Creamy Vegan Matcha Hot Chocolate perfect for cozy nights in. This homemade, dairy free version of a stovetop hot chocolate has just 4 ingredients and is better than any Starbucks drink you could order.
Creamy and dairy free? No that’s not a typo, this dairy free creamy Vegan Matcha Hot Chocolate is the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. With an earthy flavour coming from the matcha, the sweet flavour of the dark chocolate lends perfectly for this balanced hot drink. This drink couldn’t be easier! All you need is a saucepan and 4 simple ingredients; non-dairy milk, matcha powder, dark chocolate, and cacao powder.
What is matcha?
Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder made from specific green tea leaves that are dried then ground into a powder. It’s traditionally consumed in East Asia but has been growing in popularity across the world. The green tea used for matcha powder are shade-grown for a few weeks before being harvested. Then it is processed into a fine powder for teas, tea lattes and culinary uses like baked goods. Matcha has a slightly bitter taste and is vibrant green in colour, and is typically higher in caffeine than other green teas.
Traditional Japanese tea ceremonies focus on the prep, serving and drinking of matcha. The tea used in these settings is called ceremonial-grade matcha, meaning that it’s a high enough quality to be used in a traditional tea ceremony. Lower-quality matcha is often called culinary matcha and can be used in baking, lattes and more. However, having said that, there are no industry standard definitions for either of these qualities.
Top tips for making vegan matcha hot chocolate:
- Keep the heat low. To avoid burning your milk, keep the heat no higher than medium. You want to make sure the milk never comes to a boil and that you heat it low and slow.
- Mix in, one ingredient at a time. To ensure each ingredient is mixed in properly and you don’t get any unwanted lumps of cacao powder – whisk in each ingredient indivdually.
- Whisky vigorously for extra frothiness. To make you drink extra creamy and frothy give it a quick whisk for a minute or two before serving.
- Serve warm with marshmallows. Don’t forget to top with vegan marshmallows and optionally a sprinkle of matcha powder or nutmeg!
Vegan Matcha Hot Chocolate FAQ:
Can I use any milk for hot chocolate?
There are milks that work better than others, but ultimately choose whichever milk you like the best. We mostly use soy milk but also enjoy oat milk or macadamia nut milk.
Can I use any chocolate for hot chocolate?
While we have only tried it with dark chocolate, we don’t see why you couldn’t use any chocolate of your choice for this recipe. However if using white chocolate, we’d recommend omitting the cacao powder in order to keep it a beautiful colour.
How to make Vegan Matcha Hot Chocolate:
Vegan Matcha Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 480 mL (2 cups) non-dairy milk
- 6 g (1 tbsp) matcha powder
- 80 g (1/2 cup) dark chocolate, (chopped or chips)
- 7 g (1 tbsp) cacao powder
Instructions
- To a pan over medium heat add non-dairy milk and matcha powder. Stir until smooth.
- Add dark chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Add cacao powder and whisk in.
- Once warmed, remove from heat and serve with vegan marshmallows.
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