Take your holiday hot chocolate to the next level with the surprising spiciness of cayenne and black peppers, giving this drink a delicious and warming zing!
Spicy Gingerbread Hot Cocoa
Makes: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 ½ cups milk of choice
¼ cup dutch cocoa powder
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you want it
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/16 teaspoon ground allspice
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon sticks and star anise, optional
Whipped cream, optional
Instructions
Pour milk into a medium saucepan. Place the saucepan on a burner over medium heat. Warm until the milk is steaming, but not simmering, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the cocoa powder, coconut sugar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, gloves, and ground black pepper. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes. If the mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Divide hot cocoa between two mugs. Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick, star anise, and/or whipped cream and serve.
Notes
To decrease added sugar, replace coconut sugar with an equivalent amount of a granulated monk fruit sweetener.
Nutrition Information
For 1 12-ounce serving prepared with 2% cow’s milk
Calories: 214
Fat: 8 grams
Saturated Fat: 5 grams
Cholesterol: 25 milligrams
Sodium: 147 milligrams
Carbohydrate: 30.75 grams
Fiber: 3.5 grams
Sugar: 24 grams
Added Sugar: 9 grams
Protein: 11 grams
