Creamy and rich, this protein hot chocolate is the perfect healthy sweet treat! A simple recipe that only calls for 4 simple ingredients and can be ready in 5 minutes. This healthy drink is low in calories and contains a whopping 16g of protein per serve.
Been loving starting my day off with a high-protein drink, and I will either opt for my protein iced coffee or this protein hot chocolate. Adding protein powder to my drinks is a fun and delicious way to increase my protein intake!
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💚Why you will love this recipe
- Smooth, creamy, and rich in flavors
- Healthy, low in calories and high-protein
- Highly customizable - you can customize it to suit your taste!
- A super quick 5 minutes recipe
🥛What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Chocolate protein powder - I am using a pea-based protein powder, but any plant-based protein powder will work. You can also use whey protein powder, which might yield a slightly thinner beverage.
- Milk - This recipe calls for soy milk to further increase protein content. However, other plant-based milk (like almonds and oats) or regular dairy milk will also work.
- Cocoa powder - Use a good-quality, Dutch-processed cocoa powder. They are mellower in flavor and darker in color. Check out this Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder post if you want to learn more.
- Sweetener - I am using erythritol (a sugar substitute) to keep this recipe sugar-free. However, other granulated or liquid sweeteners work as well. You can omit it if your protein powder is on the sweeter side.
🔪How to make
Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat once the mixture simmers gently or until it reaches the desired temperature. Be careful not to let it boil.
Add your toppings if using, and serve your protein hot chocolate while warm.
✅Helpful tips
- While heating your hot chocolate, frequently stir to prevent the hot chocolate from burning.
- Do not allow the hot chocolate to boil. High temperatures will cause the protein powder to clump, yielding a chunky and unpleasant drink.
- To make sure that all ingredients are well mixed, you can shake them in a protein shake or run the ingredients in a blender before heating.
- Sweeten to taste. If your protein powder is on the sweeter side, omit or use less of the sweetener to start. You can always add more later on if needed.
- Feel free to customize it and add flavorings of choice - spices like ground cinnamon or nutmeg, vanilla extract, espresso powder
✨Variations
Peppermint-flavored - Add a few drops of peppermint extract.
Mocha hot cocoa - Stir in a teaspoon of espresso powder or up to 2 teaspoons of instant coffee.
Mexican hot chocolate - Add a dash of ground cinnamon, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way when it comes to spices!
Less rich - Reduce the amount of protein powder used to 2-3 tablespoons, or increase the amount of milk used by ¼ cup.
🍫Topping ideas
Here are some fun toppings to add to your protein hot chocolate -
- Whipped cream - plant-based or regular
- Marshmallows
- Sprinkles
- Dust of cocoa powder
- Chocolate syrup or caramel sauce
- Mini chocolate chips
- Shaved chocolate
❔Commonly asked questions
Protein powder, both plant-based and whey, can be added to hot drinks. To prevent protein powder from clumping, it is recommended that you add protein powder to a room-temperature liquid to create a paste-like mixture. You can then add the paste to the hot beverage of your choice.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Protein Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups soy milk or other kinds of milk
- ¼ cup chocolate protein powder plant-based/whey
- 1 ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice *
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until smooth.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, until it starts to simmer gently. Be careful not to let it boil!
- Serve and enjoy your protein hot chocolate while warm.
Notes
- While heating your hot chocolate, frequently stir to prevent the hot chocolate from burning.
- Do not allow the hot chocolate to boil. High temperatures will cause the protein powder to clump, yielding a chunky and unpleasant drink.
- To make sure that all ingredients are well mixed, you can shake them in a protein shake or run the ingredients in a blender before heating.
- Sweeten to taste. If your protein powder is on the sweeter side, omit or use less of the sweetener to start. You can always add more later on if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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