Hot Vanilla Drink
Move over hot chocolate. This silky and luscious hot vanilla drink is the perfect cozy holiday beverage. Also known as Santa Claus milk, you can whip up a batch of this slumber drink in 10 minutes. A versatile recipe that can easily be transformed into a hot or cold vanilla latte.
Why you’ll love my hot vanilla milk
- Rich vanilla drink: A luscious, silky vanilla drink made with fresh vanilla. Just like my hot cacao drink, this hot vanilla is perfect for cooler days.
- Versatile: You can easily adjust the recipe to make it your own.
- Quick & easy drink recipe: 6 staple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time only.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Milk – Full-fat milk works best but you can also use skim milk for a skinny vanilla drink or plant-based milks such as oat, almond, or soy to create a vegan-friendly option.
- Cream – Heavy cream adds extra richness to the hot vanilla drink. This is optional.
- Vanilla – I use vanilla simple syrup made with a vanilla bean to make this drink but you can also use fresh vanilla. Simply use a knife tip of freshly scraped vanilla beans instead of the extract. You can also use vanilla extract or essence for convenience.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps to thicken the drink slightly and provides a smooth texture. If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can omit the cornstarch.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon or a stick of cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor to this vanilla drink.
- Honey – I love to sweeten hot drinks with raw honey but you can also use sugar or alternative natural sweeteners such as agave or maple syrup, stevia, or coconut sugar.
Vanilla drink variations
Spice it up: Add pumpkin spice mix or my Christmas spice blend instead of cinnamon for a festive twist.
Add alcohol: Bourbon’s rich and slightly sweet notes harmonize with the warm, sweet, and complex flavors of vanilla.
Iced vanilla drink: To create a cold drink, simply chill the mixture in the fridge for a while and serve over ice cubes.
Hot vanilla coffee: Add 1 shot of espresso to the hot mixture to create a vanilla latte.
Serving
Enjoy this comforting vanilla drink, topped with a light dusting of cinnamon, a dollop of German whipped cream, mascarpone cream, or soft marshmallows.
Recipe FAQs
Allow the leftover hot vanilla to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store the container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, gently reheat the vanilla drink on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
Adding the vanilla simple syrup last in this recipe helps preserve its delicate and complex flavors, as some aromatic compounds in vanilla are sensitive to heat.
More cozy drink recipes
For more warm drink ideas, make sure to check out the following recipes:
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Hot Vanilla Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream optional (use more milk instead)
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla simple syrup or vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small cup, mix together 2 tbsp of milk and the cornstarch to make a slurry.1 tsp cornstarch, 1 cup milk
- In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously to prevent the milk from burning or boiling over.1 cup milk, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Add the slurry while stirring and keep stirring on medium heat until the mixture thickens slightly due to the cornstarch.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 2 tsp honey and 1 tsp vanilla simple syrup.2 tsp honey, 1 tsp vanilla simple syrup
- Pour the hot vanilla into a large mug and add a dusting of cinnamon. Serve immediately.
