Candy-Cane Hot Cocoa

candy-cane hot cocoa
Photo: Lennart Weibull
Total Time:
10 mins
Servings:
4

Dress your hot cocoa up in something festive, like candy canes perhaps! Heat a pan of milk with chopped white chocolate and a bit of peppermint extract. Whisk it until it's thick and frothy, then top with a dollop of whipped cream and a candy-cane garnish—we hear that's customary at the North Pole.

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces whole milk or oat milk

  • 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped (¼ cup)

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract

  • Unsweetened whipped cream and candy canes or peppermint sticks, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat milk and white chocolate in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until very hot, thick, and frothy, 3 to 4 minutes.

  2. Remove from heat; whisk in peppermint extract. Transfer to cups or mugs, dollop with whipped cream, and serve with candy canes (the candy serves as a stirring stick and also slowly dissolves into the hot cocoa, adding more peppermint flavor as you sip and repeat).

Cook's Notes

Whole milk creates a thicker, creamier froth than low-fat and skim milks. For a plant-based alternative, oat milk, such as Oatly, also creates a rich froth.

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