Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

I had a sweet tooth today, no surprise there, and had this YumUniverse recipe in the back of my mind for just such an occasion. I didn't have all of the exact ingredients, and I've really been wanting to try my friend's idea to used whipped coconut milk on top of my hot chocolate as a whipped cream replacement. Well, neither idea entirely worked out, but the end result of what I scraped together from the failures was still amazingly delicious, repeatable, and blog-worthy. So here it is, my YumUniverse inspired Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate
4 dates, pitted
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch cayenne
Pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cashew butter
1 can coconut milk
Water, as needed
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend till smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (I added more chili powder and cinnamon to mine. You could also add your favorite sweetener at this point if you need it sweeter.) Transfer to saucepan to warm it up, then whip into frothy goodness. Pour into your favorite mug with your favorite cup cozy like the one Maggy made me (pictured), and try to save enough for your husband to enjoy a taste when he gets home. (I bet it would be extra good with a shot of espresso in there for a vegan mocha!)