Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? Warm up with a bowl of hot cocoa oats topped with homemade marshmallows.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure at the bottom of this website. 

When it’s cold outside sometimes you need a cozy breakfast, and let me tell you: these hot cocoa oats fit the bill perfectly!

Lightly sweetened, these hot cocoa oats are good compromise between a healthy dietitian-approved breakfast and a classically sweet mug of hot chocolate.

Get the recipe for this indulgent bowl of oats now!

What you’ll need to make hot cocoa oatmeal

• Old fashioned rolled oats: The type of oats you use will greatly affect the texture of this healthy chocolate oatmeal. I prefer extra thick rolled oats from Bob’s Red Mill, but any 5-minute cooking oats will work. You can also use instant oats, you’ll just want to reduce cooking time.
• Hot cocoa mix: Look for a hot cocoa mix that’s low in sugar and made with just a handful of whole ingredients. My go-to is Silly Cow Truffle Hot Chocolate. You can also make your own mix.
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk: Typically I opt for oat milk, but I really like the subtle vanilla flavor of unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Of course feel free to use what you already have at home!
• Pinch of salt: Don’t leave this out! A pinch of salt helps bring out the chocolate flavor and balance out the sweetness.

How to make hot cocoa oats

To get the full chocolate flavor, these oats are cooked in hot cocoa.

1. To start, place unsweetened vanilla almond milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a low boil.
2. Stir in 4 tsp of your favorite hot chocolate mix.
3. Once you have a pot of hot cocoa boiling, add in original rolled oats, reduce to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember to stir occasionally.

Make these chocolatey oats even more special with homemade marshmallows

For the full hot cocoa experience, I recommend adding homemade marshmallows on top.

Don’t have the time to make your own? I like these toasted vanilla ones from Smashmallow.

However, if you can’t handle that mush sweetness in the morning, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt also works well. Besides being creamy, it also adds a boost of protein as well as a tangy flavor to balance out the chocolate.

More healthy chocolate breakfast recipes

• One-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Hot Chocolate Breakfast Smoothie from Running with Spoons
• Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding from Paleo Grubs

Print Recipe

Hot Cocoa Oats

Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? Warm up with a bowl of hot cocoa oats topped with homemade marshmallows.

Total Time10 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate, Healthy, Oatmeal

Servings: 2

Author: The Healthy Toast

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 4 tsp hot cocoa mix I used Silly Cow Chocolate Truffle mix
• 1 cup rolled oats
• Pinch salt

Toppings

• Homemade marshmallows
• Plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, bring almond milk to a low boil.
• Stir in hot cocoa mix
• Add in oats and pinch of salt (optional). Reduce to a simmer, cook 5-7 minutes or until oats are cooked to your desired consistency
• Divide oats into 2 bowls and add desired toppings. Bry prefers marshmallows for the classic hot chocolate taste, but I like adding a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to balance out the sweetness – up to you!

Don’t forget to pin for later!