Rosemary Orange Hot Chocolate (vegan)

This vegan rosemary orange hot chocolate is rich, flavoful, and the perfect warm and cozy treat! Chopped vegan dark chocolate ensures a smooth and rich flavor while fresh rosemary, orange peel, and orange juice lend a wintry vibe. Factor in about 20 minutes for a mug in order to allow time for the orange and rosemary to infuse their flavor into the oat milk.

I’ve been making variations of this vegan hot chocolate over the past several winters and decided it finally deserved a spot here on the blog! If you always find powdered hot cocoa mixes a little underwhelming, this hot chocolate is definitely for you! It’s made with chopped vegan dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder so it’s rich and flavorful. It also features the wintry flavor duo of orange and rosemary to make it feel like a special treat while simultaneously keeping you warm and cozy. It’s super simple to make and honestly so darn delicious so I hope you try it!

Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions

I highly recommend chopping up a dark chocolate bar rather than using chocolate chips because chocolate chips melt differently and have stabilizers added that are meant to hold their shape during baking. Make sure to check the label to make sure it’s vegan if that’s a concern for you! A sweeter orange variety works best here like a clementine, satsuma, or navel. I really love the flavor of brown sugar in my hot chocolate but I’ve also made this with maple syrup and granulated sugar and both were still really delicious. For the rosemary spring, go with a small one that is about 2-3 inches long.

Rosemary Orange Hot Chocolate in 4 Simple Steps

PRO TIP: chop the chocolate and add it slowly, whisking continuously as you do. This helps ensure it melts evenly into the oat milk and keeps it from clumping up on the bottom of the pot/pan! For a super frothy hot chocolate, blitz it a few times with a milk frother before you add it to your mug.

Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate Variations

I’ve tried out a few different flavor combinations over the years and these are my absolute favorite if you feel like experimenting:

• Peppermint Vanilla — omit the rosemary, orange peel, and orange juice. Simply warm the milk, then follow the recipe instructions in the card below to add the brown sugar and dark chocolate. Once the chocolate is fully melted, add a splash each of vanilla extract and peppermint extract and mix well.
• Salted Espresso Hot Chocolate — omit the rosemary, orange peel, and orange juice. Add a small pinch of flaky sea salt and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon espresso powder with the milk. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top once you’ve poured the hot chocolate into your mug.
• Black and White — omit the rosemary, orange peel, and orange juice. Use half white chocolate and half dark chocolate and add a splash of vanilla extract.

More Vegan Chocolate Recipes to Enjoy

If you love the pairing of chocolate and orange, you’ll love this vegan chocolate tart with cashew butter and blood orange! It’s the vibes of a peanut butter cup but with rich cashew butter and blood orange zest and juice. For a simpler dessert, try these gluten free almond shortbread sandwiches filled with a rich dark chocolate ganache. Prefer hot cocoa with cocoa powder instead of chopped chocolate? Try this macadamia hot cocoa with lavender and mint.

Print