Make a rich and warming Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate at home with just 3 ingredients in less than 15 minutes. No store-bought syrups or sauces needed!
Craving some hot chocolate today but want something a little spicy and special feeling?
Make yourself a creamy and dreamy snickerdoodle hot chocolate. Pair it with a good book, some fluffy socks, and maybe a real snickerdoodle or two, and have yourself a perfectly cozy night in.
What is a Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate?
Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate is a seasonal Starbucks drink with a white chocolate base flavored with cinnamon syrup. It’s only a menu item around the holidays, but according to the baristas of Reddit (and the Starbucks website), you can order it year round by asking for a white hot chocolate with 2 pumps Cinnamon Dolce Syrup and 2 pumps White Chocolate Mocha Sauce.
OR (and even better) you can make it at home with just a couple of ingredients in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk by default in their drinks, but you can use whatever milk you have. Plant-based is good too. The higher fat the milk, the creamier your hot chocolate will be. For an extra creamy drink, add a splash of half and half or heavy cream to your measuring cup when measuring out the milk.
- Good-quality white chocolate: All the sweetness and chocolate flavor here comes from white chocolate so be sure you’re using good-quality white chocolate that you enjoy the flavor of. High-quality chips are fine, but I don’t recommend cheap white chocolate chips as their flavor isn’t great in drinking chocolate. I typically use a chopped up Lindt bar because I like the taste of the chocolate and it’s always available at my local grocery stores (sometimes you have to go to the candy aisle to find them instead of the baking aisle.)
- Cinnamon sticks: Instead of using ground cinnamon, which doesn’t blend completely in milk, I prefer to use cinnamon sticks and steep them in warm milk to infuse it with their flavor.
How to Make a Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Steep: Break your cinnamon sticks into pieces and let them steep in milk that is almost simmering hot for 5 minutes. Don’t let your milk come to a full boil as it can scald.
- Melt: Remove the cinnamon pieces with a slotted spoon and add white chocolate. Reheat over medium heat until chocolate is melted and your milk is steaming.
- Drink: Transfer to a mug, top with toppings (I like whipped cream and cinnamon or cinnamon sugar ), and enjoy!
Does this taste like Starbucks’ snickerdoodle hot chocolate recipe?
Like my white hot chocolate , this recipe incorporates all the flavors of the Starbucks version but is quite a bit richer. Since this recipe is flavored with real white chocolate instead of white chocolate syrup, it creates a thicker, creamier drink.
Can I make this in the microwave?
Sure. Just heat your milk in the microwave until steaming and follow the recipe as written. Before you add your white chocolate, reheat the milk for about 30 seconds until it is steaming hot again and stir in the chocolate. If using a bar, chop your chocolate extra fine so it melts more easily.
Can I use ground cinnamon instead of cinnamon sticks?
I don’t love using ground cinnamon in hot chocolate recipes as it doesn’t fully dissolve into the liquid and you can’t strain it out easily. That being said, if you’re really craving this and want to do it, you absolutely can.
Replace the cinnamon sticks with 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. The last sip or two of hot chocolate at the bottom of your cup will have quite a bit of cinnamon in it, but it will be a good time along the way. 😉
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! BUT if doubling the recipe, you don’t need to double the cinnamon sticks. For each extra cup of hot chocolate you’re making, add 1 extra cinnamon stick. So for 2 cups use 3 sticks total, for 3 cups use 4 sticks total, etc,.
To double the recipe ingredients, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider. Because of the way the recipe card works, this will double/triple the number of cinnamon sticks too, but ignore that and use the measurements above. No other cooking changes are needed.
More Starbucks Copycat Recipes
- Homemade Mocha
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Caramel Latte
- Salted Caramel Mocha
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Chai Latte
- Caramel Macchiato
More Hot Chocolate Recipes
- Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
- Chai Hot Chocolate
- Baileys Hot Chocolate
- The BEST Crockpot Hot Chocolate
A Note on Serving Size: This recipe makes one cup of hot chocolate, enough to fill an 8-ounce mug. It’s quite rich, so I find one cup to be plenty, but if you’d like to fill an oversized mug, 1 1/2 or double the recipe.
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate
- ▢ 1 cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 2 cinnamon sticks broken into 3 or 4 pieces each*
- ▢ 2 ounces ( about ⅓ cup ) chopped good-quality white chocolate high-quality chips are fine
- ▢ Pinch of salt optional
Optional Toppings
- ▢ Whipped cream
- ▢ Marshmallows
- ▢ Ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat milk until steaming. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon stick pieces. Allow them to steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Use a fork or slotted spoon to remove cinnamon stick pieces. Return pot to medium heat and add white chocolate and a pinch of salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is steaming hot.
