If You're Going To Order Hot Chocolate At Starbucks, Get This Instead Of The Regular One

Hot chocolate orders are not all created equal. Some coffee houses offer a variety of hot chocolate flavors to choose from for those with a persistent sweet tooth. At Starbucks, customers have been given options beyond the signature hot chocolate option, including peppermint and peppermint white hot chocolate. But the hot chocolate that we think you should order isn't typically found on the menu (although it used to be). It's white hot chocolate (no peppermint), and with a few ordering instructions, you can be sipping on this sweet delight any time of year.

Within a white hot chocolate order, expect some of the usual tasting notes of a quality hot chocolate pour, except the white chocolate drink offers an extra creamy consistency. On the app or in your local store, look to modify a typical hot chocolate by asking for no mocha or mocha drizzle and swap it out with white mocha sauce. Orders can be gussied up even further with added flavors like caramel and extra shots of espresso for a buzz that blurs the line between coffee drink and dessert. When served at the perfect temperature, this is a drink guaranteed to warm up a winter's day. 

Some Starbucks customers have recognized that the brand's signature hot chocolate leads with cocoa notes, and the white chocolate option builds on this recipe with even more sweetness. For those who love sugary drinks, this option is a guaranteed home run. Customers do tend to mention just how sweet the original white hot chocolate drink is. So if you're not sure about what you're in for, order a smaller serving before diving into your usual-sized cup.

Should you want to try Starbucks white hot chocolate but are skeptical of the level and intensity of sweetness, try whipping up your own white hot chocolate recipe at home and adjust the taste according to your preferences. Whether you want to step fully on the pedal of sweetness or make a drink that is lighter on the palate, garnishes like sea salt, peppermint sticks, and crumbles of cookies can help steer hot chocolate mixes into the flavor lane you're looking for. And if you head into Starbucks over the holiday season, there's always the option of trying one of the full holiday-minded menu items, from cocktails to other festive cups, too.