Maca and chocolate are a match made in joyous heaven! I love combining these two flavours like I did for my Maca Freezer Fudge and my Sexy Maca Balls. Maca and chocolate have very complimentary taste profiles – roasted, caramel and butterscotch, which is why they go together so well.
These two ingredients have complimentary health benefits too, which I will share with you. So if you want to take advantage of this match made in flavour heaven and it's chilly outside where you are then this Maca Hot Chocolate is perfect for you!
The key to a really good hot chocolate (that we could otherwise call an "elixir" because of all the nutrients it contains), is high-quality ingredients.
I used all organic ingredients, including:
New Chapter's Fermented Maca Powder: Maca is an adaptogen . When used as a supplement on a daily basis, it helps with stamina, alleviating stress and it's been used for a thousand years in South America for energy. You can find it here.
Coconut butter: Makes for a creamy, rich hot chocolate! Coconut butter is the whole flesh of the coconut including the fat, fibre and protein. It's also naturally sweet so you don't have to add as much sweetener. You can find it here.
Raw cacao powder: Rich in minerals, such as magnesium, and packed with flavanoids! In fact, 6% of the weight of raw cacao can be attributed to these heart-healthy phytonutrients. Epidemiological studies have suggested raw cacao powder has a protective role against heart disease. You can find it here.
Almond milk: I prefer non-dairy milks for a variety of reasons, but in this maca hot chocolate specifically, the almond milk flavour is really lovely with all the ingredients. If you have a nut allergy, you can use brown rice milk or oat milk. I always buy nut milk from the refrigerated section of the grocery store or I make it myself .
Ground cinnamon: High quality cinnamon can take any recipe from mediocre to amazing. Even though you usually use a small quantity of it, it still has so many powerful health benefits. I love Cha's Organics cinnamon.
To sweeten the hot chocolate I added coconut sugar but you could also use maple syrup or honey . If you want to avoid natural sweeteners altogether, you could use a few drops of stevia instead. I like this brand of stevia.
You're going to love how creamy, warm, energy-boosting and joyfully nourishing this Maca Hot Chocolate is!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp maca* powder
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut butter**
- 1 cup nut milk (I used almond milk)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place raw cacao, maca, coconut sugar, coconut butter, nut milk and hot water in a high power blender.
- WARNING: If the water is boiling when you add it to the blender be very careful when you blend to ensure steam can escape. Some blenders have cap that allows steam to escape. If yours does not, then you need to wait until the water cools a bit before blending or you'll blow of the top off your blender!
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy. The coconut butter will melt pretty quickly if you're using hot water so the blending is really to get some nice bubbles or foam and mix up all the ingredients.
- Pour into one or two glasses and sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy right away! Store any leftover hot chocolate in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container.
Notes
Serves 1 generously or 2.
*New Chapter Fermented Maca
**You can swap in coconut oil or coconut flakes instead, just know that the flakes probably won't totally blend in but it will taste just as good!
I highly recommend enjoying this with my Cranberry Walnut Breakfast Muffins or a Carrot Cake Cookie (recipe coming soon!). It would also pair nicely with any of the desserts in my FREE Detox Friendly Desserts guide!
Let me know how you like this healthy alternative hot drink! Do you want to see more elixir recipes like this one or like my Rise and Shine Latte ? Tell me in the comments!
Enjoy,
Joy xo
Looks so good! Can you have this in the evening or might it keep me up?
ReplyThat really depends on you! I would say if you can drink caffeinated tea or coffee in the evening and sleep okay, then you can drink hot chocolate like this in the evening. Hope that helps!
This looks sooo good. Im really missing hot chocolate while on my keto plan. Do you think it’s any good without a sweetener?
ReplyHi Janet, it's delish!
If you add the coconut butter then yes, it will still be tasty because there's a natural sweetness in coconut butter. If you skip that ingredient and omit the natural sweetener then it might be too bitter!
Just made this for my hubby and he loved it! Thanks Joy! ☃️❄️
ReplyYou're such a sweet wifey :)
How did I miss this before Thanksgiving? I’ve got everything in the cupboards and am off to make it for lunch starters on this chilly day. Thank you that I can always know you recommend completely clean ingredients. I’ve joined your challenge and posted on my facebook too, in hopes that some friends will improve their lives in 2019.
ReplyHi Janet! Enjoy sipping this nourishing, yummy drink! Thanks so much for posting the challenge on your facebook page. I really appreciate it. :)
I finally made this for “dessert” tonight and we’ll see if it keeps me up - probably, but worth it! For the hot water I’d just brewed some chocolate mint tea, so extra chocolatey and I needed an extra teaspoon of syrup. Yum!
ReplyThat sounds delightful! Thanks for sharing Janet!
I’m curious as to what’s the difference between almond milk in the refrigerated section and on the shelf. What should I be looking for in the ingredients? Thanks!
ReplyThe problem I have always found with non-perishable almond milk is the amount of sodium added to preserve it and other preservatives because it has to stay fresh without refrigeration for years. So as a simple rule, I steer clear of almond milk on the shelf and stick only to the refrigerated stuff with the least number of additives.
Sounds delicious and healthy! This recipe is a must for a cold January, and especially right now as it is snowing. Thank you! ☕️
ReplyYes agreed! Perfect this time of year. Hope you get a chance to make it!
I’ve read on some sites that you should not warm up maca powder. Is that true? I would really like to try this recipe!
ReplyYou're only mixing it with the warm ingredients so it will be fine.
Mmmh, sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Joy! I will definitely try it! :P
ReplyIf I don't like the taste of coconut, could I add Cacao Butter instead of the coconut butter? I bought some the other day but then read that you need to be careful of mold in that? Do you have a brand of Cacao Butter you recommend?
ReplyYes definitely you can add cacao butter. You know I really don't buy it actually but a brand I love does sell it -- Giddy Yoyo.
Hi Joy, I just want to make sure about the Maca powder? Is it the one sold on amazon called new chapter fermented Maca energy booster? Thanks Lina
ReplyHi Lina, this is the exact one I use: https://amzn.to/2W859Z2