Raspberry Hot Chocolate (Rich & Creamy)

Warm up with a mug of Raspberry Hot Chocolate, made from scratch with 100% real food ingredients.

This raspberry hot chocolate recipe isn’t quite as quick as mixing a packet of hot cocoa powder with hot water, but it’s a labor of love.

In the end, you’ll have an incredibly creamy, velvety hot chocolate with notes of sweet-tart raspberry in every sip. No artificial flavors or sweeteners are needed!

This homemade hot chocolate is an absolutely divine blend of creamy cow’s milk or any dairy-free substitution, pure cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate, pureed raspberries, and just enough maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to tie it all together.

All of that said, something truly magical happens when juicy raspberries and decadent dark chocolate join forces, and this raspberry hot chocolate captures that magic perfectly. One sip and I’m confident you’ll never return to the store-bought stuff!

The truth is, I have a huge food crush on anything involving chocolate and raspberries, so this is a chocolate raspberry recipe among many.

You MUST check out my Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding, Chocolate Ice Cream, and Chocolate Waffles with Raspberry Sauce while you’re here.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If the mouthwatering photos weren’t enough, here are SIX more reasons to skip the box of hot cocoa mix and make raspberry hot chocolate from scratch:

• It’s rich, creamy, and comforting – the perfect cozy hot drink to warm you up on a cold winter evening.
• This hot cocoa recipe is made with real food ingredients, naturally sweetened, and can be made with or without dairy and sugar.
• It’s very easy to make with fridge and pantry staples you may already have in your kitchen.
• This recipe makes one serving, but it’s just as easy to make a bigger batch for a crowd.
• It’s nutritious and delicious!
• This hot chocolate drink makes a perfect special treat for Christmas and Valentine’s day.

Ingredient Notes

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients:

• Milk – You can make this delicious drink with standard cow’s milk or any non-dairy alternative. Almond, coconut, macadamia, oat, rice, and soy milk are excellent options – although I find cashew milk makes the creamiest vegan hot chocolate.
• Raspberries – You can use fresh raspberries or frozen and thawed raspberries.
• Cocoa powder – Use good quality cacao, cocoa, or dutch process cocoa powder.
• Dark chocolate – I like using 70% dark chocolate, but feel free to use a bar of even darker chocolate. Most importantly, use a good-quality chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips as they contain stabilizing ingredients and do not melt as nicely in hot chocolate as chocolate bars.
• Vanilla – A touch of vanilla elevates the rich, creamy flavors.
• Pinch of salt – A pinch of salt helps round and improve flavor.
• Maple syrup – I suggest it as a sweetener because it adds a caramel-vanilla-ish element. But remember that you may not need to add any sweetener if your raspberries are super sweet.

How to Make Raspberry Hot Chocolate

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Heat the milk: Heat your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. If using non-dairy milk, bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly thickened (about 10 minutes). Turn off the heat. Letting the non-dairy milk gently simmer makes it thicker, resulting in a much creamier cup of cocoa. If using regular cow’s milk, turn off the heat as soon as the milk reaches a simmer.
2. Dilute the cocoa powder: While the milk simmers, mix the cocoa powder and a generous splash of milk in a small bowl, making a smooth paste.
3. Puree the raspberries: Blend the raspberries in a food processor or blender until smooth. To remove the raspberry seeds, strain the puree in a fine mesh sieve, using a rubber spatula to help push it through.
4. Put it all together and heat: Add the raspberry puree, cocoa paste, salt, dark chocolate, and vanilla extract to the saucepan of warm milk. Whisk well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and sweeten to taste. Finally, pour your homemade raspberry hot cocoa into a mug and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Do not let the milk heat past a low boil. When milk is heated past a certain point, it tends to boil over and lose valuable nutrients. This applies to dairy and non-dairy milk.

Do not leave the stovetop unattended. If the milk starts foaming, remove it from the heat while whisking to stop it from bubbling over the sides of the pot.

You must mix the cocoa powder with milk to make a paste. If you add the cocoa powder directly to the milk, it will rise to the surface, but when mixed into a paste, it blends with hot milk like a dream.

Make EVEN creamier hot cocoa by adding a tablespoon or two of whipped topping or thickened coconut cream.

