This Grinch hot chocolate recipe is one of my favorite ways to get in the Christmas spirit. It’s a creamy white chocolate hot chocolate with a bright green hue topped with candy hearts that totally channels my favorite Christmas movie – How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
This delicious drink is so much fun — and it’s great for both kiddos and adults. You can serve it at Christmas celebrations, on movie nights, or leave it out for Santa on Christmas Eve.
Why You’ll Love Grinch Hot Chocolate
This easy Grinch hot chocolate is holiday twist on the traditional version and it has plenty of things to love about it.
- Festive – There are few other holiday beverages that are as festive as this fun holiday treat! It’s a great way to get in the holiday spirit.
- Change It Up – You can make all sorts of swaps or additions to customize it.
- Easy to Make Ahead – Prep this drink ahead of time and just reheat to serve at parties or whenever you’re in the mood for some holiday cheer.
Ingredients
You can keep these simple ingredients around all season to whip this delicious Grinch hot chocolate up anytime you’re in the mood for some holiday cheer.
- Milk – We like to use whole milk for its richness but you can use a lower fat version if you prefer.
- White Chocolate – White chocolate sweetens the drink and keeps it light in color so that the food coloring can turn it Grinchy-green.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla rounds out the flavor of the hot chocolate and gives it a warm aroma.
- Green Food Coloring – The green coloring is a key ingredient for making this Grinch-inspired hot chocolate. Be generous with it for the most vibrant green drink. I used a regular kelly green, but there is an “electric green” or “grass green” out there. I didn’t feel like I wanted to buy this color for just one drink.
- Red Heart Sprinkles – These red sprinkles in the shape of a heart are added to the top of the drink. They make for a colorful topping and pay homage to the Grinch’s heart growing.
- Mini Marshmallows (Optional) – Marshmallows are a classic addition to hot chocolate — let them melt just a little before adding the sprinkles.
- Whipped cream (Optional) – Whipped cream is another great addition to hot chocolate and is a bright backdrop for all of those heart sprinkles.
How to Make Grinch Hot Chocolate
It only takes a few minutes to make this creamy green hot chocolate drink.
- Heat Milk. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat, avoiding bringing the milk to a boil.
- Add Chocolate, Flavor & Color. Turn the heat down and simmer while adding the vanilla extract, green food coloring, and white chocolate chips to the hot milk.
- Make Smooth. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, stir until all ingredients are completely combined and the chocolate is fully melted.
- Serve. Take the pan off of the stove and use a ladle to pour it into mugs. Use a clear mug for the best presentation.
- Garnish. Add whipped cream or mini marshmallows. Sprinkle the red hearts over the top of the whipped cream or marshmallows.
What to Serve with Grinch Hot Chocolate
You can serve this sweet drink with all sorts of holiday goodies. Christmas blondies pair perfectly and so does crunchy holiday puppy chow. Or sip on it to wash down Christmas bundt cake, melted snowman cookies, or frosted sugar cookies. Grinch cookies are a natural accompaniment.
Variations
In my opinion, homemade creamy white hot chocolate is a great drink to serve around the holidays. It’s family-friendly and kids LOVE it, especially when you add in some hot chocolate stir sticks.
- Dairy-Free Milk – Swap out dairy milk for a non-dairy milk alternative like oat milk or almond milk.
- Hot chocolate bar – Make it into a hot chocolate bar so friends can build their own creations.
- Toppings – Top your whipped cream with white chocolate mocha sauce, regular white chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, mini marshmallows, a white chocolate bar, or fudge. Also try chocolate whipped cream.
- Naughty Grinch – Make this drink an adult hot chocolate by spiking it. For a boozy beverage, add your favorite liquor or liqueur – coconut rum, regular vodka, or vanilla vodka work well since they are clear and won’t affect the color of the beverage. You can also try peppermint schnapps or a cinnamon liqueur. Creamy liqueur like Baileys or RumChata are also delightful.
- Extract – You can swap out the extract for another flavor like almond extract or a birthday cake flavor. Or, use peppermint extract to make peppermint hot chocolate.
- Garnish – Add other garnishes like candy canes or your other favorite holiday season treats.
- Melts – Instead of using both white chocolate chips and food coloring, you can use green candy melts. Or, use white candy melts instead of white chocolate. If you do this, food coloring is unneeded.
- Sprinkles – Instead of the red heart sprinkle, add or swap in green sprinkles.
- Method – Instead of making this on the stove top, make it in your crockpot for a slow cooker hot chocolate. Place on low heat to keep warm for parties.
Storage
It’s easy to store this fun Grinch hot chocolate in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Make Ahead: You can make this treat ahead of time and reheat it when ready to serve.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftover hot chocolate for up to 3 days in a jar or airtight container.
Freezer: Once you’ve allowed the hot chocolate to cool to room temperature, pour it into a resealable freezer bag or ice cube tray and freeze for up to 3 months.
Common Questions About Grinch Hot Chocolate
While hot chocolate is definitely a dessert drink best enjoyed in moderation since it does have a fair amount of sugar, it does have some health benefits. Milk is full of Vitamin D and protein, so you are getting some nutrients when you drink it.
What is the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?
Hot cocoa is made with powdered cocoa (and other ingredients like sugar) while hot chocolate is made from melted chocolate.
Is hot cocoa better with milk or water?
Using milk is going to create a thinner consistency. Milk, on the other hand, will create a creamy hot chocolate. It’s up to your preferences to determine which you prefer.
Other Fun Holiday Treats
Tis the season for baking and treats! Whip up a few more holiday treats to serve with your Grinch hot chocolate.
Meringue Christmas Trees
How to Make Chocolate Christmas Trees
Holiday Meringue Wreath Recipe
Grinch Hot Chocolate Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup white chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- green food coloring
- red heart sprinkles
- mini marshmallows , optional
- whipped cream , optional
Instructions
- Heat the milk in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, but do not boil.
- Reduce to low heat and add the white chocolate chips, vanilla extract and green food coloring, stirring until completely melted and combined.
- Remove from heat and ladle into cups while hot.
- Garnish with toppings of choice and whipped cream and of course, red hearts!
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
This was such a fun and festive drink that does not disappoint! Love the white chocolate twist to classic hot chocolate; delicious!
This is such an adorable take on hot chocolate, and what a gorgeous green color! Very excited to try this out and sip while I watch the movie 🙂
The green color in these grinch hot chocolates is so fun! The kids will love these for Christmas.
We made this last Friday and watched the Grinch. It was absolutely perfect thank you for the recipe. My kids loved it.
This Grinch hot chocolate is such a great idea! So fun, festive, and hits the spot! Thanks for sharing!