White Hot Chocolate

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A tasty hot chocolate made with white chocolate chips, topped off with fluffy homemade whipped cream. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious, from start to finish.

White hot chocolates with whipped cream in mugs.

CONTENTS

Recipe Highlights

White hot chocolate is a caffeine-free version of a regular hot chocolate. This recipe is made with white chocolate chips, milk, vanilla extract, sea salt (a must!), and nutmeg.
The nutmeg surprisingly makes a big difference and makes it extra tasty. The sea salt balances the drink so it’s not overly sweet.
Homemade whipped cream is made quick and easy with a handheld milk frother (costs less than $20). Whisk heavy cream and sweetener (sugar or simple syrup) and whipped cream is made in seconds.

Make more delicious hot chocolates like snickerdoodle hot chocolate, salted caramel hot chocolate, frozen hot chocolate, and peppermint hot chocolate.

Ingredient Notes

White chocolate chips
Instead of using dark or milk chocolate, the drink is made with white chocolate. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, so don’t be alarmed if you see some yellow since it’s all natural.
Milk
Any kind of milk can be used but it’s creamier and richer when it’s made with whole milk.
Vanilla extract
A flavor enhancer, vanilla extract adds that little extra something to make it delicious.
Ground nutmeg
Just a pinch is all you need. It makes a difference so don’t skip it!
Sea salt
Salt balances out the sweetness from the white chocolate chips. Make sure to use the sea salt linked since it’s the best one.
Heavy cream
This is for the whipped cream topping.
Sugar
This sweetens the whipped cream.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Four photo collage showing steps to make white hot chocolate.

For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.

Make whipped cream topping.
Sugar, salt, and heavy cream are whipped together using a handheld milk frother. Fluffy whipped cream is made in seconds. Set aside.
Simmer milk and take off heat. Stir in white chocolate chips until completely melted. Add vanilla extract, sea salt, and nutmeg.
Assemble drink.
Pour white hot chocolate into a mug, top with whipped cream and garnish with a pinch of nutmeg.

My Handheld Milk Frother Pick

A quick and easy way to make whipped cream. It’s cordless, easy to use, and best of all, easy to clean.

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Expert Tips

White chocolate is naturally off-white and pale yellow in color due to the cocoa butter. If your chocolate chips are pure white, it means it contains little or no cocoa butter and other ingredients like artificial color or vegetable oil has been added.
The whipped cream can be made as stiff or soft as you like by adjusting the time you whisk. If you want a more pourable whipped cream with soft peaks that will stir into the drink easier, whisk until it thickens slightly. Make sure to move the handheld milk frother up and down to get air into the cream.
Whipped cream can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Stir it a little since it may have deflated a bit.

Questions You May Have

Is there caffeine in white hot chocolate?

Nope, there’s no caffeine in white chocolate, unlike dark or milk chocolate, so there’s no caffeine in the drink.

Is white chocolate made from chocolate?

White chocolate isn’t made from chocolate. It’s made with cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids.

How can I make my hot chocolate really white instead of pale yellow?

Natural white chocolate is pale yellow in color due to the cocoa butter, so look at the ingredients on the packages of white chocolate chips and get the ones with less or no cocoa butter.

White hot chocolate with whipped cream in a glass mug.

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