This Vegan Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate is rich and delicious and sweetened only with maple syrup. Dress it up with your favorite toppings! Gluten-free.
It is cozy season and nothing feels cozier than a cup of hot cocoa.
But this isn't just any hot chocolate. Made rich and chocolatey, the addition of peanut butter gives it a creaminess and flavor combination that can't be beat.

Vegan Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Ingredients
And while peanut butter may be the star of this show, these ingredients make for a healthier hot chocolate. Here's what you'll need:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
- Peanut butter
- Maple syrup
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Vanilla extract
Can you use a different non-dairy milk for this hot chocolate? Absolutely. Soy milk, cashew milk, and oat milk would all work well here. Coconut milk would also work but there may be a hint of coconut flavor. Not necessarily a bad thing!
Can you substitute a different all-natural sweetener? Yes. If you need a vegan alternative, agave syrup would work here. Honey is also a great sweetener for this dairy-free hot chocolate. With either sweetener, start with less than called for in the recipe and add more to taste.
How to Make Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
- Heat almond milk in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Whisk in cocoa powder, peanut butter, and salt until smooth.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla extract to mixture.
- Serve warm with desired toppings!

Topping Ideas for Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate
Part of the fun with sipping hot chocolate are the toppings! Here are some ideas to dress up your dairy-free peanut butter hot cocoa:
- Vegan marshmallows
- Coconut whipped cream
- Chopped peanuts
- Peanut butter drizzle
- Chocolate sauce
- Dairy-free chocolate chips
- Dairy-free chocolate shavings

Warm beverages are always the answer to cold temps. Check out these vegan hot chocolate bombs! Or want more peanut butter inspiration? Check out this peanut butter banana ice cream and the links below!
More Hot Drink Recipes
📖 Recipe

Vegan Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 2 pinches salt
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey if not vegan
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Drizzle, optional
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
Additional optional toppings
- vegan marshmallows
- coconut cream
- chocolate shavings
- cacao nibs
- chopped peanuts
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add almond milk. After giving the almond milk a few minutes to warm, whisk in cocoa or cacao powder, peanut butter, and salt.
- When large clumps have dissolved, whisk in maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk periodically until mixture is smooth and desired temperature is achieved. If you find you prefer it sweeter, add more maple syrup as desired.
- Remove from heat and pour into mugs. Top with marshmallows and peanut butter drizzle or other toppings if desired.
- To make peanut butter drizzle: Combine peanut butter and maple syrup. Adding a little maple syrup at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Brynne
Great twist on a classic!