A rich, creamy twist on classic hot chocolate! This Tahini Hot Chocolate is made with cacao powder, warm cardamom, and nutty tahini. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 5 minutes. The perfect winter drink!
5-Stars From Our Readers
“Best ever!!!
Our family has stopped purchasing reg hot chocolate and this is our go to!”
— Sigrid V.
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Cacao powder is made from cacao beans that are processed at lower temperatures than the cocoa powder most of us grew up with. The result is a deeper, slightly fruity chocolate flavor, and boy does it make for one seriously rich hot chocolate!
Through many experimental cups, I discovered that creamy tahini and fragrant cardamom are a perfect match for rich cacao. This combo will blow you away.
Why Add Tahini to Hot Chocolate?
Tahini is a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds. Whisked into hot chocolate, it adds body, a silky texture, and a toasty, nutty flavor that rounds out the cacao. It’s a lot like stirring in a spoonful of nut butter, just a little more savory and a lot more interesting.
Cacao Powder vs. Cocoa Powder
Cacao powder and cocoa powder both come from the cacao bean. The main difference is heat. Cocoa powder is made from beans roasted at higher temperatures, while cacao powder is typically made from unroasted or low-temperature processed beans.
That difference shows up in your mug:
- Cacao powder has a bold, slightly bitter, and fruity chocolate flavor.
- Cocoa powder is milder and more familiar.
Cacao is my pick here, and the tahini and maple syrup balance out its bitterness beautifully. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works in a pinch, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy, soothing and comforting.
- Rich and chocolate-y.
- Perfectly laced with cardamom.
- Silky smooth.
- Slightly earthy and nutty with the addition of tahini.
- Easy to make.
- Vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
Tips for Making the Best Hot Cacao
- Any dairy or non-dairy milk works well with this recipe. Our favorites? Vanilla almond, oat and coconut milk.
- In a pinch, regular unsweetened cocoa powder can be used in place of cacao powder. The flavor will be a little milder.
- Any liquid sweetener of choice can be used in this recipe.
More Hot Chocolate Recipes to Enjoy
Tahini Hot Chocolate with Cardamom
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk of choice I like unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 5 tbs organic cacao powder
- 3 tbs maple syrup
- 2 tbs tahini
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 green cardamom pod contents freshly ground (or 1/4 tsp ground cardamom)
- optionally ground cardamom or cinnamon for garnishing
Method
- In a sauce pan over medium heat combine all of the above ingredients.
- Whisk continually until all is smoothly combined, beginning to bubble and appears frothy.
- Carefully pour into mug(s), and optionally sprinkle with a little cardamom or cinnamon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cardamom: Freshly ground cardamom from 1 green pod gives the brightest flavor, but 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom works too.
- Cacao swap: Unsweetened cocoa powder can be used in place of cacao powder. The flavor will be a little milder.
- Milk: Any dairy or plant-based milk works. Unsweetened vanilla almond, oat, and coconut milk are all great here.
- Sweetener: Any liquid sweetener can replace the maple syrup.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using a third-party calculator and is an estimate only.
This was really good! I tried making it my Vitamix – put the ingredients in and blended until it was really hot. I used a date for sweetener as I was out of maple syrup. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks so much for taking the time to share here. 🙂
Best ever!!!
Our family has stopped purchasing reg hot chocolate and this is our go to!
Oh, that makes my day! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to share here! 🙂
This is crazy good!!! FYI for those who don’t want to spend umpteen $$ on tahini? Just grind up sesame seeds and use the powder -that’s all tahini is, minus the oil. This is the best hot cocoa I’ve ever had…made with DIY cashew milk btw. Yum.
I really appreciate you taking the time to share here and I’m so happy you enjoyed this! 🙂
OMG! I just made this recipe and it is absolutely delicious! I’ll never have hot chocolate without tahini again!! It adds extra nutrients and makes the texture creamier. Thanks for sharing
I’m so very happy to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to share. 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly as instructed with just one addition which was to sprinkle some Himalayan pink sea salt as an additional garnish and this turned out AMAZING!! 🤤 I love how absolutely rich and creamy this turns out. The tahini mellows out the cacao so nicely and it’s the perfect amount of maple syrup. I just love cardamom and was excited this recipe called for it, just perfect! Poured the extra into some popsicle molds and super excited to taste those! That was my granddaughters idea 🥰
I’m so very happy to hear it! I’ll have to try the popsicle method. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!!
This was a delicious and unique drink! My husband (who is a staunch food critic, while also being a “burger and fries” kind of person) LOVED this. He called it “magical potion “! We had some left over and warmed back up with one part coffee the next day. YUM! Thank you for this!
I love this. I had to reduce the cacao amount as it is a little too activating for me. I made four small servings and my 10 year old daughter enjoyed this too! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m very happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
So yummy! Just made it with macadamia nut milk. I’ve been eating WFPB and wanted a sweet treat that wouldn’t completely throw me off track. This was perfect!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing!
I would have never thought to add tahini to hot chocolate! I will have to try this!
I didn’t realize there were so many differences! I definitely need to switch. And this drink looks amazing. 😀
Thank you!