Vegan Coconut Orange Chai Hot Chocolate

You guys. I think I’ve found my all-time favourite hot beverage. And this is coming from a confirmed coffee and tea lover. But somehow this vegan coconut orange chai hot chocolate won a place in my heart that I’m almost positive it will ever give up.

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While I was at home in Trinidad I became obsessed with chai hot chocolate. My parents received some dark chocolate hot cocoa that I could actually drink so I was trying to make the most of it and had it with everything.

I started just putting it in my coffee in the morning and eventually snowballed into my adding it to my nightly cup of chai tea as well. Fast forward a month (holy smokes how has it been a month since Christmas already?!?!) and I decided to try my hand at making chai hot chocolate from scratch.

Coconut Orange Chai Hot Chocolate

Why make it from scratch you ask? Well, three reasons really. Firstly, chai tea bags are usually made with black tea which has caffeine. Turns out I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine and those nightly chai teas were keeping me up way past my bedtime. Secondly, all the chai tea bags I’ve found in Canada so far are weak AF. I would need to use at least 2 bags to get any chai flavour from them, which would mean a lot of caffeine

And lastly, I’ve always wanted to make my own chai spice blend, so I figured now was my chance. I actually already had all the ingredients on hand thanks to my continued obsession with these DIY holiday simmering spices. I probably could have done it long before now but this creamy, decadent, perfectly spiced vegan coconut orange chai hot chocolate was definitely worth the wait. You seriously need to add it to your hot drink rotation ASAP.

Vegan Coconut Orange Chai Hot Chocolate

 

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Cook time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

This Vegan Coconut Orange Chai Hot Chocolate is creamy and decadent and a perfect blend of coconut, orange and masala chai spices. You definitely need it in your hot drink rotation.

Author: GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth

Recipe type: Drink

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I used Silk)
• 1½ cups lite coconut milk
• 4 orange slices + more for garnishing
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 star anise
• 4 black peppercorns
• 6 whole cloves
• 4-5 slices of fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• sweetener to taste (I used 1½ tbsp maple syrup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring almond milk, coconut milk, 2 orange slices and spices to a boil, stirring occasionally
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes until fragrant
3. Remove orange slices (but don't get rid of them) and whisk in cocoa powder, vanilla and sweetener if using
4. Return orange slices, along with the other two, to the saucepan and simmer for an additional 2 - 3 minutes
5. Add 2 orange slices to the bottom of each mug and strain the chai hot chocolate over them
6. Top with more orange slices and cinnamon sticks

3.5.3208

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What about you?

• Have you ever had chai hot chocolate before? Thoughts?
• Do you prefer DIY chai spice blends or the store bought tea bags?
• Any recommended brands for loose leaf chai tea or chai tea bags?

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