- Pour into an 8-ounce mug, top with optional toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
How to make a microwave sweet potato. This is the quickest, easiest way to cook sweet potatoes at home.
Microwaved sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile. Serve them as a quick and easy side dish, load them up with toppings for a filling dinner or add butter and cinnamon sugar and they make a sweet and cozy breakfast.
Since I know some of you popped in from search just looking for this information, here you go:
How long to microwave a sweet potato?
- After poking holes in a medium sweet potato, cook for 2 1/2 minutes per side.
- For each additional sweet potato being cooked at the same time, add 1 minute per side.
For everyone else, let’s chat a little more about sweet potatoes…
Choosing Sweet Potatoes
When choosing sweet potatoes at the store, select ones that are firm, without blemishes or soft or wrinkled spots. If you plan on cooking more than one sweet potato at a time, try to pick ones that are roughly the same size so they cook in the same amount of time.
Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) away from apples and onions.
How to Prep Sweet Potatoes for Cooking
Scrub and dry your sweet potato. Then take a fork and pierce it on all sides, 5 or 6 times total. This will allow steam to escape while the potato cooks and prevent it from exploding in your microwave.
How to Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave
- Once sweet potato is prepped, place it in your microwave and cook for 2 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2 1/2 minutes.
- Use a knife or fork to poke into the sweet potato and test for doneness. If still under-done, continue to microwave the sweet potato in 30-second increments until tender.
- Allow the sweet potato to sit for 2 minutes before cutting it open.
Can you microwave more than one sweet potato at a time?
Yes! To microwave more than one sweet potato at a time, arrange them in the microwave so they are not touching and add 1 minute per potato per side.
- For 2 sweet potatoes microwave: 3 1/2 minutes per side
- For 3 sweet potatoes microwave: 4 1/2 minutes per side
Can you eat the skin of a sweet potato?
Yes, you can eat the skin of a sweet potato! Just like regular potatoes, the skin of a sweet potato is edible and it is packed full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Is it bad to cook a sweet potato in the microwave?
No, it’s not bad to cook sweet potatoes in the microwave. Some people worry that cooking food in the microwave destroys all its nutrients, but this is simply not true.
According to the USDA, microwaves “generally do not destroy nutrients in food” and in fact microwaved foods retain more water-soluble vitamins than foods cooked using other cooking methods. So not only is cooking sweet potatoes in the microwave the fastest and easiest cooking method, but it’s one of the healthiest too.
What’s the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?
I went more in-depth on this topic in my roasted sweet potatoes post, but here’s a quick summary. True yams and sweet potatoes are completely unrelated plant species, but here in the US, we frequently label sweet potatoes as yams in the grocery store.
True yams are native to Africa, Asia, and parts of South America and the Caribbean, and have rough, bark-like skin. They are uncommon in large US grocery stores.
Sweet potatoes have smoother skin and sweeter flesh. If you’re buying it in a US chain grocery store, you’re almost certainly buying a sweet potato even if it’s labeled “yam.”
What to serve with microwave sweet potatoes?
Serve microwave sweet potatoes on their own with butter and salt and pepper as a side for things like:
- Roasted Tri-tip
- Marinated Steak
- Roasted Chicken
Or top them with toppings like you would a baked potato or with chili or chopped chicken and beans and they’ll make a filling main dish.
More Easy Microwave Recipes
- How to Steam Broccoli in the Microwave
- How to Cook Corn in the Microwave
- How to Steam Green Beans in the Microwave
- How to Steam Cauliflower in the Microwave
- How to Steam Carrots in the Microwave
- Microwave Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 medium sweet potato
Optional toppings
- ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
- ▢ Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Scrub and dry your sweet potato and then pierce it on all sides with a fork, 5 or 6 times total.
- Place the potato in the microwave and cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Carefully (the potato will be hot) flip the sweet potato over and microwave for an additional 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Use a knife to pierce the sweet potato to check for doneness. It should slide in smoothly without any resistance. If potato is still undercooked, continue to microwave in 30 second increments until softened.
- Allow the cooked potato to rest for 2 minutes before slicing open.
- Top with toppings of your choosing and enjoy!
Notes
This is the best homemade pizza sauce. It’s bright and tangy and so easy to make with just 5 ingredients!
