A warm and cozy bowl of oats made for the chocolate lover in your life… or just for you. It is entirely okay to hog these oats for yourself!
I have a confession to make. I did not like hot oatmeal for the first 26 years of my life. In fact, I actually hated it!
I am pretty sure that over those 26 years, I had tried hot oats at least a dozen times. Each time that I tried them, I got one bite in and decided that they were just not. for. me. I figured that oatmeal and I were simply not meant to be. Peanut butter and I were meant to be. Carrots and I were meant to be. But oatmeal? No can do.
I turned 26 1/2 in September, and apparently it was at that moment that I finally decided to not only like hot oatmeal but love it. Maybe what they say about needing to try some foods over and over again is true. Or, maybe I just needed to add pumpkin, coconut sugar, and nut butter to my oats. Yeah, those things just might have something to do with this new-found love.
After I established that I had a thing for pumpkin oats, I decided to try out another favorite flavor of mine: chocolate! You can never go wrong with chocolate. I am certainly all about pumpkin during the Fall months, but with November here and Winter right around the corner, a hot cocoa-flavored bowl of oats is just what this freeeeezing cold girl needs!
Hot Cocoa Oatmeal
Vegan
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 1/2 TB cacao or cocoa powder
1 TB molasses
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup quick oats
2 tsp coconut sugar (brown sugar will also work)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TB dark chocolate chips
extra dark chocolate chips for topping, optional
nut butter, optional
Directions
1. In a medium sauce pan, whisk together milk, cacao powder, molasses, and cinnamon until well combined. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a low boil.
2. Add quick oats and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, or until desired thickness is reached.
3. Stir in coconut sugar, vanilla, and dark chocolate chips.
4. Top each serving with extra dark chocolate chips and your favorite nut butter, if desired. If you are feeling extra crazy, add in some mini marshmallows or marshmallow fluff!
I said that the chocolate chips are optional, but let’s be honest… nothing about the chocolate chip part is optional. Melted chocolate is exactly how I like to start out my mornings, especially when it takes everything that I have to make it out of my extra warm bed. Chocolate will definitely get me out from under the covers and into the kitchen! Though I would not say no to somebody making and delivering these oats to me in bed… hint, hint!
I find it hard to believe that there could be anything better than this bowl of Hot Cocoa Oatmeal on a bitter cold morning. Maybe adding in a fireplace, warm blanket, Christmas lights, and a good book wouldn’t hurt!
Are you excited to try Hot Cocoa Oatmeal this Winter? Pin and share the recipe on Facebook and Twitter using the share buttons below!
Do you have any favorite hot oatmeal recipes to share? Leave them in the comments for this new oatmeal-loving girl!
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Chocolate is always the perfect choice to make you love something even more 😉
Right now I’m just obsessed with the crazy blends I made in my last huge MyOatmeal shipment! Specifically Maple Flax Banana Bread!
Oooo I have tried MyOatmeal and loved it! I used it for overnight oats. Maybe I need to buy some more now that I am actually eating hot oatmeal!
OMG I could imagine coming home after a long day of snowboarding, sitting next to a fire, in a rocking chair, with my fluffy robe and slippers on…… Enjoying a bowl of this as I watch the snow fall outside, OMGGGG HEAVEN !
Um, that SOUNDS like heaven! Now I know where I wish I was at this exact moment…. hint, hint: NOT about to go to work! 😉
Even at 25 years old, I’m still not sold on the whole hot oatmeal thing. I can eat it from time to time, but that’s about it. This recipe does look good though – i mean um… theres chocolate! I feel like I need to add a crumbled pb cup on top or something. Haha!
Don’t give up hope… it could still happen for you! Maybe when you are 26? 😉 And yes… there would be nothing wrong with a crumbled pb cup on top. That would be amazing!
love this idea!! i actually made hot oatmeal last night which was super random, but for some reason it really appealed to me!
Hey, when you are craving it you have to run with it! I keep thinking about how delicious an oatmeal like this would be for dessert!
chocolate for the win!!! I used to hate oatmeal too… now I LOVE it!
Isn’t it crazy how our taste buds change? Luckily, they mostly change for the better! And yes… chocolate is ALWAYS a win!
Well, if this recipe doesn’t scream comfort and cozy food for winter, I don’t know what does! I didn’t like oatmeal until college, probably because it was the only thing I could afford 😉
Haha, so funny and so true! Desperate times call for desperate measures. But I’d definitely call that a positive since oatmeal is delicious… especially when you add chocolate!
