Mushroom Hot Chocolate: What It Is, Benefits and How to Make It

Mushroom hot chocolate is cocoa or cacao mixed with powdered extracts of functional mushrooms, most often lion's mane and cordyceps. It has far less caffeine than coffee. Some brands call it mushroom cocoa. Here's what's in a cup, how its caffeine compares with coffee, what research has measured and how to make it.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• A good label names each mushroom, the part used, the extract ratio and the milligrams per serving.
• A cup of homemade hot cocoa has about 5 mg of caffeine, against about 95 mg in an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee.
• Human trials of lion's mane in healthy young adults have measured attention, cognition and mood after a single dose and after 28 days.
• Reported lion's mane side effects are mostly mild stomach upset; allergy is the rare serious risk.
• Our Mushroom Cacao has 500 mg each of lion's mane and cordyceps 8:1 fruiting body extracts, with 15 calories and 0 g sugar per serving.

What Is Mushroom Hot Chocolate?

The base is cocoa powder, cacao powder or both, sometimes with a sweetener. On top of that, the blend adds powdered extracts of edible functional mushrooms. Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) and cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris) are the most common pairing, though some blends add others.

The mushrooms don't add caffeine; any caffeine comes from the cocoa or cacao. The words cocoa and cacao are used loosely on labels; our guide to cacao vs cocoa explains how they differ, and cacao benefits covers the bean itself.

What Is in a Typical Cup and How to Read the Label

Blends vary, so the label tells you more than the name.

• Milligrams per serving. Look for an amount for each mushroom, not one total for a blend. Without it you can't compare products.
• Fruiting body or mycelium. The fruiting body is the mushroom you see; the mycelium is the root-like network beneath it. Researchers have found bioactive compounds in both the fruiting bodies and the mycelia of lion's mane (Memorial Sloan Kettering, 2024), but they aren't the same ingredient. See lion's mane fruiting body vs mycelium.
• Extract ratio. A ratio such as 8:1 or 10:1 is the amount of dried starting material used to make a given amount of extract. A review of botanical extracts notes that the ratio describes yield, not strength, and doesn't tell you how much of any specific compound the extract contains (Monagas et al., 2022). Our explainer what does 8:1 extract actually mean? goes further.

Caffeine and Theobromine vs Coffee and Regular Hot Chocolate

Cocoa contains a little caffeine and much more theobromine, a related compound. USDA data list 230 mg of caffeine and 2,057 mg of theobromine per 100 g of unsweetened cocoa powder, which works out to about 12 mg of caffeine in a 5 gram tablespoon (USDA FoodData Central).

A cup of homemade hot cocoa has about 5 mg of caffeine and about 170 mg of theobromine (USDA FoodData Central). An 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg of caffeine (USDA FoodData Central). The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults (FDA); see how much caffeine is too much.

So a mushroom hot chocolate is low in caffeine but not caffeine free, because cacao naturally contains caffeine (MedlinePlus, 2021). Most of its lift comes from theobromine, which is gentler than coffee. See theobromine vs caffeine, does chocolate have caffeine? and our theobromine page.

Drink	Caffeine	Calories	Total sugars
Brewed coffee, 8 oz	About 95 mg	Not listed	Not listed
Homemade hot cocoa with milk, 1 cup	About 5 mg	About 193	About 24 g
Cocoa mix made with water, 6 oz	About 4 mg	About 113	About 19 g
Our Mushroom Cacao, 1 serving	A small amount from cocoa and cacao	15	0 g

Coffee and cocoa values from USDA FoodData Central (FDC 171890, 171277 and 174123). The milk version's sugar figure includes natural milk sugar. Mushroom Cacao values are per serving of powder; milk adds its own calories.

For a side-by-side look at the two drinks, our guide to cacao vs coffee compares their caffeine, theobromine and effects on sleep.

What Research on Lion's Mane and Cordyceps Has Measured

Much of the research on both mushrooms is in cells and animals. None of the human trials we found tested a mushroom hot chocolate.

Lion's mane in healthy adults aged 18 to 45. A placebo-controlled pilot study gave 41 healthy adults either 1.8 g of lion's mane or a placebo, testing them 60 minutes after a single dose and again after 28 days. The lion's mane group was faster on the Stroop attention task at 60 minutes, with a trend toward lower self-rated stress at 28 days that didn't reach statistical significance. Other measures didn't change, and the authors called the findings tentative (Docherty et al., 2023).

