Nutella Hot Chocolate

This downright decadent Nutella Hot Chocolate is easy to make with 3 ingredients: homemade hazelnut spread, dark chocolate, and milk. One sip and you’ll never go back to regular hot chocolate again!

Have you ever wondered if you can make hot chocolate with Nutella? I have great news… you can, and it’s very easy! By warming 3 simple ingredients together on the stove, you’ll end up with a steaming mug full of this Nutella Hot Chocolate that you can enjoy all winter long.

All you need is a batch of this healthy homemade Nutella, dark chocolate, and milk. Together, they become a sugar free hot chocolate that’s warm, frothy, extremely chocolatey, and bursting with the creamy goodness of hazelnuts. It’s a healthy hot chocolate recipe you’ll want to make again and again!

Recipe features

• A mug full of hazelnut hot chocolate is the quickest and easiest way to warm up during winter.
• You only need 3 healthy, naturally refined sugar free ingredients: homemade Nutella, milk, and dark chocolate. There’s plenty of room for more toppings, added flavors, and even booze!
• It’s a naturally vegan hot chocolate recipe as long as you use dairy free milk and vegan dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

Milk - You can use any type of milk here, but for the creamiest homemade hot chocolate, whole milk is the best choice. As for dairy free milk options, almond, cashew, coconut, oat, and soy are all excellent options. 

Homemade Nutella - My healthy homemade Nutella is a fantastic alternative to store-bought Nutella, which is loaded with sugar and fat. All you need are raw hazelnuts and chocolate chips to make a silky smooth, perfectly spreadable chocolate hazelnut spread in under 15 minutes.

Dark chocolate - I prefer to make this recipe with a dark or semi-sweet chocolate bar. You can use a bar of milk chocolate if you don’t like dark chocolate, but the finished cocoa will taste very sweet.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the chocolate hazelnut spread. If you haven’t already, grab your raw hazelnuts and chocolate chips and make my easy homemade Nutella. 

Step 2: Heat everything together. Heat the milk, Nutella, and chocolate in a small saucepan on the stove. Whisk the mixture constantly until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is hot, smooth, and creamy. Watch it carefully or else it could burn.

Step 3: Pour and serve. Pour the Nutella cocoa into a mug topped with your favorite hot cocoa toppings and enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Marshmallows and whipped cream are classic hot chocolate toppings. As they melt, they make your hot chocolate even more decadent and creamy. Feel free to go all out with more, like chocolate sprinkles, chocolate shavings, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. 
• Sweeten the batch with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a natural liquid sweetener, like maple syrup.
• To make this in the microwave: whisk the milk, Nutella, and chopped chocolate together in a large microwave-safe mug. Microwave in 15 to 30-second increments, whisking in between each until the Nutella and chocolate are fully melted.

What else can I add to my hot chocolate?

Add a dash of the extract of your choice to play with the flavors. Hazelnut extract will intensify the nuttiness, while vanilla, peppermint, orange, or coconut extract will infuse seasonal winter flavors. 

You can also stir in chocolate sauce, salted caramel sauce, or white chocolate syrup, or spice things up with a pinch of cinnamon or cayenne. 

How do you spike hot chocolate?

You can spike the mug of hot chocolate with 1 to 1.25 ounces of alcohol per serving. Stir it into the saucepan right before pouring the hot chocolate into your mug. If you add it too soon, the alcohol will cook off. 

The nutty and chocolatey flavors will pair well with bourbon, rum, Irish cream, or brandy. You can also use flavored liqueurs like triple sec (orange), Frangelico (hazelnut), or Kahlua (coffee). 

Can I make this for a party?

Absolutely. Multiply the ingredients by how many servings you need, then heat the ingredients together in a large pot on the stove or in a slow cooker. 

To make Nutella hot chocolate in a slow cooker, combine the milk, Nutella, and chocolate in a crockpot and whisk continuously over High heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture begins to simmer. Set the slow cooker to Keep Warm mode and put out mugs, toppings, and boozy mix-ins on the side so your friends and family can serve themselves.

What else can you make with Nutella?

Put your batch of homemade Nutella to use with even more sweet treats, like Nutella brownies, Nutella cake, Nutella cupcakes, and even a Nutella sandwich! Any extras are perfect as a dip for strawberries, apple slices, and pretzels, or to enjoy straight from the spoon. 

Storage

Refrigerator: Let any extra Nutella hot chocolate cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Gently reheat the batch in a small saucepan, stirring often, until the hot chocolate is reincorporated and warmed to your liking. 

More winter drink recipes

• Orange Hot Chocolate 
• Boozy Hot Chocolate
• Vanilla Rosemary Latte

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!