Rum and Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

An easy and deliciously indulgent drinking dessert that comes together in minutes, this Rum and Peppermint White Hot Chocolate is a boozy twist on the classic with refreshing peppermint flavor. It’s perfectly creamy and not too sweet.

I didn’t get a white raven from the Citadel, but I can tell winter has surely come! It’s cold, windy, and snow days are just around the corner. And when that happens, there’s nothing like a deliciously indulgent mug of hot chocolate! Hot chocolates are almost a daily occurrence in our house now. Especially, when paired with these homemade marshmallows, I feel like I’m almost obliged to make it. 🙂

And instead of having it in the morning, we like sipping on our hot chocolate at night, a little treat just before we wind down for the day. So adding a little adult indulgence, a.k.a booze was only natural. 🙂 I’ve previously shared this luscious rocky road hot chocolate and this thick, deeply flavorful Parisian hot chocolate recipes on the blog before. But today, I’m sharing this easy and decadent Rum and Peppermint White Hot Chocolate! Truthfully, I didn’t think I’d like a white hot chocolate as I thought it would be cloyingly sweet. BUT it need not be. Especially after you spike it with some rum and then some peppermint!

This rum and peppermint white hot chocolate,

• Is perfectly creamy,
• Perfectly sweet (there’s no extra sugar, only the sweetness of the white chocolate)
• The rum adds a nice boozy kick for the adults,
• And the minty freshness from the peppermint is really quite striking in this warming drink.

The standard white hot chocolate recipe for me is 4 oz (115 g) of white chocolate (bar or chips) per 2 cups of milk, vanilla and a small pinch of salt. The salt is optional but it enhances the flavor of white chocolate. For peppermint white hot chocolate, you need to add good peppermint extract or peppermint oil (1 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract per 2 cups of milk). For rum white hot chocolate, I like it a little extra boozy, so I add 2 ox of white rum OR 1 1/2 oz of rum plus 3/4 oz of this easy homemade white chocolate liqueur.

I’m a sucker for peppermint, especially candy cane, and this rum and peppermint white hot chocolate is without a doubt my favorite version of white hot chocolate. Having said that, you’re more than welcome to try your own favorite combination of flavors for your white hot chocolate. This recipe is so easy and comes together quickly, so it’s a cinch to customize it however you like it. You can substitute the rum with bourbon for a bourbon white hot chocolate, or leave out the alcohol altogether.

While whipped cream is the more common addition to top your white hot chocolate, I love it with marshmallows instead! Pillowy soft, fluffy marshmallows floating on the surface of that hot chocolate are just too irresistible to me! If you want to make peppermint marshmallows instead, you can make your own using my recipe here (check the recipe notes to see how you can make peppermint marshmallows). The crushed candy cane is optional, but who are we kidding? 🙂 In the spirit of the season, let’s keep those candy canes coming too!

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White Hot Chocolate

Rum and Peppermint White Hot Chocolate - A boozy twist on the classic with refreshing peppermint flavor! So creamy and not too sweet and perfect for winter!

Total Time 16 minutes

Serves 2

Prep: 1 minute

Cook: 15 minutes

Print Rate

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk Use a plant based milk for a vegan version
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp cornstarch
• 4 oz white chocolate Substitute with vegan white chocolate
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract I used an oil based extract
• 3 oz white rum
• 1 ½ oz white chocolate liqueur or ¾ oz vanilla vodka (also vegan friendly)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions:

• Place the milk, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the white chocolate, vanilla and peppermint extract.
• Heat over medium-high heat, while whisking regularly to melt the white chocolate.
• Bring the white hot chocolate to a bare simmer (do not boil).
• Stir in the rum and white chocolate liqueur.
• Pour into two mugs. Top with marshmallows, whipped cream and crushed candy cane. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

The cornstarch is optional. I add the cornstarch because I used an oil based peppermint extract. The cornstarch helps to make the white hot chocolate creamier, and prevent the peppermint extract from floating on top of the drink. 
If you use a alcohol based peppermint extract, you can skip the cornstarch if you choose. 

Course:Cocktails, Drinks

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Now that I’ve shared the recipe with you guys, I think I’ll go make myself a cup of this rum and peppermint white hot chocolate! 😉

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