Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate is the perfect warming drink on a cold day. This hot, creamy, nourishing drink is protein-rich, fragrant, sweet and slightly spicy with hints of cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, ginger and more.
Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate is one of the most delicious warming drinks!
Who doesn’t love hot chocolate? I know I love me some real food hot chocolate and can’t get enough of it during the colder months. It’s been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl.
There’s something so special about hot chocolate, it’s nostalgic in a way. For most people, it brings back very special memories and feels so comforting.
Now I love it the classic way, but it’s extra special with the additional flavors of chai. Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate is absolutely heavenly!
Making your own Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate is so easy to do!
For this recipe I use similar spices to the ones that are in my homemade immune-boosting chai tea. I LOVE that chai tea so much, but I wanted a couple additional spices for this hot chocolate – cardamom and star anise.
I truly love the flavor of cardamom. It’s such a special spice with strong, aromatic hints of citrus, herbs and spice. It’s so lovely and especially delicious in chai hot chocolate {and tea too!}.
Star anise tends to be pretty bold in flavor, that’s why I only recommend using a broken half of the star anise pod. Of course, you don’t have to use it at all if you don’t care for the licorice and anise flavor. It adds a nice background flavor, but it’s totally optional.
These spices, along with cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves, black pepper, astragalus root and fresh ginger slowly steep in warm milk to create the chai flavor base. This beautiful fragrant hot milk gets added to a blender with cocoa, raw honey or maple syrup, vanilla, a little bit of sea salt and GRASS-FED GELATIN.
Why Add Grass-fed Gelatin to Chai Hot Chocolate?
When I’m not using grass-fed collagen {because I use it daily} and when I want a foamy “marshmallowy” top on my hot drinks, I use grass-fed gelatin for an extra protein and nourishing boost. Don’t worry, it does not alter the flavor, but, the gelatin-rich foam will taste reminiscent of marshmallows. So yummy!
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and plays a key role in numerous bodily functions. Gelatin is basically the same thing, but the cooked version of collagen. It’s known for supporting gut health and digestion, helping to build and restore muscle, support skin, bone and joint health and so much more (source).
Not all gelatins are created equal though. I only support products or companies that fit my standards for health, quality and sourcing. I only recommend using quality grass-fed gelatin. Knowing the source and where the gelatin comes from is very important to me.
I can’t say enough good things about Perfect Supplements. They truly care about the quality of their natural supplements and products. Perfect Supplements Bovine Gelatin is 100% pesticide and hormone free, sourced exclusively from Brazilian pasture raised {grass-fed} cows, non-GMO, lab tested with proof of purity, and high protein {98%}. It’s perfect for making homemade marshmallows, homemade gummies, custard, fudge, pies, “jello” and more.
BONUS: I want to share my Recipes to Nourish Perfect Supplements 10% OFF coupon code with you! Just follow the link here and enter NOURISH10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order.
But let’s get to the recipe because this one is so good and perfect for the colder months.
Chai Hot Chocolate is so tasty and a must make for the holidays! Grab a couple mugs of this deliciousness and and get cozy by the fire with someone you love.
Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate
Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate {Nourishing}
Real Food Chai Hot Chocolate is the perfect warming drink on a cold day. This hot, creamy, nourishing drink is protein-rich, fragrant, sweet and slightly spicy with hints of cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, ginger and more
Ingredients
- 3 cups raw/grass-fed/organic milk or full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger chunk, peeled and finely grated
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp whole cloves
- 5 cardamom pods, gently smashed
- 2 black peppercorns - optional
- 1/2 star anise - optional
- 1 astragalus root strip
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 2 tbsp raw honey or organic maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch Celtic sea salt (<-- this is my favorite sea salt)
- 2 tbsp grass-fed gelatin (<-- this is the only grass-fed gelatin I use and recommend)
Instructions
- Add your milk of choice to a medium-size saucepan. Add the ginger, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, broken piece of star anise and astragalus root. Place a lid on saucepan and heat over very low heat for 10 minutes until the milk is hot and steaming and the spices are fragrant. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a blender.
- Add the cocoa or cacao, sweetener of choice, vanilla extract, sea salt and gelatin (in that order) to the blender. Immediately blend for at least 25 seconds until the chai hot chocolate is fully incorporated and a frothy foam is on top.
