Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa Dessert Dip

This Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa Dessert Dip is the ultimate no-bake holiday dessert! Made with coconut cream, cacao powder, maple syrup, vegan marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and ready in 5 minutes. Perfect for Christmas parties, dessert boards, and festive snacking.

There’s nothing quite as cozy as a cup of hot cocoa during the holidays — and this Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa Dessert Dip transforms that nostalgic flavor into a creamy, fluffy, dessert-style dip everyone will love. It’s made with simple ingredients, completely dairy-free and gluten-free. Serve it at holiday parties, cookie exchanges, family gatherings, or add it to your Christmas dessert board for a festive treat that both kids and adults adore.

Rich, chocolatey, and topped with vegan marshmallows, this no-bake dessert takes just minutes to prepare and pairs beautifully with cookies, fruit, and pretzels. If you need an easy, crowd-pleasing holiday recipe, this one checks all the boxes.

🎄Why You’ll Love This Vegan Hot Cocoa Dip

• Fast & No-Bake: Ready in just 5 minutes plus 30 minutes of chill time, with no cooking required.
• Festive Crowd Pleaser: Tastes like a cup of hot chocolate in dip form — fluffy, creamy, and decadent.
• Kid-Friendly: Perfect for holiday celebrations and dessert boards.
• Customizable: Add peppermint, espresso, or cinnamon for fun flavor twists. Choose whatever dippers you’d like (or just eat with a spoon 😜).

Ingredients

Coconut cream. Creates the rich, fluffy base and gives the dip its creamy texture. I used full fat unsweetened coconut cream. You’ll want to use the solid part only.
Unsweetened cacao powder. Cacao powder provides classic hot cocoa flavor. You may use unsweetened cocoa powder instead.
Pure maple syrup. Naturally sweetens without refined sugar since we’re adding in vegan marshmallows, which contain sugar. Be sure to use pure maple syrup.
Vanilla extract. Enhances the chocolate notes and adds warmth. Make sure you use pure vanilla for gluten-free.
Salt. Balances the sweetness. I like to use Himalayan pink salt for a milder salt flavor.
Vegan chocolate chips. Deepens the chocolate flavor and thickens the dip. You will add melted chocolate chips in the dip and then fold additional mini chocolate chips into the dip. You may use regular sized chocolate chips instead- the mini are just so fun! 🤭
Vegan mini marshmallows. Vanilla vegan mini marshmallows get folded in and used as a topping for that true “hot cocoa” touch.
Snowflake sprinkles. These are optional, but a fun added decoration!

🍪 Dippers to Serve With

Build a beautiful dessert board with any (or all!) of these:

• Gluten-free graham crackers
• Gingersnaps
• Fresh strawberries
• Sliced bananas
• Apple slices
• Gluten-free shortbread cookies
• Pretzels (for salty-sweet contrast)
• Candy Canes/Peppermint sticks
• Mini gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies
• Vanilla wafers
• Mexican wedding cookies

These are the dippers I used:

How to Make Vegan Hot Cocoa Dip

1. Whip the base: Add the coconut cream to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy.
2. Add the cacao/cocoa + maple syrup: Beat in cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
3. Add melted chocolate. Melt the chocolate chips, pour in the melted chocolate and continue beating until creamy.
4. Add marshmallows & chocolate chips. Fold in vegan mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips with a spatula.
5. Chill. Refrigerate the dip for 20–30 minutes to thicken before serving.
6. Serve. Top the dip with more vegan marshmallows, chocolate chips and snowflake sprinkles if you’d like! Serve with dippers of choice.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Stir before serving, and add a splash of coconut cream if it thickens too much.

FAQ

Can I make this without coconut?

If your not a fan of coconut, for a coconut-free version you could try:

• Chilled dairy-free whipped cream (from almond or oat milk).
• Dairy-free yogurt.
• Vegan cream cheese for a thicker, cheesecake-style dip.

💡 I have not tried these swaps. Texture and flavor will vary slightly but should still work.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely. This dip actually gets even creamier after chilling, making it ideal for prepping the day before.

Can I turn this into a peppermint hot cocoa dip?

Yes — add ⅛–¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and top with crushed candy canes.

What if I want a richer “hot chocolate” flavor?

Increase the melted chocolate chips to ⅓ cup. You could also use black cocoa powder for a richer flavor.

Is this kid-friendly?

Very! It’s sweet, fluffy, chocolatey, and perfect for dipping cookies or fruit. My kids loved snacking on this after school!

Products Used In This Recipe

If you make this delicious Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa Dessert Dip this holiday season, don’t forget to leave a comment below as well as giving this recipe a five star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it- I’d love to see yours! ❤️🎄❄️✨

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