Lavender dark drinking chocolate is rich and creamy hot chocolate with a hint of floral lavender: coconut milk and water infused with lavender buds, then whisked with 100% cacao paste, raw cacao powder, and honey. It's the sophisticated, dairy-free hot chocolate that makes an ordinary evening feel like an occasion. Three cups, ready in fifteen minutes.
Rich and creamy hot chocolate with a hint of floral lavender.
Yields: 3 cups (720 ml)
1 can organic full-fat coconut milk
1 c (35°F). filtered water
1-2 t. organic lavender buds (adjusted to taste)
4 oz. (113.4 g) 100% cacao paste/liquor, chopped
1-2 T. raw honey (or ¼ c. Date Paste)
1 T. raw cacao powder
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
Directions:
Combine coconut milk, water, and lavender in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered 10 minutes to let steep.
Strain mixture through a fine strainer and pour liquid back into the saucepan. Add in chopped cacao paste, honey, cacao powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Cook over medium heat until chocolate is melted, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and serve immediately. Top with Whipped Coconut Cream, if desired.
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Pro Tips
- Steep the lavender the full 10 minutes with the lid on, then strain — a shorter steep leaves the floral note too faint to notice against the dark chocolate.
- Lavender is potent: start with one teaspoon and add the second only if you want the floral flavor clearly present. Too much turns the drink soapy.
- Chop the cacao paste fine before it goes in — small pieces melt evenly and the drink stays smooth instead of grainy.
- Whisk occasionally as the chocolate melts over medium heat; cacao sinks and scorches on the pan bottom if left unattended.
- A tiny pinch of sea salt sharpens the chocolate's depth — it's small but it makes the difference between good and excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the lavender from tasting soapy?
Use culinary-grade lavender buds and steep no more than 10 minutes before straining. Start with one teaspoon — you can always add more, but you can't take it out.
Can I make this sweeter?
The recipe calls for one to two tablespoons of honey, so adjust to taste. A quarter cup of date paste works as a whole-fruit sweetener if you prefer.
Is this hot chocolate very dark?
Yes — 100% cacao paste makes it rich and grown-up rather than candy-sweet. Top with whipped coconut cream to soften and round out each sip.
Can I use cocoa powder instead of cacao paste?
Cacao paste gives a much richer, smoother drink. In a pinch, increase the raw cacao powder to a third of a cup and add a little extra coconut milk for body.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Combine coconut milk, water, and lavender in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and leave covered 10 minutes to let steep.
- Strain mixture through a fine strainer and pour liquid back into the saucepan.
- Add in chopped cacao paste, honey, cacao powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
- Cook over medium heat until chocolate is melted, whisking occasionally.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
- Top with Whipped Coconut Cream, if desired.
