Low Carb Dairy Free Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate
There is comfort in wrapping your hands around a warm hot chocolate when temperatures get chilly, so thankfully it’s easy with my Low Carb Dairy-free Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate recipe.
It is the perfect recipe you will turn to each winter, especially during the holiday season!
All you need is a small saucepan with a few ingredients and you can skip Starbucks coffee drive thru for your hot chocolate beverages and stay cozy at home without all the sugar and expense!
Keep reading as I walk you through creating your own homemade low carb hot chocolate, give tips, substitutions and ideas for customizations plus answer frequently asked questions.
Why You’ll Love This Delicious Hot Chocolate Recipe Over Hot Cocoa Mixes
- It’s Low Carb & Keto-Friendly: Say goodbye to sugar crashes when you sweeten your hot cocoa with monk fruit or allulose.
- Dairy-Free & Vegan: Perfect for those avoiding dairy products or animal products. You can customize what type of dairy-free milk you want for the best vegan hot chocolate. Seed milks work for anyone who needs to drink dairy-free and nut-free.
- Customizable: Adjust the sweetness, how chocolatey you want it, and what brand of dairy-free options you prefer. Add in some extra flavor with your favorite extracts and syrups you have on hand!
- Starbucks at Home: Enjoy a coffee shop experience without leaving your kitchen—or breaking your budget! You will be able to make quite a few cups of homemade cocoa when you have the ingredients versus the price tag on one from the coffee shop.
Ingredients You’ll Need for your Low Carb Hot Chocolate
- Unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk (for a creamier texture, use canned coconut milk)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (high-quality brands like Ghirardelli work best)
- Monk fruit sweetener (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- Vanilla extract or Vanilla Powder
- Sugar free chocolate chips
Equipment You’ll Need
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or milk frother
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Serving mug
In a small saucepan, combine your almond milk or coconut milk. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s warm but not boiling.
It will start to make a sound as it heats up and begin to put off a little steam at the surface.
Make sure you keep the heat low, so the milk doesn’t scorch keeping the texture smooth.
Slowly whisk in the cocoa powder and monk fruit sweetener until the cocoa is fully dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and velvety.
It will take a little time to wet all of the cocoa powder but keep whisking and it will come together.
Once it comes to a simmer, remove from the heat and add vanilla extract and sugar free chocolate chips if you are using.
Pour the hot chocolate into a mug then top with dairy-free whipped cream.
For that signature Starbucks froth, use a milk frother or whisk the hot chocolate vigorously until it is slightly foamy.
I froth up some non-dairy creamer from Nut Pods and use this as my top.
If you want to get extra fancy, check out my tutorial on how to make an Easy Homemade Cappuccino Recipe Without a Machine.
For extra creaminess use full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream.
Try oat milk or soy milk (if you’re not strictly keto).
Store leftover hot chocolate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating, use low heat on the stovetop, whisking frequently to prevent separation or curdling.
Sometimes non-dairy milk will do this if the temperature is too hot.
You can also pour cooled hot chocolate into an ice cube tray and freeze. Blend the frozen cubes with warm milk for a quick hot chocolate fix or use them to cool down a freshly made hot chocolate.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 52 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4.2g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 0.7g | 4% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 181mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4.9g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.8g | 10% |
| Total Sugars 0.1g | |
| Protein 2.1g | |
| Vitamin D 1mcg | 7% |
| Calcium 307mg | 24% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 272mg | 6% |
Tips, Substitutions and FAQs
- For extra creaminess use full-fat canned coconut milk, cashew milk, or if you are not strictly keto try oat milk or soy milk.
- Next time add some warm spices like a pinch of cinnamon for a snickerdoodle hot chocolate, a splash of peppermint extract for a peppermint mocha, or a hint of orange zest or ginger for a festive holiday beverage.
- Stir in a little bit of your favorite dairy-free syrups like hazelnut syrup, caramel syrup, peppermint syrup, toffee nut syrup, or pumpkin spice syrup to name a few. One tablespoon equals one pump at your local Starbucks or any local coffee chain location. Even the little small business coffee shops use a universal pump to make their unique drinks.
- Try these toppings on your cup of hot chocolate: Dairy-free whipped cream, Shaved sugar-free chocolate or cocoa powder dusting. Cinnamon or nutmeg sprinkle for spice.
- Swap monk fruit sweetener for erythritol, stevia, or allulose, based on your preference. Going with some keto brown sugar would also work, giving it a richer flavor like a salted caramel hot chocolate.
- Substitute cocoa butter for some of the chocolate chips asked for to give it a toasted white chocolate mocha type flavor. Don’t forget to give it a mocha drizzle with some of my Keto Chocolate Syrup.
- Depending on the time of year, you can turn your hot chocolate into a cold brew when you let the mixture cool, pour over ice and top with some cold foam. This is excellent with a drizzle of some of my Keto Caramel Sauce.
- If you want to use cow’s milk, or any regular milk it will also work. I usually make this version with milk ingredients for my children as they are not needing dairy free.
Can I make this in advance? Yes! Prepare the base and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Can I use sugar-free chocolate syrup instead of cocoa powder? Yes, you can! Sugar-free chocolate syrup can be used as a substitute for cocoa powder if you prefer a smoother texture or if you’re looking for convenience. Keep it sugar free when you make my Homemade Low Carb Gluten Free Chocolate Syrup and use it instead of the cocoa like a mocha sauce. Adjust the amount of monk fruit sweetener to taste, as the syrup is already sweetened.
What’s the difference between almond milk and coconut milk? Almond milk is lighter and lower in calories, while coconut milk offers a richer, creamier texture—perfect for replicating the Starbucks experience without any dairy.
How do I make it extra frothy? Using a milk frother or an immersion blender will create a frothy texture similar to what you’d get in a coffee shop. Take a little extra plant-based milk of your choice and froth it before topping your hot chocolate. This gives it a “whipped cream” like topping without needing the cream.
Is there a way to increase the protein without adding whey and keeping it dairy free? Yes! You can whisk in one scoop of my favorite protein powder that is sugar free, keto, high protein, clean ingredients from Equip Foods called Prime Protein. All of the flavors are amazing and can add different flavors to your hot chocolate.
Low Carb Dairy Free Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups Unsweetened almond milk Vanilla or plain
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup monkfruit sweetener/or erithrytol any granulated sweetener works here
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Sugar free chocolate chips Optional
Instructions
- Whisk unsweetened almond milk, cocoa plus monk fruit in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a simmer while whisking. Add vanilla and sugar free chocolate chips if using and whisk until chocolate chips have dissolved. About 3 minutes. Serve topped with sugar free whipped cream or frothed unsweetened almond milk.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 52 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4.2g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 0.7g | 4% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 181mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4.9g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.8g | 10% |
| Total Sugars 0.1g | |
| Protein 2.1g | |
| Vitamin D 1mcg | 7% |
| Calcium 307mg | 24% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 272mg | 6% |
Nutrition
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Check out these other Copycat Starbucks Drinks Recipes!
Easy Low Carb Starbucks Copycat Vanilla Syrup Recipe
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