The temperatures in New Jersey are steadily dropping which means Fall is here. It also means winter is not far behind. BUT ultimately this means hot chocolate season is upon us and this Pumpkin Hot Chocolate is the perfect Fall flavored treat to keep you warm.
Store bought hot chocolate mixes can be loaded with sugar and therefore not something I like to drink on a regular basis. Before you swear off hot chocolate for good, try out this healthier alternative. I am sharing an old recipe that I whipped up on a cold New York night way back in college.
Last night I made my first ever homemade hot chocolate recipe from 2014! I kind of remember that night like it was yesterday. It was cold and I’m pretty sure we decided that it was too cold to go out. So what else was there to do other than get in the kitchen and whip up a new recipe? Just kidding, I was probably just craving hot chocolate and we were out! At the time, I made it pumpkin because my suite-mate Janie had an open can of pumpkin puree we were trying to use before it went bad! #BrokeCollegeGirlProblems
This recipe is incredibly easy to make and doesn’t require many ingredients. It’s also a fun activity on a cold winter night. In my case back in 2014 I was probably bored of sitting on the couch. This is a great recipe to make with kids! Kids love hot chocolate and how cool would it be for them to be able to say that they made it themselves! BONUS: pumpkin is quite nutritious and being able to sneak it into hot chocolate for a child is a huge win!
Benefits of Pumpkin:
- Packed with vitamin A
- Immunity boosting
- Great for eyesight
- Nutrient dense and low in calorie
Pumpkin Hot Chocolate
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
2 cups of milk of choice (I used Almond Milk)
2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
Dash of vanilla
Instructions
Add all the ingredients into a sauce pan, whisk and heat over medium flame until the mixture boils. Immediately take off heat and pour into mugs. Be careful because it will be hot. Make sure to let it cool before you take a sip.
Add some marshmallows, cuddle up with a good movie and enjoy these cold nights!
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
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