Oat Milk Hot Chocolate

Author Notes

A steaming cup of rich hot chocolate is all I want on a chilly afternoon—that warm mug basically doubles as mittens. Considering that many people omit dairy from their diets, however, the average hot chocolate recipe (including most instant options!) needs reevaluating. For a cup of vegan hot chocolate, could you mix whatever dairy-free milk you have in the refrigerator with cocoa powder and a spoonful of sugar? Sure. But for an ultra-rich beverage that tastes just like—if not better than—the original, take a few extra steps. Use super-creamy oat milk as a base and whisk in a big handful of chopped bittersweet chocolate as well as cocoa powder. And definitely top the mugful with big ol’ dollop of vegan whipped cream (or let a handful of vegan marshmallows take a swim!). I find that a full-fat oat milk is the creamiest and best-tasting dairy-free milk for this vegan hot chocolate recipe, followed closely by cashew milk, but you can use your favorite style (or even regular cow’s milk!) here. —Rebecca Firkser