Frozen hot chocolate is an icy cold version of hot chocolate. It's perfect for hot summer days when drinking hot chocolate would be, well, insane. This vegan frozen hot chocolate is a copycat version of the fancy Vegan Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3 minus the high price tag. The recipe is vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, and refined sugar-free.

The concept of Frozen Hot Chocolate was made famous by New York’s restaurant Serendipity 3. Yes, the very restaurant that became a hot spot for New York's hipster crowd. Marilyn Monroe was a regular. A young Andy Warhol used to pay his tab with pictures, so the story goes. And First Lady Jackie Kennedy apparently tried to buy the signature Frrrozen Hot Chocolate recipe for one of her events.

The Serendipity's signature frozen hot chocolate mix contains 14 of the world's rarest and most expensive cocoas from Africa and South America, milk, ice cubes, whipped cream, and shavings from the most expensive truffle available - the La Madeline au Truffle ($2,500 a pound). Even with the price tag of $15.95 for a cup, Serendipity 3 recently served its 30 millionth Frrrozen Hot Chocolate since opening in 1954! 

But wait - there's also a high-end version of Frrrozen Hot Chocolate called the Frrrozen Haute Chocolate. While this $25,000.00 version is no longer on the menu, it remains the world’s most expensive dessert by Guinness World Records. It was served in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18-carat gold and white diamond bracelet attached to the neck and further laced with 23-carat edible gold. The dessert was a blend of 28 cocoas and five grams of 24-carat gold. The chocolate was topped with whipped cream and - what else? - more gold. It was garnished with La Madeline au Truffle and came with a $14,000 jewel-encrusted spoon. Disregarding the price tag, the lead time for an order was two weeks!

So ... maybe we should make our own frozen hot chocolate.

Tips for Making Vegan Frozen Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

In November 2021, Serendipity 3 launched a vegan version of their famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. While the exact recipe is a secret, the ingredients are not:

• Chocolate: the best frozen hot chocolate always starts with high-quality chocolate. Without real chocolate, it's simply just frozen hot cocoa. I used dark chocolate, but if you're a semi-sweet or milk chocolate fan and love the sweetness, that works too.
• Coconut milk: I was surprised that Serendipity 3 uses full-fat coconut milk in their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate because coconut milk has a relatively strong coconut flavor. However, it is very thick and creamy, imparting the same texture to the frozen hot chocolate. If you don't like coconut, you can use cashew milk, which is more neutral in flavor but still relatively creamy. Oat milk would be a good option too. Avoid almond milk and rice milk, which are too thin.
• Cocoa powder: you can use either raw cacao powder or cocoa powder. If you're unsure about the difference, cocoa is essentially cacao processed with high heat. This heating process typically destroys most nutritional value that the raw cacao has but gives cocoa its slightly sweeter flavor. Serendipity 3 uses cocoa powder, so that's what I used as well. Actually, Serendipity 3 uses three different cocoa powders for a richer, more complex flavor. So, if you have more than one brand, use both. 
• Coconut sugar: I love coconut sugar, but any granulated or powdered sweetener is fine. 
• Ice: frozen hot chocolate wouldn't be "frozen" without ice. It's what gives the drink its slushy texture.

How to Make Frozen Hot Chocolate

Since the frozen hot chocolate recipe calls for melted chocolate and ice, you can't just throw all the ingredients into a blender because the melted chocolate would immediately freeze. Instead, the blending needs to happen in phases:

1. Blend. Add the coconut milk, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar to a high-speed blender and blend on high until well combined. If the chocolate mixture warms up too much, let it cool before adding the ice. Add the ice and blend until smooth. The frozen hot chocolate should be both creamy and slushy. 

How to Serve Frozen Hot Chocolate

If you'd like to serve frozen hot chocolate the same way Serendipity 3 does, top it with loads of coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Add a spoon and a straw, and serve immediately.

I am one of those people who find frozen hot chocolate sweet and rich enough on its own, so I don't typically add any whipped cream. That said, the whipped cream does add a nice creaminess when stirred into the frozen chocolate. 

More Chocolate Drink Recipes

Love hot chocolate? Here are a few more recipes to get your chocolate fix:

• Hot chocolate: if you enjoy rich flavors and thick consistency, you'll love this hot chocolate. It's the epitome of "drinking chocolate."
• Adaptogenic hot chocolate: looking for a coffee replacement in the morning or a way to wind down in the evening? This adaptogenic hot chocolate is chocolatey, creamy, and sweet enough to feel like a treat. 
• Hot cocoa: compared to hot chocolate, hot cocoa tends to be sweet and light. However, even though it's not as chocolaty or rich, it's just as comforting.

If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Frozen hot chocolate is an icy cold version of hot chocolate. It's perfect for hot summer days when drinking hot chocolate would be, well, insane. This vegan frozen hot chocolate is a copycat version of the fancy Vegan Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3 minus the high price tag.

Prep Time5 mins

Chill time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: frozen hot chocolate, frozen hot chocolate recipe, vegan frozen hot chocolate

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• ¼ cup dark chocolate , melted*
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
• 3 cups ice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Blend. Add the coconut milk, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar to a high-speed blender and blend on high until well combined. 
• Chill. Pour the chocolate mixture into a 2-cup measuring cup and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill, for about 10 minutes. 
• Blend. Once the chocolate mixture is cool to the touch - so the ice doesn't melt quickly - pour it back into the blender. Add the ice and blend until smooth. The frozen hot chocolate should be both creamy and slushy. It should be thick but pourable.
• Serve. Pour the frozen hot chocolate into glasses and add your favorite toppings.

Equipment

blender

measuring cups

measuring spoons

Recipe Notes

*¼ cup/60 ml melted chocolate is ~ 60 g of chocolate.

**Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please, feel free to make your own calculations.

Nutrition Facts

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Amount Per Serving (1 of 2)

Calories 274 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 5g10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.