Healthy Hot Chocolate with Cacao Powder

Hey guys, I'm Nicki Sizemore. Welcome to my kitchen and welcome back to my channel. I don't know why I'm feeling a little crazy today. Maybe it's because I'm going to show you how to make, this is gonna be the shortest video ever because it is the simplest recipe, but it might just revolutionize your winter. I'm going to show you how to make hot chocolate with cacao powder. So this is a healthy hot chocolate, but you would never know it. This is actually the only hot chocolate I ever make. It has far less sugar than the package stuff. We're actually just gonna sweeten it with some honey. And then of course we're using cacao powder. So what is cacao powder? All right, cacao powder is a less processed version of an unsweetened cocoa powder. The chocolate beans are dried at a low temperature. That's why they're considered raw and therefore they retain more enzymes, minerals and antioxidants. But most importantly, the powder is therefore more robust in flavor. It's got a deeper chocolatey taste. I use it on all of my baked goods, like my chocolate quinoa cake, which I'll link to that video below. Can't wait to show you how to make hot chocolate with cacao powder. So let's head to the kitchen. And if you haven't done so already, don't forget to hit that subscribe button below. It really helps me out. And that way you won't miss out on any of my wholesome, family-friendly and naturally gluten-free recipes. If you click that little notification bell, you'll be notified every time I post a new video. Here are the only ingredients you'll need. Milk, honey, vanilla extract and the cacao powder. I'm using regular milk today, but you could use canned coconut milk, either low fat or whole fat for a vegan version. Pour two cups of milk into a small saucepan and add two tablespoons of the cacao powder. You want to add the cacao powder off heat because if you add it to the hot liquid, it could clump up. I'm sweetening this with a tablespoon of honey. You could go for maple syrup instead if you prefer. And then add a splash of vanilla extract just for a little more flavor and a pinch of salt. The salt is just going to round out all of the flavors. Whisk this together until that cacao powder is dissolved. And you guys, that is it. I'm telling you, it is not any harder than whisking in a package of store-bought mix, but it's so much healthier. So just bring this to a simmer while whisking and your hot chocolate is ready to serve. This hot chocolate with cacao powder is delicious all on its own. This is how I often serve it to my kids for breakfast. It's a delicious breakfast drink. However, if you want to dress it up, and really, who doesn't? You can top it with marshmallows, of course, but I like to go for a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of that cacao powder. This is truly a staple in my house. It's a drink I can feel good about serving my family. And for all of you adults out there, it's also delicious with a splash of coffee or liqueur. Just saying. Thank you guys so much for tuning in. I hope that you can go curl up with your own mug of hot chocolate. I've included a link below to this hot chocolate with cacao powder recipe. I've also included a link to my website where you can find some other recipes that use raw cacao powder. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button. Thank you so much for watching, and I will see you next time. ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