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Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

Warm yourself with creamy pumpkin white hot chocolate, subtly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Top with caramel whipped cream for an indulgent treat.

A mug of pumpkin white hot chocolate topped with caramel whipped cream and caramel drizzle

Some people sneer at white chocolate. They'll say it's not real chocolate. And yes, it doesn't contain any chocolate solids, which the FDA requires in order to label a product "chocolate" instead of "candy." But that doesn't mean white chocolate is bad!

But personally, I still love the flavor. I love white hot chocolate almost as much as regular hot chocolate. Add in some pumpkin and spices, and I am in autumnal heaven.

A mug of hot chocolate on an orange napkin in front of three squares of white chocolate baking bar

It's really easy to make, too. Warm some milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and spices until it's scalding (the technical term for liquid that's warm enough to form small bubbles at the edge of the pan). You need the liquid to be warm enough to melt the chopped chocolate.

If you don't have, or can't find, the bar form of white chocolate, you can also use white chocolate chips. Whether you use a bar or chips, use the highest-quality white chocolate you can find/afford. I prefer Ghirardelli. I think it's a good balance of high-quality, but affordable and easy to find at most grocery stores.

An overhead shot of a mug of white hot chocolate topped with caramel whipped cream and caramel drizzle

If you want a really indulgent treat, top the white hot chocolate with caramel whipped cream. Whip some heavy cream until it's thick, with soft peaks, then drizzle in some caramel sauce (or even salted caramel sauce) and continue whipping until the peaks become stiff.

Use a good caramel sauce, not ice cream topping. It has better flavor. Or, you can make your own caramel sauce at home in the microwave.

An overflowing mug of pumpkin white hot chocolate, topped with caramel whipped cream, caramel sauce drizzle and white chocolate shavings

If you want a really indulgent treat, drizzle on some extra caramel sauce, and add some white chocolate shavings: run a piece of white chocolate over a microplane grater.

And maybe a shot of liqueur, for the over-21 crowd. Frangelico, White Chocolate Liqueur, or Kahlua would all be amazing.

A mug of pumpkin white hot chocolate topped with caramel whipped cream and caramel drizzle

Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate

Yield: 2 drinks
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Warm yourself with creamy pumpkin white hot chocolate, subtly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Top with caramel whipped cream for an indulgent treat.

Ingredients

For the hot chocolate

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 tablespoon pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 4 oz white chocolate, chopped

For the whipped cream

  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
  • 2 teaspoon salted caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Make the whipped cream: beat the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the caramel sauce and beat to stiff peaks. Refrigerate while you make the hot chocolate.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
  3. Warm over medium-low heat to scalding (little bubbles form at the edge of the pan).
  4. Turn off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts.
  5. Divide between two mugs. Top each with half of the whipped cream.
  6. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 632Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 0gSugar: 64gProtein: 12g

I am not a certified nutritionist. This nutrition information is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only.

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Rebekah Hills

Tuesday 22nd of September 2020

Ohhh my goodness that looks creamy and dreamy! How delicious!

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