Spicy Chai Hot Chocolate

I’m always looking for healthy coffee alternatives to kick off my day. Generally, most mornings I have a cup of flavored coffee with a splash of coconut milk, but it’s nice to switch it up once in a while.

Recently, I read an article with lots of fun hot chocolate recipes – one was a chai hot cocoa, one was a metabolism boosting hot cocoa with cayenne pepper, and one was a superfood hot cocoa with cacao powder. So I decided to combine all three and… voila! Spicy Chai Hot Chocolate!

I love chai, and it pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate flavor. The spicy kick of the cayenne pepper adds a nice metabolism boost, but of course you’re welcome to omit it if you don’t like spice. And cacao is packed with antioxidants and phenylethylamine, which is known to increase blood flow in the brain, make you more focused, and elevate your mood.

I like a tablespoon of maple syrup in mine to sweeten it up, but feel free to add any sweetener of choice.

And of course, you can always top it with a dollop of whipped cream or coconut whipped cream if you so desire.

My mornings just got a whole lot better!

Spicy Chai Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1 cup brewed chai tea
1 cup light coconut milk, warmed
2 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp sweetener of choice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Optional: dollop of light whipped cream

Instructions

Brew the chai tea using 2 teabags and one cup boiling water. Discard tea bags.
In a large mug, combine brewed chai, coconut
milk, cacao or cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
Stir until combined.
Season with a pinch of cayenne pepper until desired spice is achieved.
Top with whipped cream if desired.

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