Spiced Hot Chocolate

Spiced Hot Chocolate is a sweet yet delicate blend of frothy milk, white chocolate and Indian chai spices. This cosy masala chai hot chocolate recipe is indulgent and warming. Make up a batch to reheat on demand.

Don’t miss my cinnamon hot chocolate either.

This spiced hot chocolate, made with white chocolate, is the perfect antidote to cooler weather. Made with a bunch of sweet spices this Indian hot chocolate is pure comfort in a mug.

When I was growing up I’d occasionally end up on a day-long shopping trip to Nottingham with my Mum. We would always make time to stop at my favourite café for hot chocolate. It came topped with whipped cream, a dusting of cocoa powder and a chocolate flake. Bliss. I ordered it every time.

It’s due to these trips that I’ve always had a nostalgic fondness for hot chocolate. It makes me feel better if I’m down and positively buzzing if I’m already happy. In turn, this affection means I’m forever seeking out new thrills in the world of hot chocolate at home.

Why this Hot Chocolate with Spices is So Good

This chai spiced hot chocolate recipe has been carefully compiled to deliver a sweet drink with hints of creamy white chocolate and a delectable bunch of Indian spices more commonly paired with black tea in the classic masala chai drink.

Here the delicate spices marry particularly well with white chocolate, which doesn’t overpower them like dark or milk chocolate can.

And since white chocolate is undoubtedly sweet, a little goes a long way in this Indian hot chocolate recipe.

Best of all, unlike a masala chai, this handsome spiced hot chocolate sits well with a splurge of whipped cream and a dusting of ground spices. Hot chocolate and whipped cream are mandatory in my world.

But if spices are not your thing, try my straightforward white hot chocolate instead. It’s quick and easy to make and has just the right level of sweetness about it.

Ingredients notes

Don’t be alarmed. I know that it looks like rather a lot of ingredients in the picture above. But I promise you that this chai hot chocolate is very easy ti make and requires very little hands-on time. Let’s take a look at those ingredients:

Milk: for the creamiest hot chocolate drink always opt for whole (full-fat) milk. It gives the best result. If all you have in the fridge is semi-skimmed milk that will suffice but please avoid making hot chocolate with skimmed milk. It’s just too thin and watery to warrant exerting time and energy using for this recipe (I’m harsh – I detest skimmed milk).

Chocolate: this recipe requires white chocolate. Pick the best quality that you can afford as it will give superior results. I enjoy Callebaut, Lindt, Green and Blacks or Waitrose own brand.

Ginger: use root ginger for a fantastic burst of freshness and unmistakable gingery heat in your Indian hot chocolate.

Black peppercorns: these are another neat trick to ramp up the warming spice profile in your chai hot chocolate.

Green cardamom: practically mandatory in any masala chai so I’ve pulled it in here as well to make use of it’s uniquely intense herbal, citrusy and slightly sweet nature.

Cinnamon: another mandatory one. Please don’t leave it out.

Other spices: I’ve also included cloves, allspice, nutmeg and star anise. Although I recommend including them all if you can for the ultimate spiced hot chocolate, if you don’t have one or two of them you’ll get away with leaving them out or replacing them with a little extra of another spice.

Vanilla extract: a splash of vanilla helps round out the flavours of this drink so do include it.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Begin by putting the spices into a pestle and mortar and crushing slightly.

Step 2: Put the milk, spices and ginger into a pan. Heat to scalding, then turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook very gently for 5 minutes – do not let the milk boil.

Step 3: Remove from the heat, cover the pan with a lid (or a plate) and let everything infuse for 45 minutes.

Step 4: After 45 minutes, strain the milk through a sieve (or nut bag) then pour it into a clean pan.

Step 5: Add the white chocolate & vanilla extract. Heat gently, stirring all the time until the chocolate has melted and the liquid is hot.

I highly recommend topping this chai spiced hot chocolate with whipped cream, ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg and whole spices to garnish.

Expert tips

There are just a few guidance tips I have to ensure you get the best out of this Indian hot chocolate recipe:

• Give this recipe time. The milk needs to infuse for a minimum of 45 minutes to pick up the wonderful attributes that the spice blend has to offer.
• Crush the spices lightly in a pestle and mortar but avoid grinding them to a powder.
• To achieve a frothy top use an handheld immersion blender to briefly blitz the spiced hot chocolate until frothy. Before blending, ensure that the milk comes well below halfway in the pan otherwise it might splash over the edge. You may need to return the drink to the heat briefly to bring back up to temperature.
• Vary the level of spices used. Add a little more pepper and cloves for a more pronounced level of spice heat. Or add a little more nutmeg, vanilla or cardamom to enhance the character of these less fiery elements.
• For a milder version use fewer spices and of course, it’s easy to drop one spice out if you do not get along with its flavour.
• For a culinary adventure, treat my spice list as a guide rather than gospel in this recipe for hot chocolate with spices. Play around with different ones that you really enjoy.
• Increase the amount of white chocolate in the recipe with caution. It is easy to add too much which creates an overly sweet drink and detracts from the spice profile.

More enticing hot chocolate recipes

Despite my snobbery, my fond memories of drinking hot chocolate with my mother means I’ve been happily handing down this tradition to my own kids since they were little. We have a regular Friday night slot for a homemade hot chocolate with all the trimmings. Here are a few of our favourites:

I’ve also put together a guide to making the best hot chocolate at home. It’s full of useful information and recipe suggestions.

Have you made this spiced hot chocolate? Let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below – your feedback is always helpful. You can also show me your creation on Instagram by tagging me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.