February 7, 2023
updated
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Homemade strawberry puree melded with creamy white chocolate and milk, this Strawberry Hot Chocolate is a divine way to warm up on a cold winter day.
While my classic hot cocoa is a hit, this recipe is extra spetocial and perfect for anyone who loves strawberry chocolate milk.
How to Make Strawberry Hot Chocolate
No artificial ingredients or powders are used to make this hot chocolate. We start by making a puree with real strawberries and honey, if you don’t have honey on hand, swap it for regular white sugar.
In case you need this recipe to be dairy-free, swap the regular milk with your favorite dairy alternative. Don’t worry about the white chocolate chips, those are dairy-free.
With no further ado, let’s make this hot chocolate!
- Make the Pureé
Place the berries and honey in a large bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Pour the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove all the seeds. - Make the Base
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer then stir in the white chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.
Add ½ to ¾ cups of the strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. - Color
If the hot chocolate isn’t pink enough, add a couple of drops of the food coloring. - Bottoms up!
Serve the hot chocolate in a mug and top with whipped cream.
Just like my peppermint white hot chocolate, this recipe 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.
Recipe Video
You can watch me make this strawberry hot chocolate recipe in the video below where I make it alongside pancakes with strawberry syrup for a fun and festive breakfast.
Using Frozen Strawberries
This hot chocolate is great recipe to use up those frozen strawberries in the freezer, but make sure they are completely defrosted and diced. This will help them release their natural sugars and juices.
Cooking the Strawberries
The strawberry puree can be made two ways: 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.
Here’s how to cook the strawberry pureé:
- In a small saucepan, combine the chopped berries and honey. Cook over medium heat until the berries begin to break down.
- Remove the berries from heat and transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. To remove the seeds, pour the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth.
While using real strawberries to make your own puree is an extra step it is so worth it for this hot chocolate. I’ve found that using real ingredients always makes recipes even better and this pink cocoa along with other recipes in the Clean Treats Cookbook prove it.
Find more healthy dessert ideas below:
Clean Treats Cookbook
Healthy and wholesome dessert recipes you’ll want to eat made with clean ingredients you already have on hand.
Grab your copy today!
How to Serve Strawberry Hot Chocolate
This pink hot chocolate is a stand-alone treat you can serve as a warm winter drink or delicious treat with Valentine’s Day breakfast. Top it like you would regular hot chocolate, whether it’s with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, or one of these epic hot chocolate topping ideas, you can’t go wrong.
Strawberry Hot Chocolate Recipe
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.
- 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.
- Divide the hot chocolate into 4 mugs and top with whipped cream.
Sue
It says you can replace the honey with sugar, how much sugar would you use? Thqnk You
MOMables-Laura
I would use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons.