Ok, I know this is a little offbeat, but with a mother who is a diabetic, I created a homemade Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa for her to enjoy in the colder months. Everything on the market is PACKED with additives and preservatives that she wants to also stay away from so I created this cocoa mix for her.
Homemade Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa
I thought that I would share it with yall here because maybe you have the same needs or you have some visitors coming that you would like to make it for. It also makes a great gift for those who you know are in the same boat. Or maybe you just want to lower your sugar intake while still enjoying a cup of cocoa by the fireside.
We spent a full morning working the recipe down to just the right flavor and texture. I mean, cocoa tasting anyone? Soooo good right?
Powdered Milk Options
Here are a couple of sources for powdered milk option to make your hot cocoa with. I will be honest, I made my first batch with the coffee-mate powdered creamer because it was all I could find at the store in the heat of the moment. But I will be ordering the powdered whole milk for future batches.
One of my goals for my mom was to give her something sugar-free and with as few additives as possible. Using the powdered whole milk will meet that goal and give the flavor and viscosity I want in a cocoa mix.
This option will give you the least preservatives while being all-natural with the tiniest bit of natural sugar.
Powdered Whole Milk - 3g Carbohydrates/Sugar per serving, no added sugar, all-natural from lactose.
These options have a small number of preservatives but offer the most sugar-free option.
Laird Coffee Creamer - 1 g Carbohydrates/Sugar per serving, from Organic Maple Sugar
Coffee-Mate Creamer - 1 g Carbohydrates/Sugar per serving, no added sugar, no lactose
Making your Hot Cocoa
I just wanted to share a quick note on making your cocoa the best it can be. As I said, we spent an entire morning tasting different hot cocoas so we would bring you the best option.
So, that said, Half and Half produces the best version of cocoa. I was personally trying to make it dairy-free for myself. But as with most anything, the higher the fat content, the better the flavor. However, note that Half and Half has the tiniest bit of natural sugar, to make this TRULY sugar-free in the end, use a sugar-free milk alternative.
You can make it with a milk alternative, I would just suggest getting one of the great alternative whipping creams on the market now to pair it with. They may carry a few preservatives but they will give it a little extra creaminess you might desire in your hot cocoa.
Honestly, I tailored this hot cocoa to even something that I like, so it will provide a great way to lower my own sugar intake over the holidays. I often forgo the cocoa in favor of my favorite cookies, but now I feel like I can enjoy a little bit of both this year. Whether you need it for dietary reasons or because you want to watch your sugar intake while still enjoying something yummy, I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Where to use this Cocoa Mix
I make a big batch of this that usually gets me through winter and a little always seems to linger all year. But that's ok. When fall rolls around be sure to give my Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate a whirl, I use this mix to make it.
And in the summer, celebrate Christmas in July on the 25th, with a Frozen Hot Chocolate. I like to make a day of celebrating Christmas on July 25th, and this hits the spot during that summer heat.
This mix would be a great option for filling Hot Chocolate Bombs with. Reduce the amount of sugar in them using this homemade mix, as well as remove all the junk found in store-bought cocoa mixes. Trust me, this is the cocoa mix you want for you Hot Chocolate Bombs!
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📖 Recipe
Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Mix
I have tailored this cocoa mix to something all can enjoy. I designed it for my mom who is a diabetic but enjoys a warm cup of cocoa by the Christmas tree. We did lots of taste testing to get it right, make it with half and half for the best result in our opinion, but it will work equally well with dairy alternatives as well.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Powdered Milk or Creamer
- ½ cup Truvia
- 2 tablespoons Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne
Instructions
To make the sugar-free cocoa mix:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Store in an airtight container for later use.
To make a single cup of cocoa:
- 8oz Half and Half
- 3-4 T Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Mix
- 1 t Vanilla Extract
- In a small saucepot combine all ingredients and bring to a light boil. Be sure to keep an eye on it or it will boil over. Whisk often for the best texture and so the mix doesn't accumulate on the bottom and burn.
- Alternatively, you could warm a cup of milk in the microwave and use a small whisk or frother to whip the cocoa mix into the milk.
Notes
I double or triple this recipe to make a batch that lasts all season.
I love this handheld frother, but if you have a huge cocoa lover in your life this makes the PERFECT Christmas gift with a batch of this cocoa mix.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Andrea
Could I use powdered cream instead of powdered milk, since that is what I have on hand?
Kendell
Absolutly! It will just be a little more rich, and that is never a bad thing!
Hilda
I’m just curious about the truvia is that not sugar? Or is it a sugar substitute and is there half-and-half powder? Are you talking about half-and-half creamer, but powder form?
Kendell
Hey there! Truvia is a stevia based sugar substitute. I use milk powder in the mix or powdered flavorless coffee creamer, and half and half to make the hot cocoa. Hope that helps. Not Half and Half in powdered form.
Shelly
This recipe is not sugar free. The powdered milk has sugar in it, so does the half and half.
Kendell
Hey Shelly, thanks for your note. I understand you believe that this is not sugar-free, but if you read the whole post, you will see that I note that the whole milk powder has a small number of natural sugars, but offers the lowest sugar option, suitable for diabetics or keto-friendly people. And I understand the half and half has 1 gram of NATURAL sugar per serving, but let's note that I also mention using a sugar-free milk alternative to keep it low enough in sugar to call this sugar-free. I also want to note, you call out the half and half, just a preference for me, yet suitable enough for my diabetic mother to enjoy this from time to time being made with it, that it is just MY preference, yet has nothing to do with the cocoa mix, that is sugar-free. I have studied nutrition, and am a professional chef (I went to school, and have a degree, didn't just work in restaurants) and this mix qualifies for Sugar-Free having only 2-3 grams of NATURAL sugar per serving, vs 14 grams of ADDED sugar and tons of preservatives in a packet of swiss miss.
Darlene
Hi
I love this coco mix. I've been searching for a good sugar free coco mix and this one is fantastic. I was lucky to have all the ingredients on hand. I used unsweetened almond milk and almond whipped cream. Delicious! I will be making this for Christmas gifts next year. Thank you for the recipe
Kendell
Darlene, I am so glad to hear this! And love that you also made it dairy-free and love it! Enjoy!
Susan Stoppard
Goingbto get yhe ingredients today. Thsnknyou just found out i am diabetic as well.so is my mom. Just for reference the Bulk Barn by me has the powdered soy milk. Not sure if it would work for a non dairy version.
Kendell
Hi Susan, so glad to hear you are going to give it a try. I have not used the powdered soy milk, but I am sure you could swap it out. Let me know how it works 🙂