I would eat this right up! I actually have chocolately overnight oats in my refrigerator for breakfast right now. Maybe I’ll have to heat them up because it sounds so good!
There is nothing better than warm, melty chocolate… nothing! 😉
Wow. I am so hungry now! That look amazing!
Thanks Julie!! I think it is pretty darn good.. though I might be biased. I hope you try it out this Fall/Winter!
Those melty chocolate chips are KILLIN me!! Major yums.
Aren’t they awesome? I am convinced that there may be nothing better 😉
I definitely need to try this out! It’d be perfect for this weather we’ve been having lately. *-* I have a ton of chocolate chips that could contribute themselves to this recipe. :]!
It sounds to me like it is meant to be! Let me know if you try it, Farrah 🙂
I’m totally with you, I didn’t like oatmeal until a few years ago and now I love it. I grew up eating junk food and then changed my ways to eating healthy. This sounds so yummy, I will have to try it!
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You sound very similar to me! I had awful eating habits all the way through college. I still surprise myself some days when I CRAVE veggies and things like tofu, beans, etc.
I am all for adding chocolate to everything! My favorite oatmeal is PB & J. It makes my heart so happy!
Oooo… I have done that with overnight oats, but not with warm oatmeal. I’ll have to try that!
Oatmeal always makes me think of a hot breakfast pudding – how can you not like pudding? :-p I love making it in a slow cooker so I can dive right in first thing in the AM. I LOVE the sound of hot cocoa oatmeal, yummmm. Definitely worth a little stove time.
I have seen slow cooker versions, but have not ventured there yet. Do you have a favorite recipe that you can recommend?
oh my this sounds amazingly good! And I too hated oatmeal/oats for the majority of my life. Funny what adulthood does to your taste buds 🙂
It is SO funny. I sure am glad that my taste buds have changed for the better!
This looks so amazing! I shared it on my Facebook page. 🙂 Yum!
Thanks so much Justine! I appreciate that 🙂
Yum yum! I never though of hot cocoa flavoured oatmeal. I made it this morning with marshmallows. Incredibly delicious and comforting. I wasn’t a super fan of oatmeal until I discovered so many healthy and creative recipes in the blogosphere.
That is wonderful, Marie! I am so glad that you liked it. How was the addition of marshmallows? I haven’t tried it yet since I need to track done some vegan ones!
It was pure magic. I was lucky enough to have some vegan marshmallows on hand. They’re really hard to find!
How lucky! I have had them before and loved them, but they were the big ones. Have you found mini versions?
They were the mini version. I also have the regular ones. I made a little stash when I saw them on well.ca. That may be one of the only vegan things we can order online in Canada from Canada!
It’s funny because I literally just got back from Whole Foods where I found the mini version.. and on sale! 😉
They say it takes 10 trys of a food for a baby to decide if they like it….I think this applies to most everyone (except in the case of chocolate). What a great way to eat your oatmeal!
I definitely agree! It took me MANY tries to like oatmeal, and I have certainly been the same way about a lot of foods throughout my lifetime. I definitely liked chocolate right away, though 😉
What an amazing idea!
Thanks so much, Hein! I hope you give it a try 🙂
I think my children would elevate me to “coolest mom ever” if I served them this for breakfast. We love our oatmeal in the winter!
I bet they would! Who can deny the goodness of chocolate for breakfast??
Omggg this looks fabulous!!!
Thanks Erin!!! I happen to love it…. just make sure you don’t add peanut butter to yours 😉
Oh my goodness – you didn’t like hot oats?!?!?! Well at least you’re a convert now 🙂
This hot cocoa version sounds too good to be true!
Yes, I know…. I’m not quite sure what was wrong with my taste buds. At least I finally came around 😉
Love chocolate chips in my hot oatmeal. I like to pair them with some peanut butter because it sort of tastes like a Reese’s cup.
That sounds amazing! I’ll definitely have to add peanut butter to mine the next time that I make it!
This. Looks. AMAZING!!! I want to eat my computer screen.
Haha, you crack me up!! I think you might want to actually make it because I don’t think your computer screen would end up tasting very good 😉
Ooooh yum! I so need to try this asap! Looks too good not to. 🙂
Thank you, Shannon! I hope you give it a try 🙂
I used to hate oatmeal too, until my boyfriend made it for me. It’s all about finding the perfect things to add… although ours is somewhat less healthy than yours.
