How much sugar is in Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. It’s that warming comforting drink that you choose when you don’t want coffee or when you want to feel like a child again. Everyone loves the sweet creamy taste of hot chocolate, but exactly how much sugar is in these nostalgic drinks? This is the question I am going to be answering in this post.
In order to answer, this question I have compiled the sugar content data of the hot chocolates from three of the big coffee chains – Starbucks, Dunkin’, and Scooter’s. I then used this information to come up with some top tips on how to reduce the sugar content of a hot chocolate when ordering out.
What About Home Made Hot Chocolate?
If you are more of a fan of making hot chocolate at home but are watching your sugar intake, then you need to check out the following two articles I have already written:
Just choose a no added sugar hot chocolate and a no added sugar milk from my above two articles and you can create your added sugar-free hot chocolate at home.
Now back to the sugar content of hot chocolates in coffee chains. Let’s dig in – how much sugar is in hot chocolate?
How Much Sugar is in Hot Chocolate from Coffee Shops?
As a general rule, there are 27g-42g of sugar in a small hot chocolate ordered at a coffee shop, depending on the shop. You can order your hot chocolate with dairy-free milk, hold the whip, and see if less chocolate can be added in order to reduce the sugar content of a hot chocolate.
Before we dig in, if you are interested in the sugar content of other types of drinks at the big coffee chains then make sure to check out the following posts that I have put together:
- How Do You Reduce Sugar in a Caramel Macchiato?
- How Do You Order Mocha with Less Sugar?
- Does Matcha Contain a Lot of Sugar Matcha?
- How Much Sugar is in a Chai Tea Latte?
- How Do You Order a Latte with Less Sugar?
- Is There Any Sugar in a Cappuccino?
- Does Iced Coffee Contain a Lot of Sugar?
- Is there a lot of Sugar in Iced Tea?
STARBUCKS
How Many Grams of Sugar is in a Starbucks Hot Chocolate?
Below I have collated the sugar content data for hot chocolates and white chocolate hot chocolates at Starbucks. The nutritional data on the Starbucks website only lists the sugar content of the hot chocolates based on the size ordered. This data is just for hot chocolates made with 2% milk. Starbucks does not update the sugar content data on its website based on customizations (e.g., different milk ordered).
Sugar Content of Starbucks Hot Chocolates Made with 2% Milk
| Starbucks’ Cup Size | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Short | 18g |
| Tall | 27g |
| Grande | 37g |
| Venti | 46g |
Sugar Content of Starbucks White Hot Chocolates Made with 2% Milk
| Starbucks’ Cup Size | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Short | 28g |
| Tall | 41g |
| Grande | 55g |
| Venti | 68g |
Even though Starbucks does not provide the nutritional information for ordering hot chocolate with an alternative milk, this Starbucks document here shows that soy milk and coconut kinds of milk at Starbucks are lower in sugar than dairy milk.
This means one way to reduce the sugar content of your Starbucks hot chocolate is to order it with soy milk or coconut milk.
How to Reduce the Sugar in A Starbucks Hot Chocolate
In conclusion, the best way to reduce the sugar content of hot chocolate at Starbucks is to order as follows:
- Order a hot chocolate and not a white chocolate hot chocolate.
- Order a short size- order with soy or coconut milk.
- Order with 1 mocha pump rather than 2.
- Order without mocha drizzle (mocha drizzle is added on top of the cream on Starbucks’ hot chocolates).
- Order without whipped cream.
If you are interested in other lower-sugar drinks at Starbucks, make sure to read the following posts I have written on the topic:
- Which Frappuccinos Contain the Least Sugar?
- 34 Best Low Sugar Drinks at Starbucks (10g of sugar or less)
- 12 Lowest Sugar Starbucks Cold Drinks You Need To Know
DUNKIN’
How Much Sugar is in Dunkin’s Hot Chocolates?
How much sugar is a hot chocolate from Dunkin?
Before we dig into the data, I just need to point out that you can’t choose the milk that your hot chocolate is made with at Dunkin’. This is because hot chocolates at Dunkin’ are made with a pre-made mix.