Variations

This hot chocolate recipe is the perfect canvas for these customizations:

• Switch up the berry – Raspberry isn’t the only flavor that tastes amazing in hot chocolate. Blueberry, blackberry, and strawberries are also delicious.
• Switch up the sweetener – Swap maple syrup with agave nectar, coconut syrup, molasses, or date syrup for a different sugary-sweet flavor.
• Toppings – Topping hot chocolate with a dreamy swirl of regular or vegan whipped topping or whipped coconut cream and a small handful of marshmallows is always a good idea!

Storing & Freezing

Storing: If you have any leftover hot chocolate, let the mixture cool to room temperature, and keep it refrigerated for 2-3 days. You can reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat or pop it into the microwave.

Freezing: You can also freeze hot chocolate leftovers, then blend them in a high-speed blender to make instant frozen hot chocolate!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this with frozen raspberries?

You can, but you’ll want to thaw the berries first on the counter or under cool running water if you’re short on time. When you puree frozen raspberries, they tend to clump into a frozen ball, making the straining step much more difficult.

How do I make this hot cocoa for a crowd?

This recipe is for one, so making it for more people is pretty easy math -just multiply each ingredient amount by the number of servings you need, and follow the instructions as written -using a much larger pot, of course!

You can then assemble a hot cocoa bar with mugs and toppings on the side for the party go-ers to help themselves to -and perhaps Chambord raspberry liqueur, Bailey’s Irish creme, and chocolate vodka as add-in options. Cheers!

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

If you are making raspberry hot chocolate for a crowd, using your slow cooker is a great idea! To do so, heat the milk on HIGH until it’s heated through and thickened to your liking. Then, whisk in the cocoa paste, pureed raspberries, and the remaining ingredients. Continue whisking until smooth, then switch the cooker to KEEP WARM.

More Healthy Drinks for the Holidays:

• Hot Apple Cider
• German Mulled Wine
• Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
• Christmas Punch
• Spiced Cranberry Punch

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

This raspberry hot chocolate recipe is very easy to make. This winter drink is so rich, creamy, and comforting that you won't believe it's healthy. You can use regular whole milk or make it vegan with non-dairy milk. Made with cocoa powder and high-quality dark chocolate. Refined sugar free.

Author: Maria Ushakova

4.96 from 21 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1 serving

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1½ cup non-dairy milk (or 1¼ cup cow's milk)
• ▢ ¾ cup raspberries (thawed if using frozen raspberries)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 pinch of salt
• ▢ 0.35 oz (10 grams) dark 70% chocolate
• ▢ ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tsp maple syrup (or to taste)

Instructions

For the non-dairy option:

• Pour 1½ cup of the non-dairy milk into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Do not cover as some liquid should evaporate to make the non-dairy milk creamier. (You can skip this step if you like your hot chocolate less creamy, in this case, use 1¼ cup of milk and just bring it to a simmer. )

For the dairy option:

• Pour 1¼ cup of cow's milk into a small saucepan. Bring the milk to a simmer and turn off the heat.

For the hot chocolate:

• In the meantime, place the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Add about 1½ tablespoon of milk and mix to create a smooth paste. Set aside.
  1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• Place the raspberries in a food processor or blender and pulse a few times until smooth.
  ¾ cup raspberries
• Place a mesh colander over a bowl. Pour the puree into the colander.
• Using a rubber spatula, push the puree through the colander. Discard the seeds.
• Add the raspberry puree, cocoa paste, salt, dark chocolate, and vanilla extract to the milk. Whisk to combine.
  1 pinch of salt, 0.35 oz dark 70% chocolate, ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Bring the hot chocolate to a gentle boil and take off the heat. Sweeten to taste.
  1 tsp maple syrup

Notes

• The recipe is for one serving. Just multiply the ingredients to make more.
• The nutrition information is a rough estimate for one serving of raspberry hot chocolate made with cashew milk.

Nutrition Facts

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

Serving Size

 

1 full recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

164.8

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

8.4

g

13

%

Saturated Fat

 

3.5

g

22

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Cholesterol

 

0.3

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

399.8

mg

17

%

Carbohydrates

 

21.2

g

7

%

Fiber

 

7.1

g

30

%

Sugar

 

9.5

g

11

%

Protein

 

4.1

g

8

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition facts are an estimate. Variations in ingredient brands, portion sizes, or substitutions can affect the final nutritional values. For the most accurate information, please use a nutrition calculator or consult with a healthcare provider. Always ensure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: International

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