White Hot Chocolate Recipe

A white hot chocolate recipe with Baileys whipped cream. Made with whole milk, milk powder, confectioner’s sugar, and good-quality white chocolate, this boozy Baileys Irish cream hot chocolate makes the best Saint Patrick’s Day drink!

Why Make This White Hot Chocolate Recipe?

I first developed this recipe around Saint Patrick’s Day, at that time of year when chefs, recipe developers, bartenders, and food bloggers are busy adding Baileys Irish Cream liqueur to absolutely everything. Baileys chocolates, Baileys cakes, Baileys cocktails…there aren’t many desserts that can’t be improved by a splash of this creamy, whisky-based liqueur.

My white hot chocolate recipe is no exception to the “tastes better with Baileys” rule. This sweet and creamy beverage takes just a few minutes to make, and requires only a handful of ingredients: good-quality white chocolate, dry milk powder, confectioner’s sugar, sea salt, and your milk of choice. Oh, and Baileys, of course!

What’s Great About Baileys Hot Chocolate?

I love this recipe for its simplicity, as well as its versatility. It’s great for celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day—try tinting your hot chocolate and/or whipped cream with a few drops of green food coloring, or garnishing each mug with shamrock sprinkles or a green-and-white peppermint stick.

While it’s ideal for St. Paddy’s festivities, this boozy white hot chocolate tastes just as great all winter long. Enjoy a mug in front of the fireplace after a day of snowball fights, sledding, or ice skating, or serve it at an intimate dinner party in lieu of (or in addition to!) dessert. For dinner parties, you can prepare white hot chocolate on the stovetop and then pour it into slow cooker and allow guests to help themselves throughout the evening.

For parties, you can easily make this hot chocolate in big batches—double, triple, quadruple, or even quintuple the recipe to suit a crowd. Be sure to choose a very large pot, like a stock pot or soup pot.

How to Make White Hot Chocolate

To make white hot chocolate, start with a good-quality white chocolate (not cheap chocolate chips) and, if it’s in bar form rather than callets, chop the chocolate with a sharp chef’s knife. Next, warm whole milk (or your favorite plant milk) in a saucepan on the stovetop, then whisk in the powdered milk and confectioner’s sugar, followed by the chopped white chocolate. Stir gently, allowing the chocolate to melt.

Once melted, stir in the sea salt and Baileys to taste, pour into mugs, and top your hot chocolate with a big dollop of Bailey’s whipped cream. Garnish as desired, and enjoy!

Making the Baileys Whipped Cream

This white hot chocolate tastes delicious by itself, and even better when topped with a big dollop of fluffy homemade Baileys whipped cream.

To make the whipped cream, add cold whipping cream (heavy cream in the US) to a large mixing bowl. Using a balloon whisk, whisk over an ice bath until soft peaks form. (As a shortcut, you can pour your cold whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, or whip it with an electric hand mixer instead.) Whisk in the confectioner’s sugar and Baileys Irish Cream liqueur, then refrigerate while you make the white hot chocolate.

To serve, use a teaspoon to scoop big dollops of whipped cream on top of each mug of hot chocolate. For a fancier finishing touch, you can also transfer the whipped cream to a disposable piping bag, then pipe as desired.

White Hot Chocolate Tips & Tricks

Choose a high-quality white chocolate for this recipe, rather than grocery store chocolate chips. Lindt, Guittard, or Valrhona all work nicely. I used Callebaut white chocolate callets to test this recipe.

Garnish mugs of hot chocolate with Baileys whipped cream, white chocolate shavings, crushed freeze-dried fruit, chopped pistachios, or homemade vanilla bean marshmallows.

I used whole milk, but you can substitute semi-skimmed, or a plant-based alternative such as oat, coconut, or almond milk. However, keep in mind that white chocolate contains milk (and this recipe calls for dry milk powder as well) so this won’t be dairy free or vegan. For a hot drink that is both dairy free and vegan, I suggest making my mulled wine recipe or vegan hot chocolate recipe instead.

As written, this recipe will make two smaller portions, or one large portion. (Because this hot chocolate is very sweet, you can also serve 3-4 portions in espresso cups or teacups.) If making white hot chocolate for a party, you can double, triple, or quadruple this recipe to meet your needs.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

You can make this hot chocolate recipe in advance (or make a big batch to reheat in smaller portions) and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheat hot chocolate in a small saucepan on the stovetop, stirring gently until warmed throughout. Or, pour it into a microwave-safe mug and heat on medium-high power for 1-2 minutes.

Other hot chocolate recipes you might enjoy:

Red Wine Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Vegan Hot Chocolate

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, be sure to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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