Curl up with your sweetie and enjoy a rich warm mug of Maca Hot Chocolate. It's the dairy free date night dessert designed to amp up the fun! (I spent way too long writing that sentence.)
Originally, I wanted to perfect this recipe for Christmas, but I decided to hold off. Why? Well, it makes a bit more sense for Valentine's Day... after all, maca is purportedly an herbal libido booster. Chocolate + frisky feelings. I can't think of many other things I'd want for V-Day.
Okay, to be real, maca powder probably won't magically make you immediately want to jump your partner the minute it hits your tastebuds. I don't want you to unrealistically get your hopes up. But maca has been used for centuries to stoke sexual appetites. And it's a natural energy booster. It's high in minerals like calcium, potassium, manganese, and zinc. It's also got vitamin B-6 and vitamin C. Finally, it supposedly helps mood and, as an adaptogen, balances hormones.
Maca has a nutty, earthy flavor that I think adds a touch of caramel to this hot chocolate. It's rich, smooth and dark. Perfect for me!
Quick note: The recipe specifies cashew milk. That's my favorite. Sub in any dairy-free milk you like. Almond milk is a popular choice—I hardly ever use that for hot chocolate, though, because I dislike the almond flavor with my hot beverages. On the other hand, cashew milk has a very neutral, slightly sweet flavor.
I make my own cashew milk. Here's how: Soak 1 cup cashews in water for a couple hours. Drain. Add cashews, a pinch of salt, and 3 cups hot water to a high-powered blender and blend for a couple minutes until it looks like milk and there aren't any cashew chunks. Pour through 2 layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Now you've got a very basic cashew milk and cashew pulp, both of which can be stored in the fridge for a couple days. (The cashew pulp is amazing mixed with herbs + a little apple cider vinegar and spread on plantain chips.)
NOTE: I've actually revised the above homemade cashew milk recipe and it has its very own post now!
If you're looking for something a little different for Valentine's Day, why not try these other chocolate-laden recipes?
Dairy Free Maca Hot Chocolate
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Maca Hot Chocolate (Dairy Free)
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Beverages
- Method: stovetop
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 cups cashew milk (or dairy free milk of your choice)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons maca powder
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, mix the chocolate, cocoa powder, and 1 cup of cashew milk over low heat. Stir continuously until the chocolate has completely melted.
- Add the remaining milk, maca powder and sea salt. Stir and allow to heat all the way through.
- Stir in maple syrup to taste. Pour into two mugs and top with marshmallows or coconut whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups hot chocolate
Keywords: Maca Hot Chocolate
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