When it comes to hot chocolate, there is more than one name in the game, and it’s time for White Hot Chocolate to claim the cocoa crown! Experience the lighter side of cocoa with this sumptuous recipe for a welcome remix of everyone’s favorite caffeine-free warm beverage!
No matter your age, background, or diet you have probably indulged in a hot chocolate once or twice in your life, but none of them can compare to this delicious drink! Here is what you will love about this indulgent White Hot Chocolate:
- Smooth and Sweet - The awesome combination of warm milk and white chocolate makes for a delectably sweet and silky smooth drinkable treat!
- Awesome Update - Once you have had one hot chocolate you’ve had them all, or so you might have thought until you try this luscious remix! It is familiar enough to satisfy your chocolate cravings but fresh and funky enough to bring some excitement to your routine!
- Family Favorite - The whole crowd will agree on this sugary sip! The combination of vanilla and white chocolate will please everyone regardless of age.
- Sweet Simplicity - This recipe doesn’t require special know-how or equipment; with just a burner and a little time anyone can craft yummy white chocolate hot cocoa!
- Easy Equipment - All you will need to make this light and lovely hot chocolate is a pot and a milk frother, so everyone can be a pro barista!
🥘 Ingredients
Whole Milk - This staple dairy product is the perfect choice when making hot chocolate! Craft your cup of cocoa with milk to make it luscious and creamy.
Whole milk warms up nicely and is the best dairy for creating milk foam; however, both are excellent swaps if you prefer dairy-free or lactose-free milk! Just remember that non-dairy milk with a ‘barista-quality’ label means the alternative milk has been enriched with extra vegetable fat to make frothing it easier.
White Chocolate Chips - White chocolate is a chocolate product made from just cocoa butter. It has a far lighter and sweeter taste than traditional chocolate, which makes it ideal for cheering up cold days! White chocolate chips can be found online or in the baking aisle of any major store to bring some light chocolatey sweetness to this drink!
Vanilla Extract - Vanilla's smooth and woody flavor highlights white chocolate's creamy sweetness perfectly! The extract is an easy and affordable way to introduce vanilla to the drink, but you can also use vanilla bean paste or fresh vanilla bean.
Mini Marshmallows - For vegans and vegetarians who do not eat gelatin, swap the traditional mini marshmallows for vegan marshmallows. Alternatively, you can skip the marshmallow altogether and opt for chocolate shavings or (non-dairy) whipped cream.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Step One: Combine the milk, white chocolate chips, and vanilla extract over low heat until the chocolate has melted and everything is fully mixed.
Step Two: Briefly boil the milk mixture and remove it from heat.
Step Three: Pour the hot white chocolate into a glass, but reserve a small portion for frothing.
Step Four: Froth the remaining white hot chocolate with a milk frother and then use the foam as a topping.
Step Five: Finally, garnish the drink with mini marshmallows and enjoy!
🥛 Substitutions
Alternative Milk - Replace the whole milk with your favorite non-dairy or lactose-free milk to suit your dietary needs! Just remember that non-dairy milk with a ‘barista-quality’ label means the alternative milk has been enriched with extra vegetable fat to make frothing it easier.
Other Chocolate - Trade the white chocolate in this recipe for milk or dark chocolate to make different delicious variations of this smooth sip! Dark chocolate adds complexity and milk chocolate has a familiar flavor everyone loves. You can even get wild and make this recipe with white, milk, and dark chocolates!
Vegan Hot Chocolate - Make this hot chocolate vegan by using plant-based milk, dark chocolate chips, and vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is naturally vegan, but you will want to double-check that your chosen dark chocolate is totally plant-based. If you want to amp up the sweetness in the final drink, stir in a little agave syrup.
Flavor Extract - Get creative and trade the vanilla for any flavor you like! Do you love fruit and chocolate? Then try swapping the vanilla in the original recipe for a raspberry extract to make a sweet and fruity twist. Another option is to get nutty by tagging in almond extract for an earthy sweet taste!