- Pour into mugs and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Bonus Nourishing Add-In: Add 1 tablespoon grass-fed ghee or grass-fed butter for a nice healthy, nutrient-dense boost. Add this to the blender when you add all of the other ingredients. It blends up beautifully with all of the other ingredients. Alternatively, you can use a whisk until the butter/ghee becomes fully incorporated and frothy.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 589Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 4gSugar: 24gProtein: 23g
This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Are you on Pinterest? I pin lots of yummy real food recipes + more there. I have a board just for Gluten Free Treats + Beverage Recipes too. Come follow along.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Creamy Turmeric Ginger Tea {Dairy-Free Option}
Easy Instant Pot Spiced Apple Cider
Healthy Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallows
Healthy Sweet Beet Hot Chocolate
Hydrolyzed Collagen, Desiccated Liver, Coconut Oil, Liver Detox Support, Ancient Minerals + more!
WOW!! Love the fennel and astragalus, in addition to the beautiful cloves and star anise. What a comforting and pleasurable cup! Hot chocolate with spices has a whole different appeal. Love this!!
Your words are so kind, thank you Megan! It’s a really fun and delicious flavor combo. I think you’d enjoy it too. xo
Confession: I’ve never had anythign chair. But, this looks so pretty I think I might need to try this!
I hope you get to try some Megan! It’s so yummy 🙂
I’ll have to admit, I’m not a fan of Chai but this cocoa makes me think about trying it again. I can just imagine the aroma from all the spices and chocolate!
I hear you, I don’t care for all chai blends – especially ones with black tea. But I love this version 🙂 Hope you get to try some, it’s a yummy flavor combo 🙂
That sounds super cozy and warming not just from the temp, but those spices!
Thanks Rebecca! Yes, so true, the spices are so awesome. 🙂
I love the healthy twist on a comfort drink! These makes me want to sip on a large mug of this right now!
Thanks Sharon, it’s so delicious! I hope you get to try some 🙂
This is just lovely! I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks so much Renee! I hope you get to try some 🙂
This looks so delicious, definitely gotta give it a try!
Thanks Jessica! I hope you get to enjoy some 🙂
I love that this uses fresh ginger and gelatin! This is my perfect drink!
Thank you Marjorie! Gotta love that PS gelatin! 🙂
Typically I don’t like chai but this recipe sounds delicious! I may have to try it out.
I can understand, there are some chai versions that I don’t care for either. This is one of my favorites, I hope you get to try some. 🙂
Mmm, such warming and comforting flavors for this chilly time of year!
Thank you, yes – so cozy and perfect for cold weather! 🙂
Such interesting twist to hot chocolate drink. I can’t wait to try the ginger-coco combo. Yum-med!
It’s so delicious, I hope you get to enjoy some. 🙂
I love Chai and Hot Chocolate but never had them together nor have I heard of this unique combo – I’ll have to give this a try!
I love both too! I figured they’d be great together and they are 🙂
What a great idea for a hot drink!! I can’t wait to try this!!
Thanks Ruthie! I hope you get to make some. 🙂
This sounds so delicious and perfect for a cold night! chai and hot cocoa…two of my favorite things ; )
Yes! Perfect for a cold night for sure! I hope you get to make some. 🙂
Did not ry chai tea or this one, but it looks so great and i need to try to make it. Thanks for the recipe xo
Hope you get to make some Ivana 🙂
Beutiful pictures! I just want to dive right into that hot chocolate! I love all the spices!
Thank you Amanda! I wish I could send you some. 🙂
Yummy chia hot chocolate sounds and looks so good.
Thanks Bella, it’s delicious 🙂
Beautiful!! I love it. I love the little chocolate flower at the top!!
Thanks Heather!
Chai hot chocolate sounds fabulous. Just in time for the cold weather. So happy to have this recipe. Gonna try it. Sounds yummy!
I hope you get to enjoy some soon! 🙂
Emily, I love this recipe for hot chocolate + chai= Those are two of my favorite drinks and together most be fantastic. I just printed the recipe for this weekend.
Thanks so much Carlos! I hope you enjoy it!