If cozy was a liquid, it would be Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate. Sweet cocoa butter and cream are combined and made decadent with an infusion of cheerful, warming spices. A mug of Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate tames the winter chill. With a rich depth of flavor and an uplifting seasonal vibe, every sip reads like a comforting embrace and goes down easy!
Tips for making this festive hot chocolate recipe
- If you want to cut down on the amount of dairy in this recipe, you can replace both the heavy cream and milk with cashew milk or other “barista blend” plant-based milk. Please keep in mind that white chocolate is produced using some dairy, so you will not be able to completely eliminate it from this recipe.
- For the most pronounced gingerbread flavor, use the freshest spices you can find.
- You can make gingerbread paste ahead and store it in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- If you plan to top your Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate with whipped cream but don’t want to put in the extra elbow grease at the last minute, you can make the whipped cream ahead and freeze it until you’re ready to serve.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whip up some heavy cream (no sweetener) and pipe or dollop mounds of whipped cream (a little smaller than the circumference of your mug) onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Put the baking sheet of whipped cream mounds into the freezer for an hour or until the whipped cream mounds are fully frozen.
- Working quickly, remove the baking sheet from the freezer, peel off the whipped cream mounds, and put them in an airtight freezer bag. The whipped cream mounds will keep for up to one month.
- Just before serving your Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate, plop one of the frozen whipped cream mounds on top of your drink and enjoy.
- You can add leftover gingerbread paste to mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, or glaze for ham. You can also add it to frostings, tea, cocoa, cookie batter, eggnog, or cocktails.
- Leftover Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate can be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days and used as a festive coffee creamer.
Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Paste
- ½ cup robust molasses (you can substitute original or regular molasses)
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
- ½ tablespoon cloves (you can substitute allspice)
- ½ tablespoon orange zest
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Milk Base
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4oz white chocolate, chopped
- Top with whipped cream, white chocolate shavings, ground cinnamon or cloves (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, add all of the gingerbread paste ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- In a medium pot, combine the heavy cream, milk, and 2-3 tablespoons of gingerbread paste. Heat over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
- Add the chopped white chocolate. Stir constantly until the chocolate has completely dissolved. Continue to simmer and stir for another two minutes. Do not allow it to come to a boil.
- Pour equal amounts of the Gingerbread White Hot Chocolate into four mugs. Top with whipped cream, white chocolate shavings, and a light dusting of cinnamon or cloves.
