This pumpkin spice hot chocolate is the kind of fall drink that feels like a treat but comes together in one saucepan. You add everything at once, warm it through, and about five minutes later you have two mugs of velvety chocolate. Nothing needs to be whipped, tempered, or chilled.
The recipe is also refined sugar free, sweetened only with a tablespoon of maple syrup, and it gets its richness from real pumpkin puree, raw cacao powder, and nut butter instead of a flavored syrup. You can taste the pumpkin, not just the spice.
Best of all, the ratios are yours to adjust. Want it thicker, sweeter, or more chocolaty? Change the amounts slightly and whisk again. It is a forgiving drink, which makes it an easy one to learn and then make your own.
Hot chocolate does not have to be a sugar bomb. This version leans on three ingredients that do real work: pumpkin, cacao, and nut butter. Together they add color, minerals, fiber, and enough fat and protein to keep the drink from tasting thin.
Here is what each one brings to the mug.
Pumpkin
That warm orange color is a clue. Pumpkin is high in beta carotene, a potent antioxidant that the source article links to immune system and eye health support. It also brings vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, nutrients the article connects to heart health.
Three tablespoons is a small amount, but it is enough to thicken the drink and add an unmistakable fall flavor.
Cacao Powder
Raw cacao powder is unprocessed, so it keeps more of chocolate’s natural nutrition than regular cocoa powder does. It is rich in magnesium, iron, and fiber, and it contributes a little protein too.
Cacao is also full of antioxidants called flavonoids, which the source article associates with lower heart disease and cancer risk and less cognitive decline. If you only have unsweetened cocoa powder on hand, that works just as well.
Nut Butter
Nut butter is what turns this from a thin drink into something decadent. The source recipe uses peanut butter because it is the cheapest option and pairs beautifully with chocolate and pumpkin, and it adds protein, healthy fats, fiber, magnesium, and zinc.
Because it brings both protein and fat, it also helps your blood sugar stay steadier after you drink it.
Here is everything you need for two servings, plus the swaps the source recipe notes. It all goes into the saucepan at the same time, so there is no separate step for the spices or the sweetener.
Ingredient
Amount
Notes
Canned pumpkin puree
3 tbsp
Leftover canned pumpkin works perfectly
Raw cacao powder or Dutch processed cocoa powder
2 tbsp
Dutch processed gives a darker, richer drink
Natural peanut or almond butter
1 tbsp
Use sunflower seed butter or tahini for a nut free version
Maple syrup
1 tbsp
Agave, cane sugar, or brown sugar also work
Dairy free chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar
1 tbsp chips or 1/2 oz square
Choose dairy free to keep the drink vegan
Vanilla extract
1 tsp
Adds warmth without extra sugar
Pumpkin spice
1 1/2 tsp
A premade blend or a fresh homemade batch
Unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
2 cups
Oat milk is sweeter, soy milk has more protein
Pinch of salt
To taste
Keeps the sweet, spiced flavors in balance
Pumpkin puree. The whole point of this recipe is that it uses up the last few spoonfuls of canned pumpkin sitting in your fridge. If you made pumpkin baked oats or pumpkin bread and have a partial can left, this is a good home for it.
Pumpkin pie spice. A store bought blend keeps the prep fast, and a homemade blend works just as well if you already mix your own. Either way, taste before you add more, since blends vary in strength.
Cacao powder. The source recipe was developed with raw cacao powder, but any unsweetened cocoa powder will do. Dutch processed cocoa powder gives a darker, richer tasting drink than regular cocoa.
Nut butter. This is the ingredient that thickens the drink and makes it feel indulgent. Peanut butter is the budget friendly choice and tastes great with chocolate and pumpkin. Almond butter is a little more neutral. Other nut or seed butters are fine if that is what you have.
Maple syrup. One tablespoon is the starting point, and you can reduce it or leave it out entirely if your milk is already sweet. Agave syrup, cane sugar, or brown sugar can stand in for the maple.
Chocolate. Use dairy free chocolate chips or a dairy free bar so the drink stays vegan. A half ounce square of dark chocolate melts just as smoothly as chips.
Milk. Oat milk and soy milk are the creamiest options. Oat milk is slightly sweeter, while soy milk brings more protein. Almond milk and cashew milk also work, they are just a little thinner. Whatever you choose, unsweetened keeps the final sweetness in your hands.
If you want a thicker, more dessert like mug, keep the full two cups of milk and do not thin it. If you want something lighter, start with one and a half cups and add more as needed while whisking.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
This is a stovetop drink, and the whole method is three steps. Prep takes about five minutes and the saucepan does the rest in roughly five more. This recipe is adapted from the original vegan pumpkin spice hot chocolate recipe at Plant Based RD.
Add the pumpkin puree, cacao powder, nut butter, maple syrup, chocolate chips, vanilla, pumpkin spice, milk, and a pinch of salt to a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk the mixture together and bring it to a rapid simmer, whisking regularly until the chocolate chips have fully melted and the mixture is smooth and uniform. If you want an even silkier texture, heat the mixture first and then blend it smooth with an immersion blender.
