This Creamy Crockpot Hot Chocolate is rich, velvety, and made with just 6 simple ingredients! Everything goes right into the slow cooker, and 2 hours later you've got a big batch of the creamiest slow cooker hot chocolate. It's perfect for holiday parties, movie nights, and chilly weekends!
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Unlike a lot of recipes out there, this is a crockpot hot chocolate without condensed milk. Instead, it gets its richness from real chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and a little heavy cream. It's perfect for setting out at a hot cocoa bar for a crowd!
Want a quick single mug instead? My homemade hot chocolate mix is perfect to keep in the pantry, and my easy dark hot chocolate is a must for dark chocolate lovers.
And for even more holiday flavor, try my gingerbread hot chocolate and easy peppermint hot chocolate! Grab your slow cooker and let's make this crockpot hot chocolate recipe!
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What Does Crockpot Hot Chocolate Taste Like?
This hot chocolate tastes like a melted chocolate bar in a mug! The chocolate chips make it rich and velvety, while the cocoa powder adds a deep, dark chocolate flavor.
The heavy cream and whole milk make it so smooth, and the vanilla rounds everything out at the end. It's thick, cozy, and the ultimate creamy hot chocolate for chilly nights!
Why You'll Love This Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
- Totally hands-off: Just whisk everything together, cover it, and let the slow cooker do the work. No standing over the stove!
- Perfect for a crowd: Serve hot chocolate for a crowd straight from the slow cooker at holiday parties and game nights. It’s the best holiday party drink!
- No condensed milk: This creamy version skips the sweetened condensed milk, so it’s rich and chocolatey without being overly sweet.
- Stays warm for hours: Switch the slow cooker to warm once it’s done, and everyone can serve themselves all night long!
- Simple ingredients: Milk, chocolate chips, cream, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. That’s it!
Ingredients Needed
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Together they make the creamy base! The whole milk keeps it sippable, while the heavy cream makes it rich and velvety.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: The star of the show! They melt right into the milk and give the hot chocolate its rich, real chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar: This sweetens the hot chocolate and balances out the bitterness of the cocoa.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: This adds a deeper, darker chocolate flavor that makes every sip taste extra chocolatey.
- Vanilla extract: Stirred in at the end, it rounds out the chocolate and makes the whole batch taste extra cozy.
Substitutions
- Whole milk and heavy cream: For a lighter hot chocolate, use 2% milk and swap some of the heavy cream for more milk. It’ll be a little thinner, but still so chocolatey!
- Dairy-free and vegan: Use oat milk and full-fat coconut milk in place of the milk and cream, plus dairy-free chocolate chips. Check your chocolate chips and sugar labels too, since many chips contain milk and some sugar is processed with bone char.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Milk chocolate chips make it sweeter and extra kid-friendly, while dark chocolate chips make it richer and less sweet.
- Granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds a cozy, caramel-y note, and maple syrup works great too.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, smoother chocolate flavor, while natural cocoa is a little brighter. Both work great!
How to Make Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Step 1: Whisk everything together. Add the whole milk, chocolate chips, heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder to a large slow cooker. Whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cocoa powder is completely dissolved.
- Step 2: Cook on low. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. This is how to make hot chocolate in a slow cooker without any babysitting!
- Step 3: Add the vanilla. Uncover, add the vanilla extract, and whisk until everything is smooth. Ladle it into mugs and serve with your favorite toppings!
Variations to Try
- Crockpot Mocha: Stir in some strong brewed coffee or espresso with the vanilla for a cozy, chocolatey mocha. It’s perfect for holiday mornings!
- Peppermint Crockpot Hot Chocolate: Add a little peppermint extract with the vanilla and top each mug with crushed candy canes.
- Mexican Hot Chocolate: Whisk in a pinch of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of cayenne for a warm, spiced kick.
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate: Stir in a swirl of caramel sauce and a pinch of sea salt for a sweet-and-salty twist.
- White Hot Chocolate: Swap the semi-sweet chips for white chocolate chips and skip the cocoa powder for a creamy, vanilla-y version.
Recipe Success Tips
- Whisk out the cocoa clumps: Cocoa powder loves to clump, so whisk really well before you turn the slow cooker on. It makes the hot chocolate so much smoother!
- Stick to low heat: Cooking on low keeps the milk from scorching and lets the chocolate chips melt slowly and evenly.
- Give it a stir: Stir it once or twice while it cooks so the chocolate doesn’t settle on the bottom.
- Keep it on warm: Wondering how to keep hot chocolate warm for a party? Switch the slow cooker to the warm setting once it’s done and give it a stir every now and then.
- Set up a hot cocoa bar: Set out marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and chocolate shavings so everyone can top their own mug. It’s the most fun way to serve a crowd!
FAQs
Whisk the milk, chocolate chips, heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder together right in your slow cooker, then cook on low for 2 hours. Stir in the vanilla at the end and it’s ready to serve!
About 2 hours on low. Once it’s hot and the chocolate is melted, switch it to the warm setting to keep it ready for serving.
Yes! This recipe doesn’t use any condensed milk at all. The chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and heavy cream make it rich and creamy without it.
A slow cooker is the easiest way! This recipe makes about 10 cups, and you can keep it on the warm setting so guests can serve themselves all night.
Store leftover crock pot hot chocolate in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, whisking until smooth.
Nutritional Info
This hot chocolate is a rich holiday treat at 454 calories per cup, with most of the fat coming from the heavy cream and chocolate chips. Most of the sugar comes from the chocolate chips and granulated sugar, and the whole milk adds a nice 10g of protein!
To lighten it up, serve it in smaller mugs, use 2% milk, or cut back on the sugar a little.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 454 calories
- Total Fat: 29 grams
- Protein: 10 grams
- Sodium: 71 mg
- Carbohydrates: 49 grams
- Sugar: 41 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Other Hot Chocolate Recipes
Creamy Crockpot Hot Chocolate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 cups whole milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the whole milk, chocolate chips, heavy cream, sugar, and cocoa powder to a large slow cooker and whisk vigorously until the cocoa powder is completely dissolved (about 1-2 minutes).
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. After cook time, uncover and add the vanilla extract and whisk again until everything is smooth. Serve!
Nutrition
xoxo Megan
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