Last updated: October 5, 2026
White chocolate ganache is simply white chocolate melted into hot heavy cream, and with a 2 to 1 ratio by weight it turns glossy, smooth, and ready to pour in about 35 minutes or to spread in about an hour and a half. Read the full walkthrough below, or head to the recipe card further down the page when you are ready to cook.
How to Make White Chocolate Ganache Step by Step
White chocolate ganache takes four ingredients, one bowl, and one small saucepan. You chop 12 ounces of white chocolate, heat 3/4 cup of heavy cream, pour the cream over the chocolate, and stir once the mixture has rested.
The whole method is gentle on purpose. White chocolate has no cocoa solids to protect it, so it scorches and splits far more easily than dark chocolate, and hot cream is the softest way to melt it.
Gather Your Ingredients
You need 12 ounces (340 g) of white chocolate, 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt. The salt is small, but it keeps the finished ganache from tasting flat and cloying.
Heavy cream matters here because it contains at least 36 percent milk fat, the standard for the label in the United States. That fat is what gives the ganache its structure and its glossy finish once it cools.
Choose the Right White Chocolate
Look for a bar that lists cocoa butter near the top of the ingredient list, such as Ghirardelli, Lindt, Callebaut, Guittard, or a Baker’s baking bar. Real white chocolate melts into a smooth, fluid pool, and that is exactly what a ganache needs.
White baking chips often contain stabilizers so they hold their shape in cookies, which means they melt thick and sometimes grainy. If chips are all you have, the ganache will still work, but expect a duller, thicker result.
Chop the Chocolate Finely
Shave or chop the chocolate into pieces about the size of a grain of rice and place them in a medium heatproof bowl. A serrated knife makes quick work of a thick bar and keeps the pieces small and even.
Small pieces matter because the cream does all the melting. Large chunks stay solid in the center while the outside turns oily, and that uneven melt is the number one cause of a lumpy ganache.
Heat the Cream
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Pull it off the heat as soon as it is steaming and tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
Do not let the cream come to a full boil. Boiling cream is hotter than white chocolate can handle, and it is the quickest way to end up with a greasy, separated ganache.
Pour and Wait
Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate so every piece is covered, then leave the bowl completely alone for 5 minutes. Resist the urge to stir early, because the resting time lets the heat soften the chocolate evenly.
After 5 minutes the surface will look puddled and slightly cloudy, and that is exactly right. Everything is melted underneath, and it only needs a gentle stir to come together.
Stir Until Glossy
Add the vanilla and salt, then stir slowly with a silicone spatula, starting in the center and working in small circles that widen outward. Within about a minute the mixture turns from streaky to smooth, thick, and shiny.
Stir slowly to avoid whipping in air bubbles. Bubbles leave tiny pits on a glaze and make a frosting look rough.
White Chocolate Ganache Ratios for Drips, Glazes, and Frosting
The recipe card uses a 2 to 1 ratio, which means 2 parts white chocolate to 1 part heavy cream by weight. In this recipe that is 12 ounces of chocolate to about 6 ounces of cream, and it makes about 1 1/2 cups.
That amount is enough to glaze a bundt cake, drip over an 8-inch cake, or top about 12 cupcakes. The same pot of ganache can do all of those jobs, depending on how long you let it cool.
For a Pourable Glaze or Cake Drip
Let the ganache cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes. It should thicken slightly and still fall from the spatula in a slow, smooth ribbon.
At this stage it pours over a cold cake and sets with a soft shine. Pour it over a chilled cake for the cleanest drips, since the cold surface slows the ganache down and keeps it from running to the plate.
For Spreadable Frosting
Leave the ganache at room temperature for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until it feels thick like soft peanut butter. Stirring keeps a skin from forming and keeps the texture even.
At that point it spreads easily over cupcakes or a layer cake and holds soft swirls. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours total, because the USDA advises discarding perishable food that has sat at room temperature longer than that.
For Firmer Fillings and Truffles
The card keeps to 2 to 1, but a 3 to 1 ratio makes a noticeably firmer ganache. For that version you would use 12 ounces of white chocolate with about 4 ounces of cream, and the card below leaves it out, so treat it as an optional variation.
The firmer version chills into a scoopable center for truffles or a sturdy filling between cake layers. A 2 to 1 ganache works as a soft filling but stays too tender to roll.
Tips for Silky White Chocolate Ganache Every Time
Smooth white chocolate ganache comes down to three habits: chop small, keep the heat gentle, and keep water out of the bowl. Even a few drops of water can make white chocolate seize into a stiff, grainy paste.
Dry your bowl, spatula, and knife before you start, and avoid covering a warm bowl in a way that drips condensation back in. Those small details prevent most of the problems people run into.
How to Fix Split or Oily Ganache
If the ganache looks greasy or curdled, warm 1 tablespoon of cream until it is just hot and stir it in a little at a time. An immersion blender pulls a split ganache back together in about 30 seconds.
A split ganache usually means the cream was too hot or the chocolate was in large pieces. Both are easy to avoid the next time with a quick watch on the saucepan and a finer chop.
Easy Flavor Variations
Stir in a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest for a bright finish, or use the seeds of half a vanilla bean in place of the extract. These flavor ideas are not on the recipe card, so treat them as optional.
For color, use oil-based or powdered food coloring. Water-based gel color can cause white chocolate to seize.
