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By 32 Comments
By
Wendy Stoltz
/ Last Modified On January 15, 2023
You can make your own rich, chocolaty gluten free hot chocolate mix with a few simple ingredients.
Instructions included for a dairy free hot chocolate mix.
Use this gluten free hot cocoa mix to make Whipped Hot Chocolate.
This simple gluten-free hot chocolate mix with a dairy-free hot chocolate option will be a new staple in your house.
Do you need a cookie recipe to go with your gluten free hot chocolate? How about Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies? Or perhaps you prefer a Gluten-Free Ladyfinger or Gluten-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie .
Table of Contents
Gluten Free Hot Chocolate
I started making my own gluten free hot chocolate mix as soon as I learned that my girls couldn't have gluten. There are so many additives in store bought hot cocoa mixes and I couldn't risk the potential of cross contamination.
And some hot chocolate mixes contain gluten in the ingredients, which is crazy.
Things got really tricky when we discovered that one of our girls also had an intolerance to dairy. I experimented with ingredients and shortly found the right ratio to achieve delicious results. You can make this into a dairy free hot chocolate mix.
Is cocoa powder gluten-free?
Natural cocoa powder (meaning no added ingredients) is gluten-free. Where you might find gluten is if the cocoa was processed on shared equipment that also processes glutinous products.
Also, if a company adds any ingredients or fillers to cocoa products. Always check labels before purchasing cocoa.
This gluten free hot chocolate recipe only uses a few simple, naturally gluten free ingredients.
Dairy Free Hot Chocolate
This hot cocoa mix is really easy to make and stores well in a glass jar in the pantry. You can double or triple the batch of gluten free hot chocolate to stock up for winter.
If you are not able to have dairy, omit the dry milk powder to make this a dairy free hot chocolate.
I hope you enjoy this Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Mix as much as we do. Our family has made this dairy free hot chocolate mix for years. For an extra special twist, we add a dash of cinnamon or a candy cane.
Check also other Gluten Free Dairy Free Recipes.
Dairy Free Hot Chocolate Mix
To make this gluten free hot chocolate a dairy free hot chocolate mix, use coconut milk powder instead of milk powder. It gives it a slight coconut taste, and is delicious. You can also leave out the milk powder all together and stir in your favorite dairy free milk for a creamy touch.
Is Nestle hot chocolate gluten free?
Although Nestle does not add any gluten products to their cocoa mixes, they do processed their hot chocolate mixes on equipment that also processes wheat-containing ingredients.
How to make gluten free hot chocolate
- Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl.
- Mix until combined.
- Store in airtight container or glass jar in the cupboard.
- When you're ready to make your gluten free hot cocoa. Add 3 heaping teaspoons to 8-10 ounces of hot water or milk (or dairy-free milk).
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes only. Please see the printable recipe card below.
I've used this Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Mix to make homemade mochas several times. I put a couple of scoops of the gluten free hot chocolate mix into a mug with a teaspoon of coconut oil.
Then I pour the hot coffee over the hot cocoa mix and stir until no lumps remain. Add in a splash of your favorite milk, or dairy-free milk and stir. It's incredible and it's a lot less expensive than purchasing a mocha at a coffee shop.
If you need a sugar free hot cocoa mix you'll want to try this Keto Hot Chocolate.
Did you make this hot cocoa mix? Please stop back by and leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.
Yield: 3 ½ cups of hot cocoa mix
This simple gluten-free hot cocoa mix with a dairy-free option will be a new staple in your house. You are going to love this gluten free hot chocolate!
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder (omit for dairy free version or use dried coconut milk powder)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder (or add vanilla to the hot liquid)
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Store in airtight container or glass jar in the cupboard.
- When you're ready to make your hot cocoa. Add 3 heaping teaspoons to 8-10 ounces of hot water or hot milk for a creamier version.
- If you are making the dairy free version add cocoa mix to 8 ounces of plain hot water, or dairy-free milk.
Notes
- Use a high quality cocoa.
- To make this gluten free hot chocolate a dairy free hot chocolate mix, use coconut milk powder instead of milk powder. You can also leave out the milk powder all together and stir in your favorite dairy free milk for a creamy touch.
- You can double or triple this gluten free hot chocolate recipe and stock up.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
3 teaspoons
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 203Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 231mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 2gSugar: 42gProtein: 3g
did you make this recipe?
Tag @glutenfreepalate on Instagram and hashtag it #glutenfreepalatebaker so we can see all the deliciousness!
Thanks for sharing!
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Note on Questions and Comments: All comments and questions are answered in the order they are received. I aim to answer all questions within 48 hours. There may be a delay on weekends and holidays.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Andrea M.
Would you use unsweetened almond milk or original?
Reply
chrystal
I use unsweetened almond milk 🙂
Reply
Andrea M.
Another question...it says 1c. unsweetened. Unsweetened what?? I'm not understanding that line.