Ladle the mixture evenly between two mugs and enjoy it as is, or top it with whipped cream and extra spices.
A rapid simmer is the goal, not a rolling boil. Once the chocolate has melted and the liquid looks uniform, take it off the heat.
The texture should be loose enough to pour and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it looks grainy, keep whisking for another thirty seconds before you decide anything is wrong. The chocolate just needs a moment to finish melting into the milk.
Expert Tips
A few small choices change the character of the drink. Use these to steer it toward whatever you are in the mood for.
Want more protein? Use soy milk or pea milk as your base instead of oat milk.
Want it more decadent? Use creamy oat milk. Its natural sweetness complements melted chocolate nicely.
Whisk, do not stir. A whisk breaks up lumps faster and more easily than a spoon or spatula. An immersion blender gets you a completely smooth texture.
Too thick? Whisk in a little more milk or water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Sweet enough already? Omit the maple syrup. You can always add a little at the end.
Short on milk? Replace one cup of plant milk with one cup of water. The nut butter keeps the drink creamy.
Nut free? Swap the nut butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini, or add an extra tablespoon of chocolate chips.
Do not skip the salt. A small pinch is what keeps the sweet, spiced, and chocolate flavors from tasting flat.
Make ahead? The drink is best fresh, but extras keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days. Rewarm gently in a saucepan, not in the microwave, so the texture stays smooth.
How to Serve
Pour it into two mugs and enjoy it plain, or dress it up with vegan whipped cream, shaved chocolate, or an extra dusting of pumpkin spice. The source blog suggests pairing it with Healthier Chocolate Cherry Breakfast Cookies or Chewy S’mores Pumpkin Cookies if you want a fuller spread.
It also works as an afternoon treat next to a simple cookie, or as a warm drink to hand someone who does not drink coffee. If you like cozy drinks like this one, my Easy French Hot Chocolate is another rich, simple mug to keep in rotation.
More Vegan Fall Sweets to Try
Once you have a mug in hand, here are a few more plant based fall sweets from the same source if you want to keep baking:
Apple Crisp Stuffed Baked Apples
Chocolate Churro Rice Crispy Bars
Fluffy Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
Crock Pot Cinnamon Baked Apples
They all lean on the same warm, cozy flavors that make fall baking so appealing, and most of them use pantry staples you probably already have.
If you are in the mood for something playful with the same warm spices, my Pumpkin Spice Latte Tacos take the flavor in a completely different direction.
FAQs
How do you make pumpkin spice hot chocolate?
Combine 3 tbsp canned pumpkin puree, 2 tbsp raw cacao or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 tbsp nut butter, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp dairy-free chocolate chips, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice, 2 cups unsweetened soy or oat milk, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and bring the mixture to a rapid simmer until the chocolate melts and everything is smooth. Ladle the drink into two mugs and serve.
Is pumpkin spice hot chocolate vegan?
Yes, this pumpkin spice hot chocolate is vegan when you use dairy-free chocolate chips or a dark chocolate bar and a plant milk such as unsweetened soy or oat milk. Maple syrup is a plant-based sweetener, and nut butter is naturally vegan. Top it with vegan whipped cream if you like.
What is the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?
Pumpkin puree is plain cooked pumpkin without added sweetener or spices, so it lets you control the flavor and sweetness of the drink. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced, which can make the hot chocolate too sweet and throw off the spice balance. Use 100% pumpkin puree for this recipe.
Can I make pumpkin spice hot chocolate in advance?
Pumpkin spice hot chocolate is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, whisking to restore a smooth texture. Add a splash of milk or water if the drink thickened while stored.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Hot Chocolate This pumpkin spice hot chocolate is the kind of fall drink that feels like a treat but comes together in one saucepan. You add everything at once, warm it through, and about five minutes later you have two mugs of velvety chocolate.
Total Time:10 min
Yield:21x
Ingredients
Scale
3 tbsp canned pumpkin puree 2 tbsp raw cacao powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 tbsp natural peanut or almond butter (or choose a nut free option like sunflower seed butter or tahini) 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp dairy-free chocolate chips or 1/2 oz square of dark chocolate bar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1.5 tsp pumpkin spice 2 cups unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
Instructions
1-Add your pumpkin puree, cacao powder, nut: Add your pumpkin puree, cacao powder, nut butter, maple syrup, chocolate chips, vanilla, pumpkin spice, milk and a pinch of salt to a saucepan over medium heat. 2-Whisk the mixture together and bring to: Whisk the mixture together and bring to a rapid simmer, making sure to whisk regularly until the chocolate chips have fully melted and the mixture has become smooth and uniform. (Alternatively, you can heat the mixture then use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.) 3-Ladle the mixture evenly between two mugs: Ladle the mixture evenly between two mugs and enjoy as is or top with whipped cream and extra spices.
Last Step:
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