It is finally cooling down here in the desert which means we can finally start busting out our “winter” clothing and decor for the holidays. I love it when we finally get to catch up with the rest of the country and can start sipping our hot chocolate while snuggled on the couch in our Christmas jammies.
Speaking of hot chocolate, I pride myself on being a connoisseur of the best hot chocolates the world can offer. No, seriously. I don’t drink coffee, so I try hot chocolates and hot cocoa variants everywhere we go.
Though I love a nifty new spin, I’m a sucker for the creamy hot chocolate of my childhood. The nostalgia of making it and now getting to share it with my boys is unbeatable.
New Creamy Ingredient Option
The ingredients for hot chocolate are typically all the same, however, it’s the amount of each ingredient that really determines the taste! One of the key ingredients for hot chocolate is your milk base. I’ve traditionally always used cow’s milk as that’s all I knew growing up but as an adult, I tend to prefer dairy free options.
Planet Oat
One of the ‘newer’ dairy free options on the market is a new plant-based option from Planet Oat. Planet Oat brings you a full-bodied dairy-free option to any meal. Planet Oat’s oatmilk is also nut-free, soy-free, and gluten-free which is perfect for those with allergies who can’t consume cow’s milk.
Also, to bust some myths about this plant-based milk, Planet Oat oatmilk contains 2-3 grams of fiber and protein as well as 350 milligrams of calcium per serving. Planet Oat also fortifies their milk with vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, riboflavin, and calcium. They are also Non-GMO Project Verified with no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors.
If you haven’t seen Planet Oat where you typically shop, you can find it in 52oz cartons for $3.99 at Kroger, Shaw’s, and Amazon Fresh. You can also use the product locator to find it in a store near you!
Creamy Hot Chocolate Recipe
Due to Planet Oat having four varieties — Original, Extra Creamy, Vanilla, and Dark Chocolate, it is so fun to dress up or down your hot chocolate to create a variety of flavors. Feel free to interchange the milk varieties within my recipe to put a fun spin on this cream hot chocolate for Christmas.
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 cup chocolate chips (I prefer semi-sweet morsels)
1⁄3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups Planet Oat Milk – any variety!
1 can of whipped cream or marshmallows
sprinkles
Directions
1. Mix water, cocoa, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan, then bring to a boil. (This is easier to mix if you use warm water)
2. After boiling for 1 minute, add in your milk and chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate chips have melted fully and the temperature of the mixture is at your preference.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. Pour into mugs and add whipped cream to the top with a few sprinkles and you have a creamy hot chocolate for Christmas!
I’m going to make this tonight, its cold and gloomy here! Thanks for this recipe!!
I love the idea of enjoying creamy hot chocolate! I know that my kids love hot chocolate, so I’m going to give this a try on New YEar’s eve.
My granddaughter has decided this year that she loves hot chocolate. I think it’s delicious too, so that’s something we get to do together. 🙂
I used to drink hot chocolate during the winter as a kid. I haven’t tried oat milk yet.
This creamy hot chocolate looks absolutely divine and I’m drooling over it right now. I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season and wishing you a great 2020!