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White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Creamy white chocolate peppermint hot chocolate made with crushed candy canes, milk and vanilla for a festive winter drink.
White Hot Chocolate with Crushed Peppermint is a warm, dessert-style beverage made by melting white chocolate into hot milk—often enriched with a splash of cream and vanilla extract—then finishing it with finely crushed peppermint candies for a cool, minty contrast. The drink’s pale, velvety base highlights the rich cocoa butter of white chocolate, while the peppermint adds both flavor and a festive garnish. Typically served in the winter months and throughout the holiday season, it functions as an indulgent alternative to classic cocoa, offering a comforting treat for gatherings, après-ski relaxation, or cozy evenings at home.
White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Ready in roughly ten minutes and made with a single saucepan, this recipe turns everyday ingredients into a barista-style specialty you can customize on the fly. Try oat milk for dairy-free friends, spike it with a splash of espresso for adults, or keep it in a thermos for on-the-go holiday errands—its versatility is part of the fun.
Prep Time
5 minutes
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
10 minutes
Total Time
15 minutes
15 minutes
Ingredients
Whole milk – 4 cups
- Heavy cream – 1 cup
- High-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped (or white chocolate chips) – 8 oz / about 1½ cups
- Pure peppermint extract – ½ tsp
- Fine sea salt – 1 small pinch
- Crushed peppermint candies or candy-canes – ¼ cup, plus extra for topping (optional but classic)
- Whipped cream – generous dollop per mug (optional yet highly encouraged)
- Mini marshmallows – handful per serving (optional)
- White chocolate curls or shavings – 1–2 tbsp for garnish (optional)
Method
Pour milk into a medium saucepan
- Pour heavy cream into the same saucepan
- Set the saucepan over medium heat
- Stir occasionally until the liquid begins to steam
- Lower the heat to prevent boiling
- Add white chocolate chips to the hot milk mixture
- Whisk continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth
- Remove the saucepan from the heat
- Stir in peppermint extract until fully blended
- Ladle the hot chocolate into warm mugs
- Spoon whipped cream onto each mug
- Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the whipped cream
- Serve immediately while hot
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
3334 kcal Protein
51 g Fat
215 g Carbs
311 g Fiber
0 g Sugar
280 g
3334 kcal Protein
51 g Fat
215 g Carbs
311 g Fiber
0 g Sugar
280 g
Notes
For the smoothest texture, grate a high-quality white chocolate bar instead of using chips—they melt faster and eliminate any waxy bits. Warm your mugs with hot water first, then pour and top immediately; the drink stays hotter and the peppermint aroma blooms as the candy softens on contact.
why this recipe
Indulgent yet effortless, this white chocolate peppermint hot chocolate transforms a handful of familiar ingredients into a mug of pure holiday magic, marrying the velvety richness of real white chocolate with the cool sparkle of crushed peppermint for a sip that feels both luxurious and cheerfully nostalgic. The creamy base coats the palate without the heaviness of traditional cocoa, while the candied mint gently melts into delicate ribbons of flavor, adding texture and a refreshing lift that keeps each taste balanced and bright. It’s the kind of cozy treat that turns an ordinary winter evening into a fireside celebration, rewarding minimal prep with café-worthy results you’ll crave long after the decorations are packed away.
FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make this White Hot Chocolate dairy-free—what plant-based milk and cream substitutes work best?
Swap the whole milk for a rich, neutral-tasting plant milk such as barista-style oat milk or unsweetened almond or soy milk; they heat smoothly without separating. Replace the heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk or an oat-based cooking cream/creamer, which provides comparable body and silkiness while keeping the drink fully dairy-free.
Can I prepare the white hot chocolate in advance and reheat it later without compromising its creamy texture?
Yes—once cooled, the finished hot chocolate can be refrigerated in an airtight jar or pitcher for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly over low heat (or in 30-second microwave bursts), whisking frequently and stopping just as it starts to steam; avoid boiling, and add a splash of milk if it has thickened, to restore its original silky texture.
How can I reduce the sweetness without sacrificing the drink’s creamy texture?
Use a high-cocoa-butter, low-sugar white baking chocolate—or swap 2 oz of the chocolate for pure, unsweetened cocoa butter—so you keep the fat that gives body while dialing back the sugar. Alternatively, cut the chocolate to 6 oz and compensate for lost richness with an extra splash of cream or 1–2 Tbsp dry milk powder; the sweetness drops, but the texture stays luxuriously smooth.