Plant-Based Marshmallows - For vegans and vegetarians who do not eat gelatin, swap the traditional mini marshmallows for vegan marshmallows. Alternatively, you can skip the marshmallow altogether and opt for chocolate shavings or (non-dairy) whipped cream.
Sweet and Spicy - If you want to add a little extra pop to this delicious drink without a lot of fuss, sprinkle some spices on top. Try homemade pumpkin spice on top for a fall flavor or a little cinnamon sugar for a snickerdoodle-inspired flavor!
🍽 Equipment
- Milk Frother - This tasty drink is topped with lighter-than-air white chocolate milk foam. A handheld milk frother is the ideal tool to make crafting that foam simple! This inexpensive and small bar tool can help you make milk for this hot chocolate, lattes, and more!
- Saucepan - small
- Whisk
- Serving cup
💭 Top tips
- If you can find mini white chocolate chips, those are great for this drink recipe because they melt quickly and evenly.
- You do not need to keep the milk boiling for long; just bring it up to heat, then turn it down.
- If you don’t have a handheld milk frother, try pouring the extra milk into a French press and gently using the plunger to create milk foam.
- If you do not have a milk frother or French press, don't worry; just skip the foam and enjoy your silky smooth white hot chocolate!
If you like marshmallows as much as I do, try out this delicious jello marshmallow salad made by Finding Zest!
🙋🏻 FAQ
Yes! This luscious and sweet hot chocolate is naturally nut-free. It is also naturally gluten and soy-free. Even if you opt to make this drink vegan you can use oat milk to make a common-allergen-free treat!
This yummy hot beverage is naturally caffeine-free. White chocolate is made with only cocoa butter so it is totally free of caffeine. That makes it the perfect drink to enjoy as a late-night indulgence.
Unfortunately, this delicious drink is high in carbs so it is not the best choice on a keto diet. You can swap the white chocolate for sugar-free white chocolate and the whole milk for higher-fat heavy cream to make a lower-carb rendition of this beautiful beverage.
The balance of sweet and creamy flavors in this beverage is just beautiful, but if you want to pump up the flavor in this delectable drink there are a few ways to do it. You can try swapping the extract or adding some spice. You can also amp up the presentation and add some flavor at the same time by using a peppermint stick or chocolate swizzle to stir this sensational white hot chocolate!
If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don't miss it.
📖 Recipe
Easy White Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- Saucepan small
- Serving cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups Whole Milk
- ½ cup White chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Add 2 cups Whole Milk in a small saucepan together with ½ cup White chocolate chips and ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract.2 cups Whole Milk, ½ cup White chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Heat slowly and dissolve the white chocolate chips in the hot milk. Whisk until the milk is well combined with the white chocolate.
- Bring to a short boil, then pour the hot white chocolate into a drinking glass.
- Keep a little bit left in the pot for frothing. Froth the remaining white hot chocolate with a milk frother.
- Add the white chocolate milk foam as a topping with a spoon and garnish with Mini marshmallows.Mini marshmallows
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
⛑️ Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.
Stephanie says
I always find such great recipes on this site and your white hot chocolate is no exception. It was a nice break from our standard hot chocolate - and the kids have already asked I make again for our next evening around the fire pit.
Nora says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Stephanie! I am so happy you and your family liked this hot chocolate so much!
Mina says
Perfect holiday drink! I love it.
Nora says
Thank you, Mina!
Kim says
This is such a great recipe! We made this after a day at the barn and it definitely helped warm us up! The flavour is incredible.
Nora says
Thank you so much, Kim! I am glad you enjoyed it!
Jacqueline Debono says
So yum! I have never used white chocolate before for hot chocolate but now I'm hooked!
Nora says
Thank you, Jacqueline! Yes, I think it's a pleasant change. 🙂
Lathiya says
Never heard of white hot chocolate before. This sounds interesting and I'm making it for my kid's sleepover party.
Nora says
Awesome! Let me know how they liked it, Lathiya!