food blogging community. Many of us banded together and created delicious chocolate recipes in her memory.
And this insanely rich and creamy keto hot chocolate recipe was my contribution to the cause. Joan was not keto or low carb, but I know she would have loved it.
What is drinking chocolate?
Many of us refer to any hot drink with chocolatey flavor as “hot chocolate”. Some, including my husband, call it hot cocoa, but I’ve always called it hot chocolate. Doesn’t matter if it it’s made with real chocolate or with cocoa powder.
Because the reality is that cocoa IS chocolate. If I make a keto chocolate cake and I only use cocoa powder, do I now call it cocoa cake? If I make delicious chewy keto brownies with cocoa powder only, do I call them cocoa brownies?
I sure don’t, do you?
So I will always call my hot drinks made with cocoa powder hot chocolate and I know I am not alone.
But drinking chocolate is truly chocolate with a capital C. It really is like taking a large piece of chocolate and liquifying it, and then sipping at it. And let me tell you, that’s not a bad thing. Not bad at all!
A keto friendly sipping chocolate recipe
My first version of this recipe was amazing but it was a bit high carb for my taste, clocking in at almost 10g total carbs. Almost half of that was fiber, but I still felt it wasn’t truly keto friendly.
It was also very high in calories, coming in close to 500, and was over-the-top rich. I am a diehard chocoholic but I couldn’t finish a single serving. It was just too much.
So I decided to take another crack at the recipe and lighten it up, while still keeping that velvety richness. Fewer calories, fewer carbs, less fat, while keeping the creaminess and the deep chocolate flavor.
Yep, I did it!
How to make Keto Drinking Chocolate
So what did I change? Well, less heavy cream and more non-dairy milk, a little less unsweetened chocolate, and some collagen to help thicken the mixture. And then I divided the recipe into three servings. Not, my friend, to cheat you out of anything but to be much more realistic about how much of this rich hot drink one can easily consume. Because it really is more like dessert than typical hot chocolate.
A few tips for getting the best drinking chocolate experience:
Use unsweetened chocolate: This is not the same as sugar-free or no-sugar-added. This is a recipe designed around completely UNSWEETENED chocolate so that you can add more sweetener to taste. If you use pre-sweetened chocolate, your mixture may be too thin and will likely be higher in carbs.
Chop your chocolate finely: This allows it to melt more quickly and evenly when added to the hot cream mixture.
Use a powdered or liquid sweetener: Any granular sweetener will leave a gritty feel to the keto drinking chocolate. I like to use powdered Swerve here as it also helps thicken the mixture.
Use collagen peptides, not gelatin! Don’t mix these things up or you may end up with a chocolate Jello rather than a proper drinking chocolate. If you really don’t want to use collagen, that’s fine but your drinking chocolate will be on the thinner side. You can simmer it longer if you want to try to thicken it up more. I like to use the Perfect Keto unflavoured collagen.
Add a touch of spice for flavor: I really like a bit of cinnamon or cardamom.
Bring back to a simmer: Waiting for the chocolate to melt in the hot cream means it will cool down quite a bit. Bringing it back to a simmer not only re-heats the mixture but thickens it as well.
Ready to make some deliciously rich keto drinking chocolate?
More keto hot drinks to try
- Keto Gingerbread Latte
- Keto Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
- Keto White Chocolate Mocha
- Keto Apple Cider
- Keto London Fog Latte
- Keto Hot Buttered Rum
Keto Drinking Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- ⅓ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tablespoon collagen peptides, unflavored
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ginger, or cardamom (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the almond milk and whipping cream. Bring to a simmer and then remove from heat.
- Add the chopped chocolate and let sit a few minutes to melt. Whisk in the sweetener, collagen, vanilla extract, and spice, if using, until smooth.
- Return the pan to heat and bring back to a simmer to warm and thicken. Divide among 3 small demitasse cups and top with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Yvonne says
Hi Carolyn,
May I ask if collagen peptides is required for Keto Drinking Chocolate?
Else, what is another alternative that I could swap it with?
Thanks,
Yvonne
Linda says
I’m not really a chocolate person-don’t hate it, don’t love it. But today I just wanted to drink something warm so I made this drink. Wow! It is intensely chocolate. I had to add a lot of coconut milk to kind of dilute the chocolateness. I didn’t measure how much I added but it seemed like a full cup. That made it enjoyable for me. If you really like chocolate then this is the drink for you. I may make it again but will know in advance that I’ll have to add more milk.
Tracy Mascolo says
I just made it and I am drinking it now! It’s so delicious, rich, comforting, and I’m loving it! Easy to make too!
Beth Baker says
Just because I’m curious.. have you tried to use cocoa powder to make Keto hot chocolate? Thank you!!
Carolyn says
Got a dry mix coming!
Kay says
Carolyn,
I avoid collagen, as I read that one should avoid collagen if one has cancer. Is there anything else that I can substitute for the collagen in this recipe? I had incredible drinking chocolate at a little Mexican place in Santa Fe. I was SO EXCITED to see this recipe, until I saw the collagen. Hoping you have a suggestion………….
Carolyn says
Try adding 1/8 tsp of glucomannan to help thicken it.
Becky says
Wow is this stuff ever strong….wicked strong….I’m a dark chocolate lover and it’s even way strong for me. Will add some more almond milk and sweetener tomorrow, and hope to save it. Maybe it was the chocolate?
Amber says
Could you premake this recipe and then reheat before consuming?
Astrid says
What are the cookies pictured along with the chocolate?
Astrid says
Never mind, I just found the answer in the comments.
Kendall says
What does the collagen do? Can I use something else?
Carolyn says
It thickens it. No good replacements… skip it if you must but it will be thinner.
Elisa s says
Can you use xantham gum vs collagenv
Carolyn says
I am sorry, I don’t think it’s a very good replacement… it will make your chocolate rather slimy.
Allyson Zea says
I can’t believe how rich and delicious this was!
Matt Taylor says
mmm I love hot chocolate. This is such an amazing keto version. Thanks! 🙂
wilhelmina says
Wow! This is incredible! It’s so rich and decadent and I love the mix oc chocolate with the chai spices. So delish!
Jody says
Can this be kept in the refrigerator? Was thinking it would be good in the morning added to my coffee as a mocha
Carolyn says
Sure! It gets pretty thick, though… needs to be rewarmed (or added to coffee and stirred in to thin it out).
violet says
Hi Carolyn,
Not sure what I did wrong here, but my drinking chocolate was excessively sweet. I couldn’t drink it. I only added 1/3rd the cup of swerve and used this unsweetened chocolate: https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/bakers-100-pure-unsweetened-chocolate-baking-bar/6000153706425. All the other measurements were accurate too.
Could I add some more heavy cream to it and simmer again until it’s of the right level of sweetness for me? And maybe add a bit more unsweetened chocolate.
Any ideas? Maybe next time I should get down the sweetener to 1/4th cup.
Carolyn says
That chocolate should be fine but if you’re finding it too sweet, you can definitely thin it out with cream. It may be that Swerve tastes too sweet to you … we all experience these sweeteners a little differently.
Bonnie says
Is there a recipe for the little cookies, too?
Carolyn says
No, because they are from HighKey. I highly recommend! https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1673978&u=861868&m=92692&urllink=&afftrack=0