Sugar-free hot cocoa is the perfect diabetes friendly treat for a chilly day. Hot chocolate is often high in sugar and can easily spike your blood sugar. This recipe is great for enjoying a classic warm winter drink, while keeping blood sugars stable.
What You’ll Need
- Cocoa Powder
- Stevia
- Milk of choice
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Mini marshmallows (optional)
How to Make Hot Cocoa
To make this hot cocoa, mix all the ingredients except vanilla, salt, and marshmallows over medium heat in a saucepan. Heat it until it reaches your desired temperature, remove it from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and salt. Serve with marshmallows if you like!
Why Make Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate?
If you have diabetes, drinking a sugar sweetened beverage can have a huge impact on blood sugar, especially when consumed by itself. Think about how it is a simple sugar (so it takes less effort to break it down) and it’s liquid so it’s quickly digested. That means the sugar is entering the blood stream quickly and causing a significant spike. Sugar alternatives are a great way to make your favorite beverages sweet without the huge blood sugar spike.
Variations of Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa
Additional Add-Ins:
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Cayenne
- Coffee or espresso
- Peppermint extract
- Almond extract
- Canned pumpkin + pumpkin pie spice
- Sugar free caramel
Making Ahead/Storage
You can make this in advance and reheat. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestion
This recipe makes 1 serving. When made with cow’s milk, it has 19 grams of carbohydrate (this does not include marshmallows), 12 g sugar (naturally occurring in the milk), and 10 grams of protein. If made with unsweetened almond milk, it has 10 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of sugar, and 3 grams protein. While the cow’s milk carbohydrate content may seem like a lot more, it has protein and fat to balance out the sugar content.
I thought you said this was sugar free?
This recipe is free of added sugar. If you choose to make it with regular cow’s milk, you are going to have naturally occurring sugar. If that bothers you, you can choose a low sugar milk like Fairlife, or opt for the unsweetened almond milk.
Other diabetes friendly desserts you’ll love:
Sugar Free Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1.5 tsp stevia
- 1 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- sugar-free marshmallows (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the cocoa powder, sugar alternative, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until well-blended and it reaches your desired temperature.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract (and salt, if using).
- Serve, topping with marshmallows if desired.
Aside from this sugar free hot cocoa, we have plenty of other diabetes-friendly recipes that can be used as alternatives to other desserts. Check out a few of our favorites below:
- Black Bean Brownies
- Blueberry Coconut Muffins
- Cheesecake with Blackberry Compote
- Chocolate Greek Yogurt Pie with Hazelnut Crust
- Grain-Free Gingerbread Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Chocolate Pudding
If you are wondering about the safety of stevia and other artificial sweeteners, take a look at this blog called Comparisons and Risks of Specific Artificial Sweeteners.
For an in depth look at nutrition for diabetes, check out Mastering Diabetes Nutrition: Your Ultimate Guide to Thriving!
Blog updated October 2024
Get Expert Help: Connect with Our Diabetes Dietitian
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