Lion's mane in healthy adults aged 18 to 35. A randomized crossover study gave 18 healthy young adults in the UK a single 3 g dose of a 10:1 lion's mane fruiting body extract in a drink, or a matched placebo drink, and tested them 90 minutes later. Overall cognition and mood scores didn't change significantly; a dexterity task improved while one attention task was worse than placebo (Surendran et al., 2025).

Cordyceps in a blend, in active young adults. In a double-blind trial, 28 active young adults took 4 g a day of a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris, lion's mane and four other mushrooms, or a placebo, for 3 weeks. VO2 max rose more on the blend than on placebo, and time to exhaustion also improved. At 1 week, VO2 max had not yet changed (Hirsch et al., 2017). Because it was a blend, the result can't be credited to cordyceps alone.

These were small studies in healthy young adults, so results may not apply to everyone. See lion's mane vs cordyceps, our cordyceps militaris guide, and our lion's mane and cordyceps ingredient pages.

Mushroom Hot Chocolate vs Mushroom Coffee

Mushroom coffee, often sold as lion's mane coffee or cordyceps coffee, is regular coffee with mushroom extract added. The mushrooms can be the same; the base is what changes.

	Mushroom hot chocolate	Mushroom coffee
Base	Cocoa and/or cacao	Ground or instant coffee
Main stimulant	Theobromine, with a little caffeine	Caffeine
Caffeine	Low; about 5 mg in a cup of homemade hot cocoa	Same as the coffee used; about 95 mg in an 8 oz brewed cup
Common mushrooms	Lion's mane, cordyceps	Lion's mane, cordyceps, others

Our guides to lion's mane coffee, mushroom coffee vs regular coffee and coffee alternatives cover the coffee side.

How to Make Mushroom Hot Chocolate

With our Mushroom Cacao, it takes about a minute.

1. Heat a mug of water or milk.
2. Add one rounded teaspoon of Mushroom Cacao to the mug.
3. Stir into a paste first. Mix with a splash of the liquid, then add the rest to avoid clumps.
4. Froth if you like.

Variations.

• Iced: dissolve the teaspoon in a little hot water, then pour over ice and top with cold milk.
• Milk alternatives: oat, almond, soy or coconut milk all work.
• Spiced: add a pinch of cinnamon or a drop of vanilla.

Sugar and Calories

A 6 oz serving of cocoa mix made with water has about 19 g of total sugars (USDA FoodData Central), and homemade hot cocoa with milk has about 193 calories and 24 g of total sugars per cup (USDA FoodData Central). Our Mushroom Cacao is sweetened with stevia and has 0 g sugar and 15 calories per serving. See is hot chocolate good for you? Our guide to sugar-free hot chocolate compares sweeteners and what to check on a label.

Mushroom Hot Chocolate vs Regular Hot Chocolate

Here is how a cup compares, using the figures above:

Per cup	Homemade hot cocoa with milk	Our Mushroom Cacao, made with water
Calories	About 193	15
Sugar	About 24 g total sugars	0 g (sweetened with stevia)
Caffeine	About 5 mg	A little, from cocoa and cacao; the mushrooms add none
Mushrooms	None	500 mg each of lion's mane and cordyceps 8:1 fruiting body extracts
Extra cocoa extract	None	A high polyphenol, high theobromine cocoa extract

Milk adds its own calories if you make Mushroom Cacao with milk instead of water. For what cocoa flavanols are and how much the studies used, see our cocoa extract guide; for cocoa's gentle lift, see theobromine benefits. For timing an evening cup, see our guide to mushroom hot chocolate for sleep.

Who Should Be Careful

From lion's mane. The NIH's LiverTox database reports mild stomach complaints, such as abdominal discomfort, nausea or diarrhea, and at least one acute allergic reaction to oral lion's mane. It notes no case reports of clinically apparent liver injury attributed to it (LiverTox, 2024). A 2025 review described the human trials as reporting minimal side effects, including stomach discomfort, diarrhea and headaches (Menon et al., 2025). Memorial Sloan Kettering also lists skin rash and says lion's mane supplements can interact with some medications (Memorial Sloan Kettering, 2024). Our guide to lion's mane side effects has the full picture.