Haha… adding in things like chocolate and nut butter certainly do not hurt. Maybe that is what brought me around to it. What are you favorite add-ins?
I am so happy you started loving oats because this recipe now exists! This looks so insanely delicious!
Great point, Christina! I definitely only cook things that I will actually like! 😉 Let me know if you try it 🙂
Yum! I love having oats for breakfast!
They are definitely my new favorite thing. It is a great timing, too, now that the cold weather is here!
Whaaat?! This sounds delicious!! I’m on a no-oatmeal kick for the next couple of weeks, but if I determine that it’s not the culprit of my tummy troubles (which I’m really hoping it’s not!) then I will definitely be giving this a shot! I’ve pinned it for later 🙂 Thanks!
I sure hope it is not, for your sake. I hope you get your stomach troubles addressed soon 🙂
I have always loved oatmeal but I’ve been that way with other foods! Hated them forever and then it turns to pure love! haha I used to refuse to touch anything spicy and now I cannot get enough of spicy things!
And I love the sound off this oatmeal – especially the chocolate chips! 🙂
Isn’t it weird how our taste buds change?? I am so glad that they do! I have always loved spicy foods, but I think my love from them has definitely grown even more since becoming an adult. Mexican and Indian are two of my favorite cuisines.
Hot cocoa oats?! You are a genius, girl. I hated oatmeal from the day I was born until 2 years ago. When I finally found a combo I liked (banana, cinnamon, nut butter) I’m never going back! Love the addition of molasses!
I have great things about adding bananas to hot oats. I need to give that a try!
Oh man, this looks yummy! Pinning right now!
Thanks Sara! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
This will be so tasty to make on a nice relaxing Saturday morning!!
It is definitely the PERFECT weekend breakfast. I hope you give it a try!
That look delicious. I have one daughter who especially likes to eat oatmeal. I’ll have to pass on this recipe.
I bet she would love it! It has chocolate in it after all… what’s not to like? 😉
I have a hard time with oatmeal- it kind of grosses me out but this sounds good! Especially having it in front of a cozy fire!!
Don’t worry. I definitely used to be in the same boat. Keep trying and your taste buds just may come around!
I love a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, and chocolate is even better! This looks delicious and perfect for a winter breakfast. Thank you for the recipe- I’m pinning it!
Thank you Lina! I sure hope that you enjoy it 🙂
OMG! this looks absolutely amazing!
Thank you Tanya! It is pretty darn delicious. Who doesn’t want to eat chocolate for breakfast?? 😉
That would fix a chocolate craving for sure!
Oh, most definitely!! And it’s healthy, which is a huge plus!
Hot cocoa oatmeal? This sounds ammmmazing!
Thanks Phi! It is really good! I hope you give it a try 🙂
this sounds so good! i love oatmeal in all its forms; hot, baked, overnight oats. i’m not picky lol
I am really starting to come around to that same mentality. It’s funny because right now I am actually loving on hot oats WAY more than overnight oats… maybe it is because the weather has turned cold?
This hot cocoa oatmeal looks AMAZING!! 🙂
Thank you, Tara! It is pretty darn delicious. I definitely plan on eating it A LOT this Fall/Winter.
On these cold snowy days this would be real good. I’ve always thought of oatmeal as comfort food. The texture is so soothing.
It really is comforting to me! What better way to be comforted than with a warm bowl of oats WITH chocolate? 😉
Discovering a love for hot oatmeal later in life, especially with indulgent twists like chocolate and nut butter, shows how our palates can evolve and embrace new flavors. Hot Cocoa Oatmeal is a perfect example of how adding rich, comforting ingredients can transform a simple breakfast into a luxurious, warm treat to savor on chilly mornings. This recipe not only satisfies the sweet tooth but also brings a delightful warmth that makes it easier to leave the comfort of a cozy bed.
This Hot Cocoa Oatmeal recipe sounds like the perfect transformation of a traditional breakfast into a delightful treat, especially on chilly mornings! Incorporating favorites like chocolate chips and nut butter truly makes it an indulgent way to start the day. It’s amazing how adding just a few flavorful ingredients can completely change one’s perspective on a classic dish like oatmeal.