Today I’m sharing my favorite homemade pizza sauce, AKA The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce.
I almost never use the phrase “the best” in my recipe titles because how do you decide which version of a recipe is best? Is it the perfectly delicious recipe you use all the time, or is it the slightly better-tasting version that has so many extra steps that you made it once and never again, or is it the version you grab pre-made at the store that gives you a night off cooking?
BUT, this sauce is the only homemade pizza sauce I use in my kitchen because it’s easy, is my favorite tasting pizza sauce in all the world, and it freezes, so nights I don’t feel like cooking, I can grab a bag of it out of the freezer, defrost it in some warm water, spread it on a bagel, top with cheese, and have a quick and easy pizza dinner.
So I’m breaking my no “the best” recipe titles rule because this sauce really is the best.
What does this sauce taste like?
It’s SO tangy and just a tiny bit sweet and garlicky and perfect. It packs a ton of flavor, so when you use it on pizza or in calzone it doesn’t get lost under all that cheese or dough.
And I guarantee you, once the sauce is done, you will want to eat it with a spoon.
Ingredient Notes
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes: I like to use crushed tomatoes in the recipe ( this is my preferred brand ), but diced or whole will also work. To use diced or whole tomatoes, pulse them with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor until the tomatoes are the texture of chunky salsa.
- Olive oil: The olive oil in this recipe adds a luscious richness to the sauce that really sets it apart from other pizza sauces.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil is truly excellent in this sauce, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute dried basil without any problems.
- Pinch of sugar: A little sugar in the sauce really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes and cuts their acidic tang just a little.
How to Make the Best Pizza Sauce
- Heat oil in a large pot (a large pot will reduce sauce splatters and allow the sauce to cook more quickly). Add garlic and cook until garlic is golden.
- Carefully add the remaining ingredients (the sauce will pop and sizzle when the tomatoes hit the hot oil) and stir until mixed.
- Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until sauce is thickened. And that’s it. Your sauce is ready to use!
My sauce is making a mess while it cooks. What can I do?
Tomato sauce does love to pop and make a mess. If things are getting out of control, turn the heat on the stove down a little so the sauce is simmering less aggressively. A splatter screen is helpful if you have one, and if you don’t, consider buying one for future batches. They don’t take up much storage space and are very handy for keeping your stove clean.
How much pizza sauce will this make?
This sauce makes about 1 ½ cups of pizza sauce. That will cover:
- 2 medium homemade pizzas
- 4 naan pizzas
- 1 French bread pizza (loaf sliced into two halves)
- 8 to 10 bagel pizzas
Can I freeze pizza sauce?
Yes! Pizza sauce freezes really well. Store it in freezer bags in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or in a bowl of warm water if you’re in a hurry (make sure there aren’t any holes in the bag first!!).
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. Just be sure you’re using a large enough pot so you don’t get sauce splatter all over. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider. No other cooking changes are needed.
Recipes Using this Sauce
- Margherita Pizza Recipe
- Pie Crust Pizza Tarts
- Hawaiian Naan Pizza
You Might Also Enjoy
- Easy Tomato Soup
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Chicken Parm Soup
- Easy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ Mesh splatter screen optional but nice to have
Pizza Sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- ▢ 1 28-ounce* can crushed tomatoes *
- ▢ 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced OR 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ( 2g ) sugar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat (the pot is going to seem much too big, but this sauce likes to splatter and the larger pot will cut down on cooking time). Add garlic and cook until browned and fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes (the oil will sizzle and splash when you add them, so do so carefully), sugar, and basil. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered* for 20-30 minutes (your cooking time can vary greatly depending on the size of your pot), stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and has reduced down to about 1 1/2 cups.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Epicurious
This post was originally published on 2/22/17. It was updated on 10/25/20 with additional information and tips.
Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate
- 1 cup milk any percentage
- 2 cinnamon sticks broken into 3 or 4 pieces each*
- 2 ounces ( about ⅓ cup ) chopped good-quality white chocolate high-quality chips are fine
- Pinch of salt optional
Optional Toppings
- Whipped cream
- Marshmallows
- Ground cinnamon or cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat milk until steaming. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon stick pieces. Allow them to steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Use a fork or slotted spoon to remove cinnamon stick pieces. Return pot to medium heat and add white chocolate and a pinch of salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is steaming hot.
- Pour into an 8-ounce mug, top with optional toppings, and enjoy!
