To make vegan hot chocolate, first rule out recipes that list honey, milk or another animal-derived ingredient. Choose pure cocoa if you want to control the plant-based drink and sweetener separately, or an already-sweetened chocolate powder if you’d rather keep preparation to a minimum. Whichever you choose, check the specific variant and compare the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g.
The ingredients in each variant matter more than its name or appearance. Banania lists honey in its Original recipe, so a widely available chocolate powder may not be suitable for your vegan shop.
With pure cocoa, you can choose your plant-based drink separately and add a sweetener if you want one. A blend such as Carrefour Bio chocolate powder, whose ingredients list shows 68% cane sugar, gives you less control over the sugar already in the mix.
An already-mixed chocolate powder can mean fewer preparation steps. You’ll still need to check its ingredients, sugar content and the preparation instructions for the product you choose.
Choose this if: you want to make your hot chocolate with a plant-based drink and decide how sweet to make it yourself.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to add any sweetener separately. Also check for precautionary ‘may contain’ statements if these matter to you.
Choose this if: you’d prefer a blend with sugar already added, after checking the ingredients in that particular variant.
Bear in mind: you can’t remove the sugar from the recipe. A list with no declared animal-derived ingredients does not, on its own, mean a product is certified vegan.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Vegan ingredients | Read the ingredients list for the variant you’ve chosen, paying particular attention to honey and any listed dairy ingredients. | When I’m putting together a strictly vegan shop, I want to rule out recipes containing animal-derived ingredients, even unexpected ones. Around 36% of consumers would put this check at the top of their list. |
| Controlling the sugar | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g and take into account how much powder you use per cup. | When I make hot chocolate, I’d rather decide how sweet it is than accept the sweetness of a ready-sweetened blend. This would be the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Preparation | Distinguish pure cocoa from chocolate powder, then check the instructions for using a plant-based drink if needed. | If I want to keep things simple, I look for a ready-mixed recipe, as long as its ingredients suit my vegan shop. This convenience would come first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens and traces | Check the allergens listed and any precautionary ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging. | If I need to avoid certain allergens, a recipe with no added milk isn’t enough: possible traces matter too. Around 14% of consumers would make this check their top priority. |
The difference affects how sugar is included in the recipe. Carrefour lists 68% cane sugar in the ingredients for its Bio chocolate powder, while you can sweeten pure cocoa separately if you wish.
Check the product description and ingredients list, then compare the nutritional values per 100 g.
An animal-derived ingredient isn’t always obvious from the product name: Banania lists 0.25% honey in its Original recipe.
Check the ingredients for the specific variant and pack size you’re planning to buy.
According to Santé publique France, displaying Nutri-Score is voluntary. The nutrition declaration, which the DGCCRF says is compulsory for most pre-packed foods, doesn’t replace the ingredients list when you’re checking whether a recipe is vegan.
Check the ingredients and allergens first. Then use the nutritional information, particularly ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g, to compare powders.
Auchan warns that its Bio 100% cocoa may contain traces of milk, eggs, soya and nuts. A precautionary ‘may contain’ statement is different from an ingredient deliberately added to the recipe.
If you need to avoid an allergen, check the packaging separately from your vegan requirements.
Auchan’s Bio 100% cocoa product lets you make a drink with a plant-based option and add a sweetener if you choose.
Its Bio chocolate powder is a pre-sweetened blend, so it’s different from pure cocoa.
The Original recipe shows why you need to check chocolate powder products individually.
Check the specific variant of this chocolate powder brand rather than assuming it’s vegan based on the name alone.
Poulain chocolate powder products need to be checked by recipe and pack size.
This selection includes cocoa to prepare to your taste and ready-made chocolate powders. For a vegan shop, check the ingredients and allergens for each variant before choosing. To compare sugar content, use the values per 100 g shown on the packaging.
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Consider this granulated powder if you prefer a ready-made blend. The words ‘Less Sugar’ in the name don’t replace a comparison of sugars per 100 g. Also check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
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Consider this if you’d like to make hot chocolate with a plant-based drink and choose how sweet it is. Check the packaging to see what the 14.7% refers to before comparing this cocoa with another product.
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Consider this chocolate powder if you’re looking for a blend rather than cocoa to mix yourself. Before buying it as a vegan option, check the ingredients, allergens and ‘of which sugars’ figure on the packaging for this pack size.
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This 400g pack may also suit you if you’re considering a ready-made chocolate powder. Check the ingredients and allergens for this variant, then compare its sugars per 100 g on the same basis as other powders.
Read the ingredients for the specific variant and rule out any that list an animal-derived ingredient. Banania, for example, lists honey in its Original recipe. The words ‘chocolate powder’ on their own don’t tell you what the product contains.
No. An ingredients list showing only cocoa doesn’t mean the ‘of which sugars’ value is zero. The details for Auchan Bio 100% cocoa show 1.9 g of sugars per 100 g. Check the nutrition declaration for the product you’re buying.
No, according to Santé publique France, displaying it is voluntary. The DGCCRF says that a nutrition declaration is compulsory for most pre-packed foods. If there’s no Nutri-Score, compare the nutritional information, particularly sugars per 100 g, and don’t forget to check the ingredients.
This statement warns that milk may be present unintentionally, which is different from milk being added to the recipe. To choose according to your vegan requirements, check the ingredients and any trace statements separately. If you need to avoid milk for medical reasons, don’t rely solely on its absence from the ingredients list.