This easy sugar free hot chocolate mix makes ultra rich, decadent keto hot chocolate. It takes five basic ingredients and about 2 minutes of your time to make. And check out all the delicious flavor variations!
I can’t tell you how much money I’ve wasted on keto-friendly or sugar free hot chocolate mix. I keep hoping they will be as delicious as my own homemade keto hot chocolate.
But they never are. They’re either far too sweet, or not sweet enough, or they have unnecessary additives and ingredients.
And they are usually ridiculously expensive too. I’m over it. From here on in, I am sticking with my homemade keto hot chocolate mix. It’s easy, it’s delicious, and I can make it exactly the way I want it!
It also makes a great gift for keto friends and family.
Why make your own hot chocolate mix
Stop wasting your money on the store-bought stuff, my friends. Your own homemade version is infinitely better! And you can adjust it and customize it to your tastes.
The sugar-free hot chocolate mix you see in most grocery stores is full of junk, so don’t even go there. It’s often sweetened with aspertame or sucralose, and has fillers like cornstarch to make it thicker.
The keto hot chocolate mixes you see on Amazon and the like are better options, but they often miss the mark in flavor. Many of them are unpalatably sweet or just have an odd taste.
And they can have some suspect ingredients and fillers too. The very popular Lakanto brand contains brown rice, of all things!
Homemade keto hot chocolate mix is not only easy, but allows you to control for the ingredients, the sweetness level, and the nutrition. I will never purchase a pre-made mix again.
Developing this recipe
I’ve been making my own sugar free hot chocolate pretty much from the moment I went low carb. Usually I just do it ad hoc, when I am in the mood for a cup of cocoa.
But a ready made mix makes life easy, especially when you’re on the go. So I set about testing out perfect best ratios of ingredients.
I wanted to make a mix that could just be combined with hot water, so I tested out both heavy cream powder and coconut milk powder. But it just didn’t live up to my exacting standards.
It wasn’t creamy enough and it had an unpleasant flavor. My daughter likened it to the cheesy powder you can put on popcorn! It also added too many carbs and was too expensive for my liking.
So I went back to basics and created a sugar free hot chocolate mix that can be stirred into any preferred milk or milk/cream combination. Then I tested out a number of flavor variations like mint, mocha, salted caramel, and Mexican chocolate!
Ingredients
- Keto sweetener – Whether you prefer Swerve, allulose, or BochaSweet, you can use your preferred sweetener in this recipe.
- Cocoa powder – I recommend a good Dutched cocoa powder for the best flavor. Raw cacao powder won’t dissolve as easily.
- Unsweetened chocolate – This is what makes it true hot chocolate, rather than just hot cocoa! It intensifies the chocolate flavor and makes it more thick and rich.
- Collagen – This is optional but it produces a truly rich and frothy keto hot chocolate. If you choose to skip it, I recommend adding ½ teaspoon glucomannan for a thicker drink.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla always helps bring out the best in chocolate recipes.
- Salt – Just a little salt brings out the flavor in sweet recipes.
How to make keto sugar free hot chocolate mix
So simple and easy! Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Use your preferred sweetener: The best part about this recipe is that you can use what you like! Just use something that will dissolve easily when mixed with a hot liquid. I use powdered Swerve but allulose and BochaSweet both work well.
- Adjust the sweetener to taste: We all have different tolerance for sweetness and we experience keto sweeteners very differently. If you aren’t sure how sweet you want it, use less and add more if necessary, after you try it out in a hot chocolate drink.
- Combine in a food processor: Using a food processor helps combine the ingredients really well, and it breaks the chocolate into tiny pieces that dissolve more easily. And yes, you can add the liquid vanilla extract right in there too. The food processor method distributes the vanilla throughout the mix.
- Stir into hot milk: Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of mix per 10 to 12 ounces of hot liquid. My favourite way to make keto hot chocolate is with 8 to 10 ounces of unsweetened hemp milk and about 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of heavy cream.
Variations
Really, the flavour possibilities for this sugar-free hot chocolate mix are virtually endless. A few things I tested out:
Peppermint hot chocolate mix
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract along with the vanilla and other ingredients. How much depends on how strong your extract is. I found that about 1 ½ teaspoons was right for me, and I use Frontier peppermint extract.
Mocha hot chocolate mix
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of espresso powder in with the other ingredients. Or if you can’t find that, use 3 or 4 Starbucks via packs.
Salted caramel hot chocolate mix
Use salted caramel collagen in place of the plain collagen, and add 1 teaspoon caramel extract along with the other ingredients. You may want to cut down on the sweetener, as flavoured collagen usually has added sweeteners.
Top with my keto caramel sauce, if desired.
Mexican hot chocolate mix
Add 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne along with the other ingredients.
How to store homemade keto hot chocolate mix
Place the prepared mix in an airtight container with a lid, such as a glass jar or tupperware. The mix will last up to 3 months.
You can also freeze the mix for up to 6 months.
Keto Hot Chocolate Mix
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup grassfed collagen (optional)
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Hot Chocolate Mix
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process on high until well combined.
To make hot chocolate
- Heat 10 to 12 ounces of your favorite keto-friendly milk (I like 10 ounces hemp milk with 1 ounce heavy cream… divine!). Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of mix until well dissolved.