How to Store White Chocolate Ganache
Store leftover white chocolate ganache in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface so no skin forms.
For longer storage, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Cream is a perishable ingredient, so keep the ganache cold whenever you are not using it.
Reheating Cold Ganache
Cold ganache sets firm, but it softens right back up. Microwave it at 50 percent power in 10 second bursts, stirring after each one, until it is smooth and pourable again.
Skip high heat, which scorches white chocolate in seconds. If it looks slightly grainy after reheating, stir in a teaspoon of warm cream to smooth it out.
Ways to Use White Chocolate Ganache
White chocolate ganache is one of the most flexible sweet toppings you can keep in your kitchen. It dresses up simple desserts without any piping skills or special tools.
Drip Cakes and Bundt Cakes
Pour the pourable stage over a chilled layer cake and nudge it toward the edges with a small spoon to create drips. It looks beautiful over lemon, strawberry, and chocolate cakes, and it sets with a soft shine.
For a bundt cake, pour it slowly over the top and let it run down the ridges. The glaze hardens just enough to slice cleanly.
Cupcakes, Brownies, and Cookies
Spread the thickened ganache over cupcakes with an offset spatula for a rich frosting that is less sweet than buttercream. It also turns plain brownies and sugar cookies into something that looks bakery-made.
You can dip the tips of cookies or strawberries into the pourable stage as well. Set them on parchment paper and let the ganache firm up for about 20 minutes.
Filling for Layer Cakes and Tarts
Spread a thin layer between cake layers or spoon it into a baked tart shell for a creamy, mellow center. Fresh raspberries or tart cherries cut through the sweetness nicely.
The History of Ganache
Ganache is a French invention, and according to popular legend it began in a Paris pastry shop in the 1850s when an apprentice accidentally spilled hot cream over chocolate. The shop’s chef, the story goes, called the apprentice a fool, which is what the word ganache means in French.
White chocolate came much later, introduced by Nestle in Switzerland in the 1930s. Pastry cooks have used it in ganache ever since because its mild, milky sweetness pairs well with fruit, citrus, and nuts.
Ready to try it? Use the recipe card below for exact measurements, steps, and nutrition information.
White Chocolate Ganache
A silky, glossy white chocolate ganache made with a simple 2 to 1 ratio of white chocolate to heavy cream. Pour it warm as a glaze or let it cool to spread like frosting.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces white chocolate (340 g), finely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Finely chop 12 ounces of white chocolate and place it in a medium heatproof bowl.
- Heat 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming with tiny bubbles around the edge. Do not let it boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, making sure all of it is covered, and let it sit untouched for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon of salt, then stir slowly with a silicone spatula from the center outward in small circles for about 1 minute, until smooth and glossy.
- For a pourable glaze or cake drip, let the ganache cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until it thickens slightly and falls from the spatula in a slow ribbon.
- For a spreadable frosting, let the ganache cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until it is thick like soft peanut butter. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours total.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
For the smoothest ganache, use a white chocolate baking bar that lists cocoa butter instead of white chips. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To fix split ganache, stir in 1 tablespoon of warm cream or blend with an immersion blender. To reheat, microwave at 50 percent power in 10 second bursts, stirring after each one. The 2 to 1 ratio is by weight (12 ounces chocolate to about 6 ounces cream). Use 3 to 1 for a firmer ganache.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
White Chocolate Ganache FAQ
What is the best ratio for white chocolate ganache?
A ratio of 2 parts white chocolate to 1 part heavy cream by weight works best for glazes, drips, and spreadable frosting. For a firmer ganache that holds its shape for truffles or fillings, use 3 parts chocolate to 1 part cream.
Why did my white chocolate ganache split?
Ganache splits when the cream is too hot or the chocolate was chopped too coarsely. Stir in a tablespoon of warm cream, or use an immersion blender, to bring it back together.
Can you use white chocolate chips?
You can, but the result is usually thicker and less glossy because chips contain stabilizers. A chopped baking bar with cocoa butter melts smoother and gives a silkier finish.
Can you make white chocolate ganache ahead of time?
Yes, keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
Warm it gently in 10 second bursts to bring it back to a pourable texture.
Can you use milk or half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
Lower-fat dairy makes a looser ganache that does not set as firmly or taste as rich. Stick with heavy whipping cream, which has at least 36 percent milk fat, for the best structure.
Why This White Chocolate Ganache Recipe Works
The method relies on hot cream to melt the chocolate, with no direct heat on the chocolate itself. That gentle approach protects the delicate cocoa butter and milk solids in white chocolate and prevents scorching.
The 5 minute rest lets the heat spread evenly before you stir, so the chocolate melts fully without any need for vigorous mixing. Slow stirring from the center outward builds a stable emulsion of fat and liquid, which is what gives the ganache its glossy shine.
The 2 to 1 ratio sets to a texture that is soft enough to pour when warm and firm enough to spread once cooled. A pinch of salt keeps the sweetness in check so the vanilla and the creamy flavor stand out.
Final Thoughts on White Chocolate Ganache
White chocolate ganache is a four ingredient recipe that makes cakes, cupcakes, and cookies look and taste like they came from a bakery. Chop the chocolate small, keep the cream just short of a boil, and let it rest before you stir.
Make a batch this week and drizzle it over your favorite cake. If you love how it turns out, leave a star rating on the recipe card so other bakers know it works.