From caffeine. The FDA lists a faster heart rate, trouble sleeping, jitteriness, upset stomach and headache among signs of too much caffeine (FDA). A mushroom hot chocolate is low in caffeine, but it still counts toward your daily total.

Talk with a clinician first if you:

• are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
• have a mushroom or mold allergy, or have reacted to a mushroom supplement before
• take blood thinners, blood sugar medication or other prescription drugs
• have sleep disorders, migraines, GERD or ulcers, an irregular heartbeat or high blood pressure, which MedlinePlus lists as reasons to ask about limiting caffeine (MedlinePlus, 2021)

Stop and get medical help right away if you notice wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of the face or throat, or hives.

Why We Make Mushroom Cacao

Mushroom Cacao is made with cocoa, cacao and a high polyphenol, high theobromine cocoa extract, plus 500 mg each of 8:1 fruiting body extracts of lion's mane and cordyceps in every serving. Cocoa's theobromine brings a gentler lift than coffee, while lion's mane supports focus and cordyceps supports energy and endurance. It's sweetened with stevia, with 15 calories and 0 g sugar per serving, and made with third-party tested ingredients. A $50 jar holds 28 servings. It's part of our non-stimulant energy and focus range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is mushroom hot chocolate made of?

A cocoa or cacao base plus powdered mushroom extracts, most often lion's mane and cordyceps.

Does mushroom hot chocolate have caffeine?

A little. The mushrooms add none, but cocoa and cacao naturally contain caffeine. A cup of homemade hot cocoa has about 5 mg, against about 95 mg in an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee (USDA FoodData Central).

Is mushroom hot chocolate better than mushroom coffee?

Neither is better for everyone. Hot chocolate suits people cutting back on caffeine; mushroom coffee keeps your usual caffeine.

How much lion's mane did human studies use?

Recent trials in healthy young adults used 1.8 g of lion's mane and 3 g of a 10:1 fruiting body extract (Docherty et al., 2023; Surendran et al., 2025). Our Mushroom Cacao has 500 mg of an 8:1 lion's mane fruiting body extract per serving.

Can I drink mushroom hot chocolate at night?

It's low in caffeine, but sensitive sleepers may notice cocoa's theobromine and caffeine. If sleep changes, have it earlier.

How much sugar is in mushroom hot chocolate?

It depends on the brand. A 6 oz cocoa mix made with water has about 19 g of total sugars (USDA FoodData Central). Our Mushroom Cacao has 0 g sugar and 15 calories per serving.

Can you drink mushroom hot chocolate every day?

Many people make it a daily ritual. The lion's mane trials in healthy young adults lasted up to 28 days of daily use. If you are sensitive to caffeine or theobromine, have it earlier in the day.

When is the best time to drink mushroom hot chocolate?

Morning or afternoon suits most people, for example in place of a second coffee. It is low in caffeine, but cocoa's theobromine lasts several hours.

How do you make mushroom hot chocolate creamier?

Stir it into a paste with a splash of liquid first, then use warm milk or a creamy plant milk such as oat or coconut, and froth it.

Sources

1. Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF. Lion's mane supplementation, cognitive function, stress and mood in young adults. Nutrients. 2023. PMID 38004235
2. Surendran G, et al. Acute effects of a standardised Hericium erinaceus extract on cognition and mood in healthy younger adults. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025. PMID 40276537
3. Hirsch et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris in 28 active young adults. 2017. doi:10.1080/19390211.2016.1203386
4. Monagas M, Brendler T, Brinckmann J, et al. Understanding plant to extract ratios in botanical extracts. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022;13:981978. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.981978
5. Menon et al. Systematic review of lion's mane in humans. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025. PMID 40959699
6. USDA FoodData Central: FDC 169593, 171277, 174123 and 171890. fdc.nal.usda.gov
7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? fda.gov
8. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Caffeine. 2021. medlineplus.gov
9. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Lion's Mane. National Institutes of Health; 2024. NBK599740
10. Memorial Sloan Kettering. Lion's Mane Mushroom. 2024. mskcc.org

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.