As a picky dairy eater who will not any dairy touch milk, I’m well versed in the dairy free alternatives to milk. When people started milking oats, 2 years ago I joined them, making my own homemade oat milk. It’s a process that is fast and easy, but what’s even easier is opening the fridge and pulling out a carton of oat milk. In the last year we’ve gone from no oat milk available locally to at least 6 brands, of which I’ve tried most.
Oat milk’s popularity is largely due to its texture, its much creamier than other dairy alternatives, which makes it ideal for frothing. That creaminess comes from the carbohydrates in the oats.
Which leads us to the secret to making the best dairy free hot chocolate.
Oat Milk.
Due to its higher carb count, it yields the fluffiest creamiest hot chocolate. It gives you the best texture, foam and a taste that’s most full-bodied, less watered down.
Since discovering them last year, I’ve been an OKJA oat milk fan. Their fun packaging drew me in, but it was the taste and texture that made me keep coming back. OKJA is pronounced OAK JA and I love that they’re transparent about the ingredients used and why. Like the fact that they’re using Italian oats NO glyphosate residue and have packed 14% of oats into each bottle (considered a high percentage in the oat world). Or the fact that yes, there is a little amount of sunflower oil in their milk. Unrefined, cold-pressed sunflower oil to be exact which acts as an emulsifier and helps create that creamy, smooth texture, but you’ll get less than a gram of fat per 100 ml. Lastly there’s calcium (for strong bones) and sea salt, because while oat milk is the secret to the perfect dairy free hot chocolate, sea salt is the secret to taste.
So how do I make the perfect dairy free hot chocolate? With OKJA Oat milk, really good quality cocoa, cinnamon and a little piece of dark chocolate. To zhoosh it up, add whipped cream to the top and dust with cocoa, pop in some marshmallows or simply froth extra oat milk and add it in at the end.
The Secret to Making The Best Dairy Free Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 C oat milk
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 2 Tbsp cocoa
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 blocks dark chocolate
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a pot on the stove over a low flame. While the mixture heats up, whisk the ingredients together.
- Once hot, divide between two mugs and enjoy hot.
