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Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate

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I saw a recipe in our local newspaper during the holidays for Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. It was featured in a syndicated article that came from Associated Press Food Editor J.M. Hirsch.

The recipe called for a whole chocolate doughnut to be blended in with the usual hot chocolate ingredients. I immediately thought, “Now that is ridiculous!” Just as quickly, my initial thought was replaced by, “Oh my gosh, I must have that. Now!”

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. Did I really put a doughnut in my mug of hot chocolate? Read my post to find out, but you'll want this recipe for sure. Gluten free, dairy free. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com] (photo)

Not having made gluten-free doughnuts yet and not planning on purchasing ready-made gluten-free doughnuts, I had to come up with a version that would give me the taste of a doughnut without the actual doughnut. So I did, or at least I think I did.

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. Did I really put a doughnut in my mug of hot chocolate? Read my post to find out, but you'll want this recipe for sure. Gluten free, dairy free. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com] (photo)

My Chocolate “Doughnut” Hot Chocolate is very good. Plus, it is gluten free, dairy free, and more—all those things that I’m going for these days.

But everything else is here, too. The cinnamon-sugar factor that I associate with doughnuts (more often than the glazed factor), the comfort food taste of the “fat” that one gets from doughnuts (although just a tad of healthy fat in my recipe), and the richness that a Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate clearly must have.

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. Did I really put a doughnut in my mug of hot chocolate? Read my post to find out, but you'll want this recipe for sure. Gluten free, dairy free. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com]

Now honestly, I have no idea if this hot chocolate tastes like the original Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate or even if it tastes like it would if I’d used an actual gluten-free chocolate doughnut, glazed doughnut, or cinnamon-sugar doughnut versus my simple concoction. I just know this hot chocolate is a thick, rich, bittersweet chocolate mixture that I like.

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. Did I really put a doughnut in my mug of hot chocolate? Read my post to find out, but you'll want this recipe for sure. Gluten free, dairy free. [from GlutenFreeEasily.com] (photo)

It was an especially lovely treat this morning after a walk with Sonny (our collie) in what was left of last night’s snow! Be sure to scroll down to get the links for 10 more delicious warming beverages and then grab the recipe for this Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate. You’re going to want it for snow days, especially nippy winter days, “blah” days, and more!

Mug Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate Gluten Free Easily (Gluten Free, Dairy Free

10 More Warming Winter Beverages …

~ Spicy Hot Chocolate ( from City | Life | Eats) (I love this recipe!)

This Spicy Hot Chocolate will warm you up in two ways! It's a winner for when you can't get warm enough by drinking basic hot chocolate.

~ Hot Cider Smoothie (The Mommy Bowl’s recipe)

~ Mary’s Pick-Me-Up Citrus Tea (can be served hot or cold)

~ gfe Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (with lots of help from Kim at Cook IT Allergy Free)

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

~ Velvety Pumpkin Spice Latte here at gfe

~ Super Juice  here at gfe (recipe courtesy of Dr. Christine Doherty)

Antioxidant Super Juice Gluten Free Easily

~ Vegan Hot Cocoa

~ Elana’s Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

~ Ali’s Dairy-Free Hot Cocoa

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate Recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate

Chocolate Doughnut Hot Chocolate

Rich, creamy hot chocolate that gives you the effect of having a chocolate doughnut IN your hot chocolate!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp almond flour
  • 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • ¼ cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon, optional
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips (ensure they are gluten free)
  • Pinch sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix almond flour, coconut flour, and coconut oil on baking sheet. Place in oven. Cook for about two to three minutes, stirring about every minute. (This step can also be done in a small skillet over medium to medium-high heat for about the same amount of time.)
  2. In your blender pitcher, add almond milk, raw cacao powder, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and your “doughnut” mixture. Blend on high spend until smooth, about a minute or so.
  3. Transfer mixture to medium-sized saucepan. Heat over medium heat whisking mixture fairly often until it thickens and foams, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add chocolate chips and salt, whisking again until chocolate chips are incorporated (melted chocolate will no longer appear on the whisk). Pour into mugs and serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by J.M. Hirsch’s recipe.

If you really like cinnamon in your hot chocolate, you can skip the ground cinnamon and/or add a cinnamon stick to your mug. I decided the latter was a bit too much cinnamon for me personally. Plus, my Red Ape Cinnamon Stick from Nu Naturals was a wee bit short for my mug as you can see in my photo below.

I love that this hot chocolate stays thick and "foamy" as it cools, too!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Shirley Braden
Cuisine: American / Category: Beverages

Originally published February 20, 2012; updated December 2, 2021.

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Comments

    • Shirley says

      Hi Moriah–Thanks! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂 Made fresh, I love this recipe. I chilled the leftovers and reheated and it wasn’t foamy or as good as my initial tasting, but I didn’t spend any time whisking it, so that might have helped.

