In a heavy-bottom saucepan, pour in 4 cups of whole milk and place it over medium heat. Warm the milk slowly, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a gentle steam and small bubbles form around the edges—this should take about 5 minutes. Take care not to let it come to a boil to prevent scalding.

Once the milk is warm, reduce the heat to low. Stir in 1 cup of finely chopped white chocolate and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continuously stir the mixture for 3–4 minutes, or until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture becomes silky smooth and well-combined.

After thoroughly mixing, remove the saucepan from the heat. Using a ladle, pour the creamy white hot chocolate into your favorite mugs, filling them generously.

For a delightful finishing touch, garnish each mug with fluffy whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings or sprinkle some festive toppings.