There are also two different types of hot chocolate available at Dunkin’ – Original, and Espresso. Neither comes with whipped cream. This means the only way you can have an impact on the sugar content of your hot chocolate at Dunkin’ is by ordering a smaller size and variety of hot chocolate (i.e., Espresso or Original).
So, let’s dig in, how much sugar is in Dunkin’s hot chocolates?
How Much Sugar is in Dunkin’s Original Hot Chocolate?
| Dunkin’s Cup Size | Sugar Content of Dunkin’s Hot Chocolate |
|---|---|
| Small | 32g |
| Medium | 46g |
| Large | 65g |
| XL | 71g |
How Much Sugar is in Dunkin’s Espresso Hot Chocolate?
| Dunkin’s Cup Size | Sugar Content of Dunkin’s Espresso Hot Chocolate |
|---|---|
| Small | 27g |
| Medium | 39g |
| Large | 55g |
If you don’t mind your hot chocolate with a kick to it, the best way to reduce the sugar content of a hot chocolate at Dunkin’ is to:
- order a small size.
- order an espresso hot chocolate.
If you are interested in lower-sugar drinks or donuts at Dunkin’ make sure to read the posts I have already put together on the topics:
SCOOTER’S
How Much Sugar is in a Scooter’s Hot Chocolate?
Below I have collated the sugar content data for hot chocolates at Scooter’s Coffee based on the size ordered as well as the milk ordered.
| Scooter’s Cup Size | 2% Milk | Skim Milk | Whole Milk | Coconut Milk | Almond Milk | Oat Milk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 41g | 42g | 41g | 37g | 38g | 33g |
| Medium | 59g | 59g | 59g | 53g | 54g | 48g |
| Large | 76g | 77g | 76g | 68g | 70g | 62g |
In conclusion, the best way to reduce the sugar content of a hot chocolate at Scooters is to:
- order a small size.
- order with oat milk.
- hold the whipped cream.
- see if less chocolate sauce can be added.
If you are interested in ordering lower-sugar drinks at Scooter’s then make sure to read the post I have put together on the topic:
Sugar in Hot Chocolates F&Q
Is Hot Chocolate High in Sugar?
Hot chocolate is fairly high in sugar at 27g-41g of sugar in a small hot chocolate made with dairy milk.
How Much Sugar Does a Hot Chocolate Contain?
As a general rule, there are 27g-42g of sugar in a small hot chocolate made with dairy milk.
How many Spoons of Sugar are in a Hot Chocolate?
As a general rule, there are 7-11 teaspoons of sugar in a small hot chocolate made with dairy milk.
What Contains More Sugar – Coke or Hot Chocolate?
A small hot chocolate can contain less sugar than a 12oz can of Coke – especially if a small size is ordered with dairy-free milk and without whipped cream on top.
There are 39g of sugar in a 12oz can of Coke. There are 27g-42g of sugar in a small hot chocolate made with dairy milk. A large hot chocolate ordered out will almost always contain more sugar than a can of Coke.
Does Starbucks Hot Chocolate Contain a Lot of Sugar?
A Starbucks Hot chocolate ordered with 2% milk contains 18g-46g of sugar.
How Much Sugar is in a Large Starbucks Hot Chocolate?
A large (venti) hot chocolate from Starbucks ordered with 2% milk contains 46g of sugar.
How Many Teaspoons of Sugar Are in a Starbucks Hot Chocolate?
As a general rule, there are 5-12 teaspoons of sugar in a hot chocolate from Starbucks depending on the size ordered. This is for a hot chocolate ordered with dairy milk.
Does Starbucks Add Sugar to Their Hot Chocolates?
Starbucks Hot chocolates do contain added sugar.
How Much Sugar is in a Medium Hot Chocolate from Dunkin’ Donuts?
There are 46g of sugar in a medium original hot chocolate from Dunkin’ Donuts.
How Much Sugar is in Hot Chocolate? – The Final Bite
How much sugar is in Hot Chocolate? What have we learned from the above? Well, when it comes to hot chocolate the best way to reduce the sugar content of your drink is to: (1) order the smallest size on the menu; (2) where possible substitute any dairy milk for a lower sugar plant-based milk; and (3) hold off on any whipped cream. If you are going to any of the bigger coffee chains then Starbucks has the lowest sugar Hot Chocolate if ordered as a short drink.
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below:
