The easiest Vegan White Hot Chocolate recipe is just 3 ingredients, sweet, creamy, and so cozy! This dairy-free white chocolate hot cocoa is gluten-free, allergy-free, and made in less than 10 minutes! A delicious homemade beverage to warm you up on a cold winter day. Customize it with vegan whipped cream, marshmallows, or a sweet drizzle!
Smooth, creamy, dreamy, rich white hot chocolate! That first sweet cozy sip, to warm you up on a cold winter day. You'll be shocked to find out that this hot chocolate is vegan and dairy-free! The undertones of vanilla and luscious mouthfeel of white chocolate perfectly melted into a super creamy beverage that everyone can enjoy! Top your warm mug with dairy-free whipped cream, some marshmallows, extra white chocolate chips, or even a chocolate drizzle!
What's The Difference Between Chocolate and Cocoa?
Cocoa is the heated form of cacao and contains little to no cocoa butter and is mostly cocoa solids. Chocolate contains high amounts of rich cocoa butter which gives it a solid, fatty, melty texture.
What Is White Chocolate?
White chocolate is chocolate. While some people say it's not, it does since it contains cocoa butter. White chocolate is a combination of cocoa butter, sugar, milk or cream solids (powder), and vanilla. It's much sweeter than other chocolate, which is why some people don't like it!
It's not vegan unless you buy a specifically labeled vegan variety. Note that many vegan white chocolates contain soy, so make sure you look for an allergen-free version as well if soy is a concern for you.
What's The Difference Between Hot Chocolate and White Hot Chocolate?
Instead of using cocoa powder or chocolate, it uses the sweetened, ivory, milky counterpart, white chocolate. Just as sweet, rich, creamy, and delicious, but the complete opposite in color!
What Does White Hot Chocolate Taste Like?
White chocolate has a slightly floral, sweet, and vanilla flavor to it. This hot chocolate is sweet and creamy with an extra splash of vanilla extract. It's sweetened solely by the white chocolate chips and doesn't require anything extra!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This dairy-free white hot chocolate is perfect for everyone in the family! Toddlers, kids, adults; anyone will love a cozy warm mug and everyone can enjoy this allergy-free winter beverage! This recipe is:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Kid-Friendly
- Easy, Just 3 Ingredients
- Quick, Less Than 10 minutes
- Customizable with Flavors & Toppings
- Easily Made in Large Batches (or Small Ones!)
- A Perfect Treat For Fall, Winter, Christmas, Holidays, Etc.
Ingredients To Make It
- Non-Dairy Milk: Your choice of plain (or vanilla!) sweetened or unsweetened non-dairy milk. Basically, whatever carton you have in your fridge will work for this recipe.
- Vegan & Allergen-Free White Chocolate: I used Nestle Tollhouse's Simply Delicious Allergen-Free white chocolate chips. You can use a vegan and allergen-free white chocolate bar too if you don't have chips.
- Vanilla Extract: You can leave out the extra splash of vanilla entirely, but it really helps tie all the flavors together. You may even try a splash of peppermint, caramel, or even maple extract if you want!
Ingredient Variations
- Make it super creamy: You can use full-fat canned coconut milk if you want an extra thick and creamy hot chocolate! You can even do half one milk half canned coconut milk or even add a few tablespoons of coconut cream (or non-dairy half & half creamer!)
- White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate bar: Again, you can use allergen-free chips or a milkless bar! If you use a bar form, chop the chocolate into small pieces for easy melting.
- Flavoring: Add a different flavored extract like peppermint for a peppermint white hot chocolate, maple, caramel, almond, etc. or add in some cinnamon, nutmeg, even something like culinary lavender!
- Food coloring: If you want to make this blank-slate white hot chocolate festive for a specific holiday or celebration, add a few drops of natural food dye for a very fun and kid-friendly beverage!
- Make it sugar-free: While there is no pre-made vegan and allergen-free sugar-free white chocolate, you can substitute in raw cacao butter, some coconut mana, and sweeten to taste with a sugar-free sweetener like Swerve. Make sure you add vanilla extract if you go this route!
Toppings For White Hot Chocolate
You can't have hot chocolate without ALL the toppings!
- Coconut Whipped Cream
- Store-bought Non-Dairy Whipped Cream
- Marshmallow Fluff
- Allergen-Free Sprinkles
- White Chocolate Chips (Dark or Semi-Sweet!)
- Allergen-Free Candies
- Shredded Coconut
- Vanilla Bean Powder
- Allergen-Free Vegan Marshmallows
- Flavored Drizzles or Chocolate Syrups
How To Make White Hot Chocolate
- Add the non-dairy milk to a medium saucepan and heat on the stove.
- Add the vegan white chocolate chips and extract. Continue heating and stirring until melted.
