Rich and creamy hot chocolate made with white chocolate and real canned pumpkin, and infused with pumpkin spice! The best way to warm up this Fall!
Can we all just agree that Fall should be here now? I’m SO over these 90 degree days! Bring on those leaves changing colors, crisp Fall mornings and chilly Fall nights! My favorite part about Fall? The pumpkin. Pumpkin everyyyything!
Yes, I’m a stereotypical white girl who loves her pumpkin spice… and proud of it!
I mean, I even turned the classic pumpkin spice latte into a MILKSHAKE for you guys last year 😉
I’ve got a bunch of fun hot chocolate flavors coming for you guys this year (even some boozy ones!), but I figured we’d start with this mouthwatering pumpkin spice variety. Perfect for a Fall gathering, or you can scale down the recipe and make it for a cozy night in while you binge your favorite Netflix show!
WHAT SPICES ARE IN PUMPKIN SPICE?
Sure you could buy some pumpkin pie spice from the grocery store, but what if they’re out? Or you just don’t feel up to a store run to pick some up? I’ve got you covered with a handy homemade version!
- 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Mix those up and you have your very own pumpkin spice magic.
DO YOU USE WHITE OR MILK CHOCOLATE TO MAKE PUMPKIN HOT CHOCOLATE?
You can actually use either! For this recipe I used white chocolate, since so many of my other hot chocolate recipes that I have planned use semi-sweet or milk chocolate. I love the smooth, silky taste of white chocolate, especially mixed with the sweet pumpkin flavor.
HOW MUCH HOT CHOCOLATE DOES THIS RECIPE MAKE?
It makes approximately 4 servings, but if you have a big pot, you could easily double this recipe for a party. It’s also easily halved for a smaller batch.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS PUMPKIN SPICE HOT CHOCOLATE IN THE CROCKPOT?
You sure can (and the directions will be below the recipe)! In fact, most hot chocolate recipes can be adapted for the slow cooker, which makes them great for a party. You could have some people over and set up a hot chocolate bar! Arrange the slow cooker full of hot chocolate on a table with some whipped cream, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, ground cinnamon for dusting, some chopped nuts, shaved chocolate, etc. That way everyone can make their own dream hot chocolate!
So as the weather cools down, cozy on up with a big mug-full of this pumpkin spice hot chocolate, I know you’ll love it!
SHOP THE RECIPE
- Dutch Oven – my favorite way to make this hot chocolate. I have the purple one, but it’s currently out of stock.
- Glass mugs – not necessary, but seeing the pretty orange color is so fun!
- Canned pumpkin – this is my favorite brand! I always stock up in the Fall and use them year-round.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk or half and half (or use a mixture of the two)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 - 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (store bought or homemade)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz white chocolate bar , chopped
Instructions
- To a dutch oven or large saucepan, add milk, pumpkin, spices and vanilla. Stir and heat over MED-LOW heat. Heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a simmer.
- Turn off heat, add white chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted.
- Carefully ladle into mugs, top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
TO MAKE WITH SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE:
- Prepare as directed, except also add 2-3 Tbsp of granulated sugar to the milk mixture. Instead of adding white chocolate, add 3-4 oz semi-sweet chocolate.
TO MAKE IN THE CROCKPOT:
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, stirring to break up the pumpkin. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or HIGH for 1 1/2 hours.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I originally adapted this recipe from an old taste of home magazine clipping, but I see it’s also pretty close to Closet Cooking’s post, so I’m linking to that one as inspiration as well.
Theresa Louise Bird says
how do you make this into an instant mix for gifts?
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t know as that would be an entirely different recipe to develop and test.
Krista says
This is calling my name! Great to enjoy next to the first this Fall/Winter!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
YUM!!! I love this delicious version! I love to try it right now!
Catalina says
This is in my future! So perfect for this cold weather!
Mahy Elamin says
I like that it can be to cook quickly and easily. Oh YUM! Love everything about this recipe!
Dee says
I love anything flavored with pumpkin spice! I can’t wait to try this myself!
Jamielyn says
This is fall in a cup! SO delicious!
Dorothy at Shockinglydelish says
I’ve been trying to cut down on my coffee, but I miss all of the pumpkin spice flavors. This is perfect! Love the idea of a hint of chocolate mixed in!