7 White Chocolate Recipes That Will Put a Smile on Everyone’s Face

Just thinking about chocolate gets our mouths watering. And while we love a good ol’ fashioned milk chocolate bar, sometimes we can’t help but crave white chocolate. There’s something uniquely satisfying about its smooth and creamy taste that really satisfies. And in the Woman’s World test kitchen, we love incorporating it in all sorts of desserts as its more mild taste blends well with so many flavors. Keep scrolling to learn more about what is white chocolate, how to use it and our best-ever recipes that are sure to become your favorites too.

What is white chocolate?

White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar. Unlike regular chocolate, it doesn’t contain cocoa solids, which are what give dark and milk chocolate their color and flavor. White chocolate has a less intense, creamier taste, with hints of vanilla. And since it’s free of cocoa solids, white chocolate is also free of the caffeine that goes with them.

“White chocolate doesn’t have the richness of the pure cocoa that you can taste in dark chocolate,” says Gabriela Pollack, owner of New York-based chocolate shop Brigadeiro Warehouse, “but has a silky, sweet and smooth taste instead.”

If you need more reasons to enjoy a taste, click through to see how eating chocolate can help you live longer.

Best white chocolate for cooking

“For home chefs, the top trick is using high-quality white chocolate with a high cocoa butter content for the best flavor and texture,” says chocolatier Austin Gappelberg, co-owner of the Hampton Chocolate Factory. Look for products with at least 20% cocoa butter — the higher the cocoa butter percentage, the more likely it is that the white chocolate will have a rich and creamy texture.

How to use white chocolate

With its mild taste and smooth texture, white chocolate pairs well with so many flavors. Gappelberg recommends pairing it with fresh fruit, which really complements the sweetness of white chocolate. It also works well in nutty desserts for a crunchy, creamy combo.

You can substitute white chocolate for milk chocolate in most recipes — just keep in mind that it tends to be sweeter, so you may want to adjust sugar levels accordingly.

One easy idea: “A great trick is using melted white chocolate instead of sugar to sweeten cake icing, such as buttercream,” Pollack says. “You won’t taste the ‘grains,’ the texture will feel richer and your decoration is more likely to hold shape.”

For another quick treat, click through for how to make two-ingredient chocolate mousse.

7 delicious white chocolate recipes

If all this talk about white chocolate has got your mouthwatering, keep scrolling for easy recipes from the Woman’s World test kitchen. We’ve got all sorts of treats that are sure to delight:

1. Layered Berry Mousse Cakes

These impressive white chocolate mousse stacks are a snap to make, thanks to a quick-prep cookie crust and prepared jams. 

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups chopped white chocolate, about 9 oz.
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temp.
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
• 6 Tbs. blackberry jam
• 8 soft raspberry-filled cookies, like Archway
• ½ pint fresh raspberries
• ½ pint fresh blackberries

Directions:

1. In bowl over hot water, warm white chocolate with cream cheese until white chocolate is just melted. Let cool.
2. In bowl, beat together heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Divide mixture into thirds. Stir raspberry jam into one portion and blackberry jam into second portion.
3. In processor, pulse cookies to crumbs. Place six 3” x 2” cake rings on wax paper-lined baking sheet. Divide cookie crumbs evenly among rings, pressing with spoon to compact. Layer rings with blackberry, vanilla, then raspberry mousse. Cover and freeze 2 hrs. Unmold; garnish as desired.

2. Tickled Pink White Chocolate-Raspberry Meringues

With just enough richness from white chocolate pudding, these light delights are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 4 large egg whites, at room temp.
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. white vinegar
• 2-3 drops red food coloring
• 1 (1 oz.) pkg. instant reduced calorie white chocolate pudding mix
• ½ pint fresh raspberries
• 1¼ cups whipped topping or whipped cream

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 225ºF. Line baking sheet with foil. Draw six 2½” circles on foil. In bowl whisk together sugar and cornstarch. In electric mixer on medium speed beat together egg whites, vanilla and vinegar 5 min. or until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high. Gradually beat in sugar mixture 3 min. or until firm peaks form. Tint to desired color. With large pastry bag fitted with star tip (Ateco #822). Pipe 1 circle over each mark. Pipe center with meringue. Pipe 3 outer layers over base. Bake 1¼ hrs. Turn off oven; leave in oven 1 hr. Let cool. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare pudding mix according to package directions using low fat milk. Place 2 raspberries in bottoms of pavlovas. Fill with pudding. Top with cream. Garnish with additional raspberries.

3. Creamy Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake

Cookies and white chocolate combine for the easy crust on this rich and tangy no-bake treat. 

