I’ll be honest…this is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever made. It’s so chocolatey, decadent and rich, and suuuuuper creamy. The game changer? Tahini. The tahini not only adds another level of complexity to the flavor, it makes this hot chocolate very creamy and thick.
You know how you used to drink packaged hot chocolate, like Swiss Miss, growing up and it was basically chocolate flavored water? Yeah, this is not that. This is thick like melted chocolate and milk, even though it is vegan and no dairy added. Tahini makes all the difference! I may just start adding tahini to everything from now on…
The low-down on Tahini: What is it?
Tahini is ground sesame seeds that form a loose, decadent paste. Think of it like almond or peanut butter but for sesame seeds- it’s basically “sesame seed butter.” Tahini is widely used in Mediterranean cuisines, and is most commonly found in hummus. I really enjoy tahini in salad dressings or drizzled on kabobs or roasted eggplant. And more recently, I’ve seen tahini in desserts, like chocolate. This is where I ultimately had to try and make some of this tahini hot chocolate and boy, am I glad that I did!
The key to this Sea Salt Tahini Hot Chocolate is good quality tahini. There are definitely some not so good tahini’s out there, and we definitely do not want you ruining your deliciously decadent hot chocolate with some bad tahini.
According to Bon Appetit, “The best tahini is mildly nutty, creamy, and savory—you should want to eat it with a spoon. It’s rich and luxurious, with a texture like a loose nut butter. Bad tahini, on the other hand, can be bitter and astringent, bordering on acidic, and can be dry with an almost chalky mouthfeel.”
Some good tahini’s:
- Soom Tahini
- Whole Foods Brand 365 Tahini
- Roland Tahini
What’s in this hot chocolate?
- Almond milk (or another non-dairy milk of your choice)
- Cocoa powder (because it’s hot cocoa, duh!)
- Tahini– the hot chocolate game changer
- Maple syrup (the real sh*t, not the fake syrup)
- Instant coffee– it adds to the rich, chocolatey flavor
- Vanilla Extract
- Sea salt– this enhances the tahini and chocolate even more
How to make Sea Salt Tahini Hot Chocolate
- Start by heating the almond milk in a small saucepan over medium-heat until it is warm, not boiling hot
- Once the milk is warm, whisk in the tahini, cocoa powder, maple syrup, instant coffee, and vanilla extract
- Using a whisk, mix the hot chocolate mixture together until there are no cocoa powder or tahini clumps and everything is combined
- Remove from the heat and add the sea salt
- Serve in large mugs and top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and sesame seeds
If you make this sea salt tahini hot chocolate, let me know how you liked it! Share it with me on instagram , @thenutritionfiend, or Pinterest, @leangreennutrit.
Sea Salt Tahini Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Almond Milk or another dairy-free milk of your choice
- 3 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 1/3 cup Tahini
- 2-3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Instant Coffee Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- Whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and sesame seeds to top (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the almond milk in a small saucepan over medium- heat.
- Once the almond milk is warm, not so hot that it is boiling, add in the cocoa powder, tahini, maple syrup, instant coffee powder, and vanilla extract. Continuously whisk until the ingredients are all combined and there are no remaining cocoa powder or tahini clumps.
- Remove from heat and add in the sea salt, to taste.
- Serve in large mugs and top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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