- Remove from the heat, pour the cocoa into mugs and add your toppings!
Tips & Tricks For The Best Vegan White Hot Cocoa From Scratch
- Don't boil, don't simmer, just give the pot of milk and chocolate an even medium to high heat. You don't want the chocolate to burn or milk to scold.
- Stir frequently. Vegan white chocolate can be tricky to melt, so give your stovetop hot chocolate frequent stirring and whisking to prevent the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate from clumping up.
- Serve it right away, don't let it sit, and try to reheat the mixture again later. You may notice some separation in your white hot chocolate as it begins to cool. This can be due to the brand of milk and/or brand of vegan white chocolate you use. Depending on the added oils and fats used in the specific ingredients, some separate can occur. Just give everything a nice mix and stir before enjoying!
What To Serve With White Hot Chocolate
While delicious and an indulgent treat on its own, you can also pair your cozy mug of dairy-free white hot cocoa with a wintery baked treat! I remember the first time I had ever had white hot chocolate; it was from good 'ole Dunkin Donuts, and what did I pair it with? A donut, of course! Maybe you've had white hot chocolate from Starbucks or Tim Hortons, well you can still pair it with a perfect bakery treat like you would get there too!
- Gingerbread Banana Bread
- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
- Coffee Cake Doughnuts
- Gingerbread Doughnuts
- Pumpkin Donuts Holes
Of course, this copycat white hot chocolate (if you can call it a copycat!) is 100% vegan, gluten-free, allergen-free, and just a wee bit healthier, don't you think?
More Cozy Drink Recipe To Try:
- 3-Ingredient Instant Vegan Hot Chocolate Mix
- Healing Tahini Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Homemade Apple Cider
- Homemade Vegan Eggnog
Vegan White Hot Chocolate (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free)
The easiest Vegan White Hot Chocolate recipe is just 3 ingredients, sweet, creamy, and so cozy! This dairy-free white chocolate hot cocoa is gluten-free, allergy-free, and made in less than 10 minutes! A delicious homemade beverage to warm you up on a cold winter day. Customize it with vegan whipped cream, marshmallows, or a sweet drizzle!
- Prep Time: 1 Minute
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 Cup Vegan/Allergen-Free White Chocolate Chips (or 6 oz Chopped White Chocolate)
- 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract (optional*)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, warm the milk over a low simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the white chocolate and extract (as well as any other flavoring additions), stir to combine.
- Stir the mixture over medium-high heat until the chocolate has melted and everything is creamy and smooth (don't let the mixture come to a boil).
- Serve the white hot chocolate by pouring it into 4 mugs and top each with your choice or topping and additions.
Notes
- You can use any plain non-dairy milk for this recipe. Different brands and blends will produce different textures and degrees of creaminess.
- You can use a different flavored extract or leave out the vanilla entirely for a more muted taste.
- See blog post for other flavoring and topping suggestions.
- Serve right away. Letting the white hot chocolate sit and cool, can cause separation to occur (if this happens, just stir everything back up!)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
Keywords: white hot chocolate, white hot cocoa, vegan white hot chocolate, dairy-free white hot chocolate, homemade white hot chocolate
A winter wonderland right in your mug! Beat the winter blues and bring on all the cozy and comforting vibes by warming up with a sweet, vanillay, delicious Vegan White Hot Chocolate and possibly a slice of this coffee cake too!
So tell me:
+ Are you a white chocolate fan? People dis on white chocolate, but it's perfectly delicious when presented and served in the right way (and right quantity)!
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Helen
We are going to love your white hot chocolate all cold winter season long!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
Surely will keep you warm!
Talaia
Yep I am so making this, looks so good!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Hanna Long
Wow right up my street!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Helen Story
Oh I love this, you can dress it up with toppings so it looks a bit fancy but it is actually deceptively simple! I'm taking part in Veganuary this year and dropping the dairy is going to be my biggest challenge so I'll definitely be trying this out.
Rebecca Pytell
Dairy is the easiest thing to replace!
Liz
I have never tried white hot chocolate before! My kids have been requesting hot chocolate, so excited to give this recipe a try!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
They'll love this fun version!
Michele Morin
What a fun twist on an old favorite!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Cori
My first time having white chocolate hot chocolate was from Starbucks. This probably has less sugar in it too along with being healthier for you. Yummy
Rebecca Pytell
Plus, it can be made with love, haha!
Predrag Kovačević
Very interesting, and looks good. I would definitely add some almonds or hazelnuts.
Rebecca Pytell
As a topping?
Arianna
100% trying this! All of your recipes are always so delectable!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Malaika Archer
Looks yummy and quite simple to make. I am so trying this.
Rebecca Pytell
Yes! Super easy, just what you need on a cold day!
Donna B Reidland
A mug of this would be perfect right now!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!