Ingredients:

• 24 golden sandwich cookies
• ¾ cup chopped white chocolate, melted
• 3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
• 1 (10 oz.) jar lemon curd
• 2 cups mixed fresh fruit, like sliced strawberries, orange slices and blueberries

Directions:

1. In processor, pulse cookies 8–10 times, or until fine crumbs form. Add white chocolate. Pulse until evenly moistened. Press into greased 9” pie plate. Chill 15 min.
2. In processor, combine cream cheese and lemon curd. Process 2 min. or until smooth, scraping down side of work bowl occasionally. Transfer to pie plate. Chill 4 hrs.
3. Arrange fruit on top. Serve immediately.

4. White Chocolate Apricot Parfaits

These dreamy white chocolate parfaits get their sweetness from fresh apricots — but you can sub in your favorite available fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

• 1 (3.56 oz.) pkg. instant white chocolate pudding mix, such as Hershey’s
• 1 cup low-fat whipped topping
• 3 cups sliced fresh apricots/peaches
• 2 Tbs. apricots/peach preserves
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Prepare pudding mix as package directs, using 1 cup milk. Stir in whipped topping.
2. Pat fruit dry on paper towels. In bowl, toss fruit with preserves and cinnamon.
3. Layer fruit and pudding mixture in small serving glasses. Sprinkle with almonds. Garnish as desired. This recipe can be made 1 day ahead.

5. Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

White chocolate stirred into the filling makes this no-bake wonder extra irresistible. 

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¾ cup wheat germ
• 8 Tbs. + ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, at room temp.
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 (4 oz.) bars white chocolate, melted
• 1 (¼ oz.) env. unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed, drained
• White chocolate curls and additional fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions:

1. 1. Coat 9”x3” springform pan with cooking spray. In bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, wheat germ and 3 Tbs. sugar; stir in melted butter until evenly combined. Press in bottom of pan. Chill until set, about 30 min.
2. On medium-high speed, beat cream and 3 Tbs. sugar until stiff peaks form; reserve. On medium, beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in chocolate. In 1-qt. microwave-safe bowl, stir 2 Tbs. water into gelatin. Let stand until absorbed, 5 min.; microwave until melted, 15 sec. Stir in 1 cup cream cheese mixture; stir back into remaining cream cheese mixture. Fold in reserved whipped cream. Spread in pan. Cover; chill until firm, about 6 hrs. 
3. In food processor, puree raspberries and remaining 2 Tbs. sugar. In fine mesh strainer set over bowl, using rubber spatula or spoon, push raspberry mixture through strainer. Remove side of pan. Transfer cake to serving plate. Drizzle with raspberry sauce. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries and chocolate curls.

6. Double-Chocolate Mousse Cake

This light-as-air fudgy masterpiece is guaranteed to melt in your mouth with its layers of white chocolate and milk chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 ¼ cups + 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 1 (.25 oz.) env. unflavored gelatin
• 1 baked (9”) chocolate cake layer, trimmed to ¾” thick
• 5 Tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions: 

1. In microwave-safe bowl, mix 6 oz. dark chocolate and ¾ cup cream. In separate microwave-safe bowl, mix white chocolate and ¼ cup cream. Microwave both in 15-sec. intervals, stirring, until melted. In small microwave-safe bowl, mix gelatin and 2 Tbs. water. Let stand 5 min.; microwave until melted, 10 sec. Divide between 2 bowls of chocolate; stir until combined. Cool. Place cake in 8”x3” springform pan. On medium-high, whip 1½ cups cream and 3 Tbs. sugar to medium peaks; fold into dark chocolate mixture. Spread in pan. Cover; chill 1 hr. 
2. On medium-high, beat 1⅓cups cream, 2 Tbs. sugar and vanilla to medium peaks. Fold into white chocolate mixture. Spread in pan. Chill 4 hrs. In microwave-safe bowl, mix remaining chocolate and cream; microwave in 15-sec. intervals, stirring, until melted; cool. Spread over cake. Chill 30 min. Remove side of pan. If desired, top with cream and curls.

7. White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes

Tangy cranberry sauce piped into the centers make for a decadent surprise in these treats topped with white chocolate frosting.

Ingredients: 

• 1 (15.25 oz.) pkg. French vanilla cake mix
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup oil
• 1 ⅓ cups butter, at room temp.
• 4 oz. white chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¾ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• Sugared cranberries

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Prepare cake mix according to package directions with eggs, oil and 1 cup water. Divide among cupcake liners. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-18 min. Cool. 
2. On medium speed, beat butter and white chocolate until smooth. On low, gradually beat in sugar, then sour cream and vanilla until combined. On medium-high, beat until fluffy, 2 min. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with star tip. 
3. Using paring knife, cut 1¼” wide x 1” deep cylinder of cake from cupcake center; remove cake cylinder. Fill cupcakes with cranberry sauce; top with cylinders, trimming to fit as needed. Pipe on frosting. Garnish with sugared cranberries.