One of my favorite drinks at Starbucks is a Raspberry Vanilla Latte, which I first discovered at 18. I’ve been drinking this during the cold months of the year for a very long time (with half the syrup please!).
The coffee is actually pink when you get it and I’m not sure if that’s due to the syrup or if they add food coloring. Nevertheless, I thought I would try to make a kid-appropriate drink similar for Valentine’s Day this year and created this Raspberry Vanilla White Hot Chocolate.
This will be my kids’ first holiday at their new schools and I’m working on understanding the new school rules surrounding food and parties. They’ve had so much time off school due to bad weather (10 days since we started on Jan. 7!) so I feel like I’m behind and out of the loop.
Their rules are different here (less restrictive) and I’m getting things together for both of them to give to their new friends. While drinks aren’t included, I thought it would be fun to try a new Valentine’s Day drink here at home – especially considering the weather is still so cold.
A few ways to add the flavor
There’s a few ways you can make this depending on how “homemade” you want it. The recipe obviously need a raspberry flavor and you can add that in one of several ways:
- Raspberry extract – The easiest way. If you go this route you will have to add food coloring to make the drink pink.
- Store-bought raspberry simple syrup – The second easiest way.
- Homemade raspberry simple syrup – The way that tasks the longest but will be the most homemade. If you decide to go this route you will want to make this at least several hours if not a day in advance.
Decide which one you are going to use and then pay close attention to the recipe below so you don’t add too much of one or the other.
This is topped with dreamy and creamy homemade whipped cream, which is really easy to make and you can get my recipe here. Or, you can use your favorite store-bought brand.
Grab the full recipe below and make this as a surprise for your kids on Valentine’s Day. It’s great after school or as an after dinner snack.
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate
- 5 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. raspberry extract OR
- 1 1/2 tbsp. raspberry simple syrup
- Whipped cream
Raspberry Simple Syrup
- 3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Add your milk to a sauce pan and bring it to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to low and add your white chocolate chips. Stir continuously until the chocolate has melted.
- Add in your vanilla and stir.
- Remove from heat and let cool a little.
- Add your raspberry extract or simple syrup until well combined. Serve with whipped cream.
Raspberry simple syrup
- Add water and sugar to a small saucepan and cook on medium stirring with a silicone whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the raspberries and stir continuously until the mixture starts to boil then lower the heat.
- Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove any foam that forms on the top.
- After that time, remove it from the burner and strain the mixture to remove large chunks of raspberry and seeds.
- Place in a new, small sauce pan and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Let cool and then place it in a clear jar and refrigerate. You can keep this for about a week.
You can make coffee too!
One more thing!
You can add this to your coffee too! Try ¾ cup of your favorite black coffee and ¼ cup of the Raspberry White Hot Chocolate. Who says you can’t enjoy Valentine’s Day too?
This tastes similar to my favorite Starbucks drink but I think it has more coffee, which is always good if you’re a parent. 🙂
For more Valentine’s Day posts, click here. For more drink recipes, click here.
That sounds like such a decadent winter treat. I am super excited to make this for my husband and I this weekend.
I need to try this out for sure. We love regular hot chocolate, and I imagine we’d love this one as well. It looks so incredible! I love the color.
That looks amazing. I love hot chocolate in this time of year when it is so cold it is perfect. It’s a great treat that is easy to make.
This looks so pretty I don’t think I want to taste it I need to make an extra mug just for looks lol. This is perfect for Valentine night with your kids or loved ones.
What a sinfully delicious treat for winter, especially for Valentines Day. I need to make this! A great drink to have with your special someone and kids.
I am all about the hot chocolate especially this time of year with it being so windy and cold outside. My daughter loves raspberry so going to have make this for us.
Wow! This looks really yummy and timely for Valentines day. I think it’s because of the syrup that it’s pink.
Well, your post made me want to have one like this. Heading to SB later after work.
This looks delish! I must try!
Oh yum! I can almost taste the mix of chocolate and raspberry. I can’t wait to try this.
This looks adorable for Valentine’s day, do you know it actually exists a chocolate that is pink, it’s called Ruby chocolate 😉
This looks so cute and the combo white chocolate and raspberry is a winner
OH, my son and I love hot chocolate and this looks like so much fun! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
this look SO delicious- i def want to share this with my kids when they get home as a fun surprise for valenintes day! thanks so much for such a great idea
This is perfect for Valentines Day! Such a great idea
I think this drink is so pretty and I wish my daughter was here to try it because she loved the color pink and Hot Chocolate. I know she would have enjoyed this drink with her favorite movie.
omg is it even real??? Pink hot chocolate!! I gotta make it this Thursday.
Ohhhhh! I want to try it in my coffee! That sounds delicious.
Oh yes please! That sounds positively scrumptious. I love how it’s not your typical hot chocolate too!
Super yum! This hot chocolate is almost too pretty to drink. It would be a fun spin on traditional cocoa for sure!
What a fun drink!! My kids would love it because it’s pink. I bet its so yummy!
This looks so delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a fruity hot chocolate.
Oh my word! I have to try this. How beautiful and I bet, delicious! I just want to lick the screen to get to that whipped cream.
It looks amazing! Perfect beverage for Valentine’s Day! Thank you for sharing it!
Now this looks like a yummy treat! I need to try this for myself!! YUM!!
This is such a pretty twist on an old favorite! My husband loves anything raspberry, maybe I’ll surprise him with this.
I love raspberries but I have never tried putting in a a drink. I want to try this, looks so delicious!
This is so cute!! I really want to try this out this week for Valentines Day. Pinning now.
Great combination of flavors! I love how pretty this is. Perfect for Valentines celebration.
Such a pretty drink. And I bet it is as delicious as it looks. I would love to make it this Valentine’s Day.
This looks so festive and delicious. I think I will make these for Valentine’s Day this year. YUM!
My daughter would love this! Maybe I will surprise her for Valentine’s Day. Great idea for hot chocolate!
A Raspberry Vanilla Pink Hot Chocolate looks like the perfect drink treat this week. I will have to make a few of these for my kiddos to celebrate Valentine’s Day
This looks like such a wonderful drink for cold Valentine’s Days.
Oh my goodness, these look delicious and are so pretty! Such a perfect Valentine’s Day treat to do with my kids!
Wow, I have never tried to this recipe looks really delicious and easy. I will try to make this for my kids, thanks for sharing!
This looks super tasty and has one of my favorite fruits. I can’t wait to try it out!
I need to try this out for sure! What delicious looking hot chocolate!
This is such a perfect valentines treat and I love it. ummm YUmmy
Such a fun and festive recipe for Valentine’s Day!