      Shirley

      Reply

  2. Jane says

    oh.my.gosh, incredible! I am so craving hot chocolate and snow right now! And donuts (doughnuts?) Thanks, Shirley, I am going to check out some of the other links too! Have a great day!

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hey Jane–I can’t help you with the snow, but happy to help with this hot chocolate. 😉 I hope you enjoyed the other links as well. Some variety there, but lots of hot cocoa love, too. 🙂

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hey Shannon–I can’t even imagine the bad stuff in that original recipe. I think the doughnuts you get out are filled with lots of stuff that we don’t want. I’m not saying that this one is the same in taste/texture/decadence, but it worked for me. 😉

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Deanna–Haha! Snow and hot chocolate definitely go together! Hope you both enjoy this, or some Mommy Bowl variation … Oh, and I’m still thinking about that Chocolate Bananas Foster ice cream. YUM!

      Shirley

      Reply

  5. Melissa @ glutenfreeforgood says

    First off, I want that blue mug! I have a mug addiction and that one is beautiful. Hot chocolate is a favorite treat of mine. It never dawned on me to put flour in it. Interesting! I will definitely give that a try. It’s been snowing here (finally) off and on lately, so it’s perfect weather for hot chocolate. =)

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Melissa–I adore that mug myself. I got that at the Polish Pottery spot in Pike Place Market when Diane, Wendy, and I were shopping upon our arrival for IFBC when we all met up year before last. 🙂

      Well, just remember that almond flour and coconut flour aren’t the usual flours … ground nuts and coconut meat really. Now it seems more logical, right? 😉

      Snow and hot chocolate/cocoa definitely go together–enjoy! xo,
      Shirley

      Reply

  6. Linda says

    Looks like you did a great job creating that one, Shirley. I think I would have done the same thing–come up with a way to recreate the idea without using an actual doughnut. I’m glad you did the work for me. It looks delicious!

    We didn’t get any snow here. I was so disappointed.

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Linda–Thanks! I do think that when I make doughnuts (or doughnut holes) one day I will save one to do better justice to the original recipe. It will be interesting to compare the two recipes. Who knows? I might deem this one totally unworthy then. 😉

      I was happy we got our little bit of snow, but it definitely did not stick around. I think our chances of more are pretty slim now. 🙁

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Sarah–It looks like you are new to gfe, and your site is new to me–welcome! 🙂 There is definitely such a thin as hot chocolate phases, isn’t there? I know I go through them. 😉 Thanks for the kind words! Hope you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try!

      Shirley

      Reply

  9. Maggie says

    So cool! Well done Shirley, I was anxious to see how you replaced that donut angle. Great mix of ingredients. I think I’m going to have to give this one a try. Who wouldn’t love a donut in their hot chocolate?

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Maggie–One day I will actually try the version with a gluten-free doughnut ground up, but until then, I’m happy with this one. Hope you enjoy it if you try it, or perhaps the “real deal”? Trying to remember if you have made gluten-free doughnuts before …

      xo,
      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Heather–There are a lot of us chocolate lovers! 🙂 Some days I think that as long as I throw a fair amount of chocolate in my recipe, I can’t go wrong. 😉 Thanks, dear! I hope you’ll enjoy this one if you try it.

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Beth–Thanks so much! Unconventional recipes have been known to intrigue me. 🙂 I often use a little almond flour and/or coconut flour in smoothies, so it wasn’t a far reach to come up with this concept for hot chocolate. 😉

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      InTolerant Chef–I think you are right about the heat! And even if you allow it to get almost cold, it doesn’t really seem cold with the thickness and foaminess. Thanks on the photos! I picked those mittens up at Christmas time. They were boys’ and about $1 each, and I just love them! 🙂

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Alisa–Thanks! I love coconut flour in all kinds of beverages. It’s a nice thickener and nutritional boost. Yes, cinnamon often makes a drink super special. Incidentally, I made your pomegranate smoothie yesterday for breakfast and loved it! But can you believe that I forgot the cinnamon? Still loved it though. Will try it with cinnamon next. 🙂

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Haha, Katrina! Sometimes I do like ridiculous, and I definitely aspire to amazing, but most often I’ll settle for very good, and delicious. 😉

      Thanks!
      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Nancy–Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave such a nice comment! 🙂 I know you are swamped these days. I loved the red, white, and blue of the photos as background for that hot chocolate, too. 😉

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      I think the chance of snow has passed, right? So you are in the clear now, but as naughty goes, this one isn’t too bad. 😉 Thanks re: the photos! Have you seen the photos entered so far? I don’t think I can contend, but I have until March. I’ll keep looking for/working towards a photo to submit … just for you. 🙂

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Ellen–Sure, and thanks! 🙂 Today after our walk, Sonny ate his usual fare and I made pancakes from banana, egg, almond butter, and a bit of almond flour. YUM! I was working off a simple recipe at Heidi’s blog. 🙂

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hey Carol–Happy anniversary! From your FB update, I know you’re drinking something better than any type of hot chocolate tonight.. 😉 Enjoy!

