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Crock Pot Hot Chocolate is rich and creamy and sweet, and so easy to make. The recipe is simple – just dump everything in the slow cooker, heat, stir and serve, preferably with whipped cream on top!
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This easy Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate has only 5 ingredients and puts those powdered packets to shame! It’s a sweet and creamy indulgence that will warm you up and keep everyone coming back for more.
It makes a lot so it’s perfect for parties, but it’s also super easy to scale down. It stays nice and warm in the slow cooker, so you can keep serving it for hours.
I love that it’s only got 5 simple ingredients that are easy to find, it keeps hot chocolate warm for hours without scorching it, and my slow cooker does all the work!
Ingredients
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – You could use milk chocolate if you like, but it will be pretty sweet. A mix of the two is delicious.
- Whole Milk – Don’t skimp on this. You want that creaminess because you want the hot chocolate to be really creamy.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Same with the cream. No half and half here, you want full cream.
- Vanilla Extract – For a little flavor balance.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
Nobody said this was a healthy drink, but it’s absolutely delicious and a worthy indulgence for the holidays.
Hot to Make Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
There are only a few ingredients and 2 steps to this recipe.
- Dump ingredients into the crock pot: chocolate chips, whole milk, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, sweetened condensed milk.
- Stir everything together with a wooden spoon, making sure to get any chips that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes. Once the chocolate really starts to melt, switch to a whisk to incorporate everything.
How to Keep Hot Chocolate Warm for Parties
Using your slow cooker as a warmer for hot chocolate is just a brilliant idea. This appliance is my favorite our of all the kitchen tools I have. I love that it can keep food or drinks warm for hour.
Is it Better to Make Hot Chocolate with Milk or Water?
You could say this is really a personal preference. Using water when making hot chocolate will help the chocolate flavor to really shine but it won’t be creamy. Milk is what makes this slow cooker hot chocolate so rich and decadent.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Best chocolate to use for hot chocolate: Since there are few ingredients and the chocolate is really the star, I recommend using a good quality milk or semisweet chocolate. The recipe uses chocolate chips and I usually buy Ghirardelli brand and will use a mix of milk and semi-sweet. Milk chocolate will make a very sweet hot chocolate, and semi-sweet will be less sweet. Mixing the two really gives a nice balance.
- Serving suggestions: Top with mini marshmallows, whipped cream, sprinkles and chocolate shavings. Add some candy canes for the holidays.
- Flavoring: Feel free to play around and add different flavors to the pot. Sprinkle in some ground cinnamon, add peppermint extract instead of vanilla, of use different flavored chips like white chocolate or caramel.
- No slow cooker? No problem! You can make this recipe in a large pot or dutch oven on the stove. Heat on low until the chocolate is melted then keep it at a low simmer while you serve.
- Storage for leftovers: Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave.
- Create a fun hot chocolate bar using our cute chalkboard free printables.
More Holiday Beverages
- Eggnog White Russian Cocktail
- Apple Cider Ginger Punch
- White Hot Chocolate
- Champagne Punch
- Christmas Punch (Holiday Punch Recipe)
- Homemade Iced Coffee
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi sweet or milk chocolate chips or a mix of the two
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a 4-6 quart slow cooker and stir until combined. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes, until chocolate chips are completely melted.
- Pour into mugs and garnish with marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings or sprinkles.
Notes
- Use good quality chocolate. Mix milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate for the most balanced flavor.
- Flavors: Sprinkle in some ground cinnamon, add peppermint extract instead of vanilla, of use different flavored chips like white chocolate or caramel.
- No slow cooker? No problem! You can make this recipe in a large pot or dutch oven on the stove. Heat on low until the chocolate is melted then keep it at a low simmer while you serve.
- Storage for leftovers: Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave.