Karli says
Hi.. this looks amazing!
To clarify – if substituting xanthan gum, would that 1/2 teaspoon be per serving (added as mixing), or for the entire recipe? Not sure if 1/3 cup of collagen is similar to 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
Thanks!
Carolyn says
1/2 to 1 tsp per full recipe. Xanthan gum has a TON more thickening powder than collagen. Plus it can make things slimy… so…
Nicole says
Can’t wait to try this! Can i use xanthan gum instead of the collagen? And would it be the same amount? Thanks for all the great recipes.
Carolyn says
Yes, I would use about 1/2 tsp in the dry mix.
Kathy says
What brand hemp milk do you use?
Carolyn says
Pacific Foods – the unsweetened vanilla. I didn’t even know there were other brands! 🙂
AmyJo says
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for another GREAT recipe! I made this last night and may have had 2 cups of hot cocoa 🙂 I have really missed hot cocoa since starting keto a year ago. I have tried multiple recipes without enjoying the flavor, and most of the options to buy have ingredients I don’t want to use. I am so happy to have this recipe!
Carolyn says
I am so glad!
Angela says
This mix is simple and delicious! I wanted a mix that could travel well, so I added 1 1/4 cup powdered coconut milk to the mix. It worked out great. Next time I might add a bit more to eliminate the need to added milk or cream.
Katie says
Could you add powdered coconut milk (sugar fee) and then add hot water instead of milk? How much would you add to the mix do you think? I have powdered coconut milk and was trying to find a good cocoa mix recipe to use it with.
Carolyn says
Did you read the blog post? I address this already. 🙂
Jena says
So yummy, made it with Hershey’s extra dark cocoa! ????
Graciela says
Since the sweetener will be blended. Do you think I can use granulated monk fruit? Or do you think it’s best to stay with powder sweetener? Thank you.
Carolyn says
If it’s “monk fruit sweetener”, it’s usually blended with erythritol (real monk fruit is a highly concentrated extract). Which means it won’t dissolve quite as well and powdered would be preferable.
Graciela says
Great to know. I can’t wait to make this and enjoy some hot chocolate along with my boys. Thank you!
Jeanette Agnew says
Made this today subbed 1/2 tsp of psyllium husk fiber for collagen since I did not have any smells delish will try tomorrow
Eleen says
You are a true genius recipe developer and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making keto so delicious!!!
Julie says
I have tried several keto hot chocolate recipes. This is my favorite one! Love it!
Carolyn says
Yay!!!
Lisa says
I hear ya on the ridiculously expensive and low quality ingredients in so called keto mixes, whether it’s hot chocolate mix, cookie, muffins or whatever. I try something, after diligently checking labels, only to discover there must be a hidden foe that jacks up my glucose, as a Diabetic that’s a big issue. There are a lot of companies on the keto band wagon that just do not deliver, whether it’s taste, ingredient quality, or dubious sweeteners that are not at all Diabetic friendly. I love your mix better than mine, never thought of collagen, which makes a distinct difference in my opinion. Your amazing recipes and dedicated research has never let me down, thank you!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Lisa!
Helen Lemon says
Which type of chocolate is best? Bakers Unsweetened, Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate chips or Lindt extra dark chocolate? This sounds yummy- can’t wait to try!
Susan says
Thank you for this recipe. I love hot chocolate, but have not been willing to try commercial mixes. I’ve put baking chocolate on my grocery list for when I go shopping tomorrow, and am really looking forward to trying the basic version.
Linda says
Thank you! My son has been making hot chocolate often lately, which makes me crave it. I can mix this up and have a nice cup of keto chocolate right with him. And mine will be better because I use better ingredients than the mix he buys at the grocery store.
Jane says
So good! I love as hot chocolate as as a way to turn my cup of coffee into a mocha by adding a taplespoon.
Janice says
I’m so glad you said that! I’ve been missing my mochas! Now I’m definitely going to give it a try!
Susan DeVoy says
You put the vanilla in the container? Doesn’t it make that section where it’s at wet? One other question, can I use water instead of any milk? Never cared for thick hot chocolate.
Carolyn says
No, you don’t put it in the container. You blend it in with the other ingredients in the food processor. Please read the blog post, as I address all of that! 🙂
LIRAZ says
can i use xanthan gum instead of the collagen?
thank you so much for all youers great recipe including the new wounderful new ebook that i have purches the dairy free dessert ebook
thank you so much
LIRAZ says
HI!
CAN I MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN MY VITAMIX BLENDER?
I CANT WAIT MAKING THIS RECIPE
Carolyn says
Yes, if it’s a good one that can chop up the unsweetened chocolate into tiny pieces!
Valerie says
I made it in my Vitamix-I do not own a food processor. It came out great!
Kay M. says
Thank you for the glucomannan suggestion. So many keto recipes include collagen, and one is to not ingest collagen with a cancer diagnosis. I plan to make it for the winter.
Erika Sue Lockwood says
First thank you for all your help and recipes ♥️
My question is where I live, south Georgia, I can’t find heavy cream anymore.. heavy whipping cream is everywhere. What’s the difference and what can I substitute.
Thank you ????
Carolyn says
Whipping cream and heavy cream are *almost* the same thing… there a slightly higher milk fat percentage for heavy cream but it makes no difference to most recipes.