Name: Chai White Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 Cups Milk (divided); 2 Bags Chai Tea; 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips; 1 Pinch Salt; 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream; 1/2 tsp Sugar; 1/8 tsp Cinnamon

There’s a group of chocolate elitists out there who don’t consider white chocolate to be “real.” It might surprise you (considering I am an elitist for plenty of other foods, see fruit bakes) that I am not part of this group. I’m not picky when it comes to chocolate, although ultra super dark is my favorite. One benefit white chocolate has is allowing you to highlight other flavors, since its own is more subtle. That’s what I did here with this Chai White Hot Chocolate.

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How to Serve This Tasty Drink

This chai white hot chocolate is flavorful and rich enough to drink on its own, any time of the day. I enjoyed it as a mid-afternoon snack! You can also drink it with breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

The white chocolate adds sweetness and the chai includes cinnamon and spices, so I would complement those flavors when pairing with foods. Try something fruity with a slight tartness, like apple butter brioche cinnamon rolls or apple kuchen. The spices will also pair well with cinnamon praline stuffed challah, or vegan lentil-pecan breakfast sausage.

Looking for some similar drinks? Try this almond Irish coffee hot cocoa or a chai latte green smoothie.

Why Chai and White Chocolate?

Think of this drink as a richer, more decadent version of a chai latte. Or think of it as an elevated version of hot chocolate. The white chocolate brings in a creaminess and sweetness, while the chai adds depth and spice. Together, it’s a winning combination for sure.

How to Make a Chai White Hot Chocolate

The first step here is to infuse the milk with the chai. I decided to add the tea bags directly into simmered milk, instead of using boiling water, because I really wanted this to have a rich texture. I was concerned making the tea as usual would water down the whole drink.

Once the milk is infused, you can start adding the white chocolate chips. If you can only find baking wafers, they may work, but take longer to melt because they are larger. When adding the chips, add a few at a time and let them mix in. If you add them all at once, you might get clumps that don’t melt as well.

Salt, vanilla extract, and heavy cream help add a little bit of extra flavor and texture to the drink. It may seem a little odd to add salt here, but this small amount won’t taste salty. Instead it will highlight the chai and white chocolate flavors.

Adding the frothed milk and cinnamon sugar on top just makes everything feel even more decadent and fancy. I outline the three different ways to get frothy milk in the recipe below, and I’m sure one of these will work perfectly for you. I used my handheld milk frother, even though I have an espresso maker as well.

This tastes best served immediately. However, if you need to make it in advance, the hot chocolate itself will be okay in the fridge for a day or so. It may separate a little bit, so when you reheat it be sure to stir thoroughly. Add the frothed milk just before serving, since that won’t hold up in the fridge.

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5 from 6 votes