Name: Strawberry Hot Chocolate Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 12- ounces strawberries (fresh or defrosted, chopped); 2 tablespoons honey; 3 cups milk; 3/4 cup white chocolate chips; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 drops natural red food coloring (optional); Whipped cream (for topping)

Recipe

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Creamy white hot chocolate with a delightful strawberry puree! This is the ultimate pink drink!

Warm up your cold winter days with this strawberry hot chocolate you can easily make at home in 15 minutes with real ingredients.

two clear mugs of pink hot chocolate topped with whipped cream next to a small dish of strawberries

Pink Strawberry Hot Chocolate

While my classic hot cocoa is a hit, this recipe is extra special and perfect for anyone who loves strawberry chocolate milk.

Just like my peppermint white hot chocolate, this pink drink uses real white chocolate chips that melt into the milk for a velvety smooth beverage. There's nothing quite like using real chocolate and it's actually the difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate.

Ingredients

This hot chocolate calls for fresh or frozen strawberries, regular or non-dairy milk, white chocolate chips, honey to sweeten the strawberries, and vanilla extract. I like to use natural red food coloring when I have it on hand to make this drink pinker, but you can omit it if you prefer.

Fresh or Frozen Strawberries

You can make this recipe with fresh or frozen strawberries and it will turn out great! If you have frozen strawberries in the freezer and want to use them, make sure they are completely defrosted and diced. This will help them release their natural sugars and juices.

closeup of pink hot chocolate in mugs with strawberries

How to Make Strawberry Hot Cocoa

Below you can see a video where I make this strawberry hot chocolate, but first, a quick view of the steps:

Make the pureé on the stove-top or by macerating the strawberries with honey. The latter requires no heat; however, cooking them often yields more puree since most of the berry is cooked down and tender. Whether you use one method or the other, pour the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove all the seeds.
Make the hot chocolate by bringing the milk to a simmer. Stir in the white chocolate chips before the milk reaches a boiling point. Add the strawberry pureé, vanilla, and salt.
Color with a couple of drops of the food coloring, if the hot chocolate isn't pink enough.
Serve the hot chocolate in a mug and top with whipped cream and your favorite hot chocolate toppings, or keep it warm to enjoy it outdoors!

Strawberry Hot Chocolate Recipe

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Creamy white hot chocolate with a delightful strawberry puree! This is the ultimate pink drink!

5 from 18 votes

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Ingredients

12- ounces strawberries, fresh or defrosted, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups milk
¾ cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops natural red food coloring, optional
Whipped cream, for topping

Instructions

Cooked berries method:

In a small saucepan, combine chopped strawberries and honey. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the strawberries begin to break down, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat, and transfer the berries to a blender and blend until smooth.
To remove the strawberry seeds, place a large bowl underneath a sieve or cheesecloth. Pour the mixture through the sieve and allow the juice to drain into the bowl.

Cold method:

Place the strawberries and honey in a bowl for about ten minutes, allow berries to release its juices. Transfer the mixture to the blender and blend until smooth.
To remove the strawberry seeds, place a large bowl underneath a sieve or cheesecloth. Pour the mixture through the sieve and allow the juice to drain into the bowl. You should have about ¾ cup puree.

Make the hot chocolate:

In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the milk to a simmer, whisking constantly. Before the milk reaches a boiling point, remove the saucepan from heat and add in the white chocolate. Stir until smooth.
Add in ½ to ¾ cup of berry puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt and stir until combined. If the strawberry white hot chocolate isn't "pink enough", add 1-2 drops of natural food coloring.