Cozy up with a glass of this delicious Orange Hot Chocolate. It's made with simple ingredients in under 5 minutes, and the orange adds even more flavor to this classic recipe.
Hot chocolate is a wintertime essentially around here. I mean, is there anything cozier?
This orange hot chocolate is a fun spin on traditional hot chocolate. Plus, in my opinion, the chocolate-orange combination isn't utilized enough.
If you're in need of other wintertime essential beverages, be sure to check out my cinnamon sesame milk, boozy hot chocolate and of course my favorite cinnamon tequila sour.
Recipe features
- A delicious hot chocolate recipe that just so happens to be dairy-free (as long as you use dairy-free chocolate and milk :))
- The orange adds even more flavor to this recipe
- The whole thing comes together in about 5 minutes!
Ingredient notes:
Dark chocolate - I used 70% dark chocolate; feel free to use whatever chocolate you want depending on the kind you like.
Milk - Any kind! I almost always use almond milk or oat milk for all of my recipes, but any milk will do.
Cocoa powder - No substitution; make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder works too.
Sugar - Optional. I think hot chocolate should be on the sweet side, and the entire recipe only calls for two tablespoons, but you can definitely omit it if you want.
Orange juice - Preferably freshly squeezed; The recipe calls for two tablespoons, but you can adjust it based on your personal preference.
Method
First: Melt the chocolate. Begin by adding the chopped dark chocolate and the milk to a saucepan, whisking frequently over medium heat until the chocolate has melted, being careful that it doesn't burn.
Second: Make the hot chocolate. Once the chocolate has melted, add the remaining ingredients (cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, and orange juice), and stir everything together. Heat over low for 3-5 minutes, or until it's warmed to your liking.
Third: Add toppings. Toppings are a must! I like adding whipped cream and extra chopped chocolate on top, but a little orange zest would be good too.
Tips and tricks
- I know you can buy orange extract, but I haven't tried it in this recipe. If you've used it and love it, feel free to use it in place of the vanilla extract. But, start small -- no more than ½ teaspoon -- and go from there.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate?
Yep! Again, I'd opt for dark chocolate or at least semi sweet over milk chocolate.
Can this be prepped in advance?
Yes; however, this is a single-serve hot chocolate recipe. If you want to double, triple or even quadruple the recipe, you can adjust the serving size in the recipe card where it says "serving size".
To make ahead, prep the exact same way, wait for it to cool a bit then pour it into a sealed container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, pour back into a saucepan and stir until it's warmed to your liking.
More chocolate recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Orange Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark chocolate approx. 2 oz., chopped
- 2 cups almond milk or milk of choice
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Melt dark chocolate and almond milk together in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning it.
- Once melted, reduce to low heat and add remaining ingredients.
- Simmer ingredients on low for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's warmed to your liking.
- Remove from heat and add toppings (whipped cream, chopped chocolate, etc.). If needed, add an additional 1 tablespoon orange juice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in February 2017. It was updated with new text and photos in December 2020.
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Daniel says
How good do this look! Sometimes you just can't beat a comforting hot chocolate 🙂 I love that this one is pretty healthy too!
thalia says
omg!! blood orange hot chocolate is such a good idea! i have to make this - perfect for Valentine's day! Xx
Erin says
I agree--thanks Thalia!!
Vida says
Just to let you know, the pin for the honey garlic chicken brings me to this hot chocolate recipe.
Erin says
Ahhh ok thanks for letting me know!
Kevin | economicalchef.com says
Wow, really unique take on hot chocolate! Thanks for the recipe.
Marcy says
Looks delicious and I love your gorgeous photos!
Erin says
Thank you Marcy!
Carlos At Spoonabilities says
I never try blood orange and I been looking everywhere here in Miami but not luck:(. Your Hot Chocolate with blood orange is unique. I'm very intrigued to know the flavor profile.
How you describe the taste?
I love your pictures!!!
Erin says
I hope you can find blood oranges soon! I think they go out of season come March. This tastes just like regular hot chocolate with a hint of citrus.
annie says
I'm allergic to wheat, so I bake with gluten free flour quite often. My favorite is bob's GF cup to cup (the one in the blue bag, not the red bag). Even when using the cup to cup, my cakes would always come out too dense and heavy. My solution (this works every time) is to 1) measure by spooning the flour, not scooping it and 2) sift *while* you measure. I like to sift the flour three times. It only takes a few extra minutes and yields fluffier results.
Also, use a little more baking powder than you normally would, but don't change the amount of baking soda.
Oh! and let the batter sit for about five minutes after you add the leveners. Is that a word? Leveners?
Love this hot chocolate! Gorgeous photos as always.
Erin says
I agree--Bobs 1 to 1 baking flour is my favorite, but I still want to learn how to bake with almond and/or coconut for people who can't find Bob's. If that makes sense. But! I did buy the Bob's flour to lift my spirits, so I'm going to try baking with that this weekend. Thank you for the tips!
Allyson (Considering The Radish) says
Geez louise this looks fantastic. Oranges and chocolate are such a great combination, but I've never thought to make hot chocolate with oranges. Hot chocolate FTW!
Erin says
It's SO good (if I do say so myself) 😉
Julia Mueller says
Oh yes, the ol' gluten-free cake debacle...it can be a challenge at first, but once you get the formula, BAM, it's the most magical thing 😉
THIS HOT CHOCOLATE?! I love the orange-chocolate combo, and I'd 200% add whisky to this beauty to make an adult boozy cocktail. Definitely should whip this up over the weekend for an apres-ski belly warmer!
Erin says
SUCH a challenge. I'm not giving up and might give GF baking another whirl this weekend. Thanks friend!
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It says
Oh my gosh, how do you come up with all of these amazing recipe ideas?! This looks amazing Erin, and your photography is gorgeous.
Erin says
Thank you!! I've always been a fan of orange+chocolate, so I figured why not give blood orange+chocolate a whirl 😀