      Shirley

      Reply

  22. Tessa Domestic Diva says

    I am so making this, I love the idea of using the flours to thicken it up, makes you think decadence w/out the calories! I usually use sweet potato puree to achieve this, but coconut flour?! Genius!

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Thanks, Tessa! I’ve used coconut flour in place of milk powder, protein powder, and more. As long as you have plenty of liquid, it’s always a good addition. And if you ever have a recipe that has too much liquid, adding some coconut flour can solve the problem in a jiffy. 😉 I need to take a page from your book and use sweet potato puree more. I’ve been adding mashed sweet potato to smoothies and several other recipes of late, but haven’t thought of it as healthy decadence, although it did that job nicely in the recent biscuits (beloved by my support group last night).

      Shirley

      Reply

  23. Kim (Cook IT Allergy Free) says

    For me, the thicker the hot chocolate the better! This sounds amazing. I wish I was there in the cold with you, walking with Sonny, to enjoy this frothy beverage. Like Carol, it is going to be pretty warm and nice here today so hot chocolate will sound perfect at about 7pm when the temp drops. 😉 Love the creativity of this. And I cannot really imagine a REAL donut in this. Holy Shmagoly. Talk about decadent. I would be on a sugar high for days after that.

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Kim–Well, today it was sunny and 60 something! So it’s cooler beverages today. 😉 This recipe is definitely thick with a bit of a texture. I suspect that if we took a sip of hot chocolate with a real doughnut in it, one sip (or maybe two) would be more than enough. None of us really need those sugar highs, do we?

      Thanks!
      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Sophie–It’s great to see you, dear. 🙂 Thanks so much for the kind words on this recipe. I’m thinking it’s still cold in your region. 😉

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Morri–Obviously I’m way behind on some comments, but it’s great to see you again! 🙂 Thanks for the kind words. It is delish. 😉

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Nancy–Thank you, dear! 🙂 Most of us love “all things chocolate,” so I knew this recipe would be a hit. 😉 Love AFW! Trying to keep up with it … you guys are amazing!

      Shirley

      Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hi Michelle–Welcome to gfe, and thank you! 🙂 Just took a peak at your blog, Gluten-Free Fix, and I love all your simple and delightful recipes! Oh my goodness on that coconut caramel sauce … I want that now!! No kidding!

      Shirley

      Reply

  31. SunnyB@andloveittoo says

    I am going to have to blog about this one! My 9 year old and I are at home today and we thought your hot cocoa sounded like a wonderful way to start the day. We subbed the almond milk with canned coconut milk (mainly because it’s what we have on hand, but it’s also more Candida friendly), raw unfiltered honey in place of the palm sugar (we’re stage 3 and allowed a bit of honey every day…although I’m sure stevia would work, too) and two Tbs cocoa nibs in place of the chocolate chips.

    Soooooo gooooood! We love the cinnamon in it, of course it probably offsets some of the bitterness from the raw nibs which is just fine with me.

    All of the raw cocoa gives us a healthy dose of iron and magnesium, meaning we’ll probably want naps in a while! LOL! I’m sure this will become a nighttime favorite once winter kicks in.

    Thanks, Shirley!

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Hey Sunny–I was sure that I had replied to you, but I guess that was on Facebook. 😉 I’m so happy that you came up with a version that you all can enjoy! It sounds totally delish, of course. Can you do the roasted cocoa nibs? I LOVE those! I like the idea of making this a nighttime favorite during cold weather. 🙂

      xo,
      Shirley

      Reply

  32. Johnna says

    In KC, there is a fancy chocolatier, Christopher Elbow, who sells Liquid Chocolate. It’s thick, creamy and has incredible depth of flavor. This recipe–spot on except without the dairy and refined sugar. How is that even possible? Thank you for this, it’s divine!

    Reply

    • Shirley says

      Johnna–First, thank you for this fabulous review! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to leave this comment. Although I’ve never heard of Christopher Elbow before today, I hope I get to try their chocolate one day. 😉 Second, interestingly enough, my Bellagio Sipping Chocolate arrived today and when made with milk (dairy or non-dairy), it also tastes very close to this recipe. (I originally had it made with water when I sampled it.) Anyway, I love that I created a special hot chocolate that you really enjoyed!

      Shirley

      Reply

  34. Aprii J Harris says

    Shared on Twitter! I have to say that your version of this hot chocolate sounds a lot healthier, and just as delicious, as the recipe that inspired you, Shirley. It really does look like a treat. Thank you so much for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul.

    Reply

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