This rich and decadent Vegan Amaretto Hot Chocolate is spiked with a sweet and nutty almond liqueur. It's the perfect grown up treat in the colder months. Get the recipe below.

Hot drinks

There's nothing like hot chocolate to keep you warm when the winter nights draw in. But what makes this vegan hot chocolate extra special is that it's made with real dark chocolate and a splash of Amaretto.

It's a grown up drink with complex flavours. You have the bitterness of the dark chocolate contrasted by the sweet, nutty flavour of the Amaretto and the almond milk.

A good helping of vegan cream adds another layer of sweetness and the toasted almonds top it off perfectly.

Ditch the hot chocolate powders (which often contain milk) and make my more luxurious Vegan Amaretto Hot Chocolate instead.

How to make a vegan hot chocolate

The basics of a vegan hot chocolate are taking plant milk, heating it, pouring it over vegan dark chocolate and letting it melt. It's not dissimilar to making a chocolate ganache. But, the ratios are different and the plant milk is thinner than cream so it's a drinkable consistency.

You can heat your milk on the hob or in the microwave. I usually do the latter just because it's much quicker. To avoid it boiling over in the microwave don't boil it for any longer than 1 minute. If it's not hot enough then do 30 second bursts.

Once your plant milk is steaming hot, pour it over the chopped chocolate. Whisk it until the chocolate is all melted and it's smooth. You don't want any lumps!

One top tip I have to make sure your hot chocolate stays piping hot is to heat your mugs before you pour in the hot chocolate. You can do this by filling them with boiling water while you make the hot chocolate. Then just tip it out when you're ready to serve it up. A simple hack that makes all the difference.

Two mugs of Vegan Amaretto Hot Chocolate

What is Amaretto?

You can't make this recipe without Amaretto. But what is it and why add it to your hot chocolate?

Amaretto is an, almond-flavoured liqueur that originated in Italy.

It's not too boozy - usually 21 - 28 % abv. You can use it in lots of different ways, for example straight as a digestif, in cocktails like my Amaretto and Cranberry Cocktail, in baking or even added to coffee.

I like it in my hot chocolate!

Is Amaretto vegan?

Not all alcohol is vegan - you can find out common pitfalls in my guide to vegan alcohol here.

The good news is Amaretto is usually vegan. Brands such as Lazzaroni, Disaronno, and Maraschino all sell Amaretto that is suitable for vegans.

So you can add a splash and enjoy your vegan hot chocolate guilt free!

Something sweet

You'll find that hot chocolate made with dark chocolate is a little bit more bitter than you might be used to. The Amaretto does sweeten it up a little but if you like things sweet then you can add a teaspoon of light brown sugar to sweeten things up! It's up to you.

The recipe