single serving vegan hot cocoa 4 ways

My favorite coconut milk.

My favorite cocoa powder.

Equal Exchange is also my favorite brand of coffee.  The “Mind, Body, and Soul” blend is the best!

Coconut milk whipped cream. 

Coconut whipped cream four ways.

Four ways to impress your friends.

Hot cocoa four ways.

Four more ways to impress your friends.

Or yourself.

Don’t make me pick a favorite.

Print this!

Single Serving Vegan Hot Cocoa Four Ways

*All recipes are lightly sweetened, as I’m fairly sensitive to sugar.  Taste and adjust the level of sweetness or richness of the cocoa as desired. Feel free to sub soy or hemp milk instead of almond milk if desired. 

Coconut Whipped Cream [yields 1 – 1 1/4 cups]

• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1.5 tablespoons coconut powdered sugar

1. Place your wire whisk mixer attachment, a metal or ceramic bowl, and the can of coconut milk into your freezer for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.  This is important.
2. Carefully open the can of coconut milk.  Do not shake the can!
3. Scrape off the top cream layer which goes down about 1/2 or a little further into the can.  Place in the cold bowl.
4. Stop scarping when you reach the liquid below and add only 1 tablespoon of the liquid.  Reserve the rest of the liquid to use in smoothies, if desired.
5. Use the cold whisk attachment and whisk on high speed for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and soft peaks form.
6. Whisk the sugar in at high speed until dissolved.
7. Add other ingredients as desired.

Coconut Powdered Sugar

*Powdered sugar is super easy to make at home.  I’ve shown it a few times before and haven’t bought a bag of powdered sugar in years.  I love that I can use non-refined sugars and arrowroot instead of cornstarch in this simple homemade version.

• 1c coconut sugar [sucanat or pure cane sugar]
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

1. Place both ingredients in your blender and blend until soft like typical powdered sugar.
2. Store in a sealed container and use as desired.

Hot Cocoa Directions [each recipe serves 1]

*If you have one of those little battery operated frothers [$1.99 from Ikea] they make smoothing the cocoa much easier.  Also, I suggest sifting your cocoa powder as it’s typically clumped together.  Again, all of these recipes are very lightly sweetened.  Add more sugar as desired.  If you only have sweetened soy or almond milk that will work well, just leave out the sugar that the recipe calls for until you taste it.

1. In a small pot over med-low heat whisk the milk until it starts to simmer.
2. Whisk in all other ingredients from one of four recipes below until smooth.
3. Taste and add more cocoa or sweetener if desired.
4. Pour into a mug + sip.

Whipped Cream Directions

1. Using your wire whisk attachment and a hand or stand mixer, combine the already made coconut whipped cream with the other ingredients specified from one of the the following four recipes.
2. Whisk on high until smooth.

Vanilla Hot Cocoa

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

• 1/4 cup coconut whipped cream
• 1 inch of a vanilla bean pod scraped
• 1 teaspoon coconut powdered sugar

Coconut Hot Cocoa

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons light canned coconut milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar

Coconut Whipped Cream

• 1/4 cup coconut whipped cream
• more coconut powdered sugar if desired

Mint Chocolate Hot Cocoa

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 1/8 + 1/16 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mint Chocolate Whipped Cream

• 1/4 cup coconut whipped cream
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1-2 teaspoons coconut powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mocha Hot Cocoa

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Mocha Whipped Cream

• 1/4 cup coconut whipped cream
• 1 teaspoon coconut powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder

I drink a mug of hot cocoa almost every single night through the colder months and now you can too.

Happppppy Halloween. 

Ashley

My thoughts go out to everyone affected by the devastating hurricane.It’s hard being so far removed from this tragic event.  Be well + stay safe.xo

cashew pumpkin cream {date sweetened}

Fear not.  This blog will not turn into a pumpkin patch for all of fall.  I will infuse this page with pumpkin minimally + creatively.  I just can’t help myself.

Pumpkin has been a favorite of mine ever since I can remember.  My mom hates it.  My dad loves it.  Chris hates it.  I love it.  So I get it.  It’s a love it or hate it kind of thing.

Today, I took a stab at a recipe idea that popped in my head a few weeks ago.  It all came about when I was making cherry cashew cream frosting for the almond meal muffins.  Adding pumpkin to the mix could only make things creamier.  I thought the mild cashew flavor and pumpkin spices would work well together. 

And boy did they ever.

Lately, I’ve really enjoyed using cashews as a base for sauces and frostings.  Soaked cashews offer a luxuriously rich texture full of healthy fats + nutrients.  They can be utilized in soups, sauces, frostings, nut butters, and more.  It’s still amazing to me how versatile nuts are. 

My purpose with this recipe was to see if I could come up with a comparable version of the standard pumpkin cream cheese dip you’ve all seen before.  My goal was not to replicate that recipe but to create something that was just as enticing + sinful.

While the cream cheese dip is delicious, I have to admit this one wins in my book.  It tastes like straight-up pumpkin pie filling.  And personally, I would much rather scarf down pumpkin pie filling than pumpkin cheesecake filling.

Smooth, thick, spiced, and so very creamy.

Pumpkin pie in a bowl.

Dip, slather, spread, or scoop.

I’ll let you decide.

Print this!

Cashew Pumpkin Cream – Date Sweetened

vegan, gluten-free // yields 1 1/4 cup

• 1/2 cup raw/unsalted cashews, soaked
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 6-8 large medjool dates, soaked
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup unsweetened almond/hemp/soy milk
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Soak cashews in a bowl and leave on the counter overnight [or for at least 5 hours].
2. Soak dates in a bowl of warm water until tender. About 30 minutes – 1 hour.  Remove the pits.
3. Drain the cashews and add them to your high speed blender with 6 of the drained soaked dates, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, all of the spices, and salt.
4. Blend the ingredients from low to high while using your blender stir stick to keep the mixture moving.  Add more milk [slowly] if needed to thin out.  I used a total of 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.
5. Blend until completely smooth.
6. Add more soaked dates and blend if a sweeter taste is desired.
7. Store in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days.

notes:  If you’re having a hard time getting things moving in your blender you may want to add a bit more pumpkin puree and/or milk.  Taste and add more spices if needed.  Using the stir stick is key!  This may work with a small or large food processor, but I’m not sure that it will get to the same smooth texture.

First book deadline is Monday.

Back to doughnut-land.

Have a great weekend!

Ashley