Reply
Andrea M.
Possibly cocoa??
Reply
chrystal
Yes! It was supposed to say cocoa. Thanks for the catch, I just updated it!
Reply
chrystal
It looks like when I updated the photo in the recipe widget, it was deleted. It was supposed to say cocoa. Thanks for the catch, I just updated it!
Reply
Sherry
What brand of vanilla bean powder do you recommend? Amazon has a few but the reviews are so mixed, I don't want to waste money.
Reply
chrystal
Hi Sherry,
I don't see the one I used to use on here but Sunny Day is suppose to have a good one. Hope that helps.Best,
ChrystalReply
Mary Anne
What brand of cocoa do you know is GF? It’s really nice of you to share brands you know are certified gf
Reply
chrystal
For unsweetened cocoa, I use Rodelle. Hershey's is also gluten free, and easy to find.
Best,
ChrystalReply
Breanne McGreevy
Hi! Thanks for the recipe! Would you happen to know what the shelf life is for the mix?
Reply
chrystal
I've used this mix for up to 3 months with no issues. Check your ingredient expiration dates and shelf life, and as long as your ingredients don't expire before then I would think 3 months.
Best,
ChrystalReply
cheryl greenberg
can you use cacao instead of cocoa powder?
Reply
chrystal
It should be fine but I'm not sure if there will be a taste difference. One is raw and one is cooked. Both dissolve.
Best,
ChrystalReply
Bia
What brand non-fat dry milk powder do you use?
Reply
chrystal
I used a whole milk this last time. Hoosier Hill Farms. But you can use your preferred brand.
Best,
ChrystalReply
Bia
oh, so you used whole milk instead and removed the powder milk from the recipe? thanks!
Reply
chrystal
Thanks for sharing what you used.
Best,
ChrystalReply
Bia
That was a question to you - did you remove the powder milk from the recipe and only used the whole milk instead? I am trying to understand if you used both or not. Thank you for your help.
chrystal
Oh! I am so sorry. You can either make it with the powdered milk and serve it with hot water or hot milk (this makes it extra creamy) OR you can mix the cocoa and sugar and mix it with hot milk or dairy-free milk.
Chrystal
Abdullah
Greetings!
Your efforts in providing a relief to the Celiacs are surely laudable. I just saw your recipe of hot chocolate powder and I'm sure that it is going to have a remarkable taste just as your other recipes.
I had a question, rather I'm seeking a suggestion regarding the brands of cocoa powder which are certified gluten-free. Would love to have your suggestion on this.
Best of Regards,
Abdullah.Reply
chrystal
We use Rodelle, but you can use your favorite cocoa powder.
Best,
Chrystal
Heather Anderson
How does this compare flavor-wise to Nesquick powder? I use it on my cream of rice, but since it has both wheat and dairy in it I can’t use it anymore. 🙁
Reply
chrystal
I'm not sure how the dairy-free version that uses coconut milk powder compares, but it's very easy to make and delicious in our opinion.
Best,
ChrystalReply
Hope
Hello! I was wondering if you could substitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar and would it be the same measurements. Thank you
Reply
chrystal
Hi Hope,
Yes, you can use coconut sugar. It would be the same ration.Best,
ChrystalReply
S
Is there a substitute for the vanilla powder? Or is it fine left out?
Reply
Wendy Stoltz
Yes, you can use vanilla extract. Use 1 teaspoon of extract to every ½ teaspoon of powder.
Reply
Beth
Hi, So grateful for your recipe. I used it to adapt a version that uses oatmilk powder in place of dry milk. It added a creaminess as I searched to make a gift for someone who is gluten and dairy-free. A comment she made once implied that while coconut milk products are wonderful for desserts and sweets, it can bring a one note flavor dominance to replacing dairy. My goal in commenting (which I rarely do) is not to override your recipe, but offer additional alternatives to the conversation. Thanks! The result was great.
Reply
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Beth,
I appreciate your input and creativity in adapting the recipe with oat milk powder. It's great that you found a way to maintain creaminess without using dairy. Thank you for your contribution to the conversation!
Reply
Annie
I have a good friend of mine who’s son is allergic to so many things - I’d love to make this for him bc he is gluten and dairy free as well - coconut he tolerates but I don’t want to cause any unnecessary inflammation he can easily get. He uses rice milk a lot and I believe plain oat milk
-
If I omit the dairy powder
And use either milk with it do you know if it’ll
Still taste yummy? Thanks! I’d love to give him that creamy effect with a hot cocoa flavor since he misses these kinds of things so much .Reply
Wendy
Hi Annie,
You can make a yummy and allergen-friendly hot cocoa by skipping the dairy powder and using rice milk or oat milk powder. These dairy-free options should give it a creamy texture, and adding a bit of vanilla extract can enhance the flavor. Your friend's son will likely appreciate the gesture!
Enjoy making the hot cocoa mix!
Reply
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