Not only is this Crockpot Hot Chocolate rich, decadent, and creamy, it’s also the best hot chocolate for a party! Make a big batch and let your guests help themselves to warm mugs filled to the brim with hot cocoa and all their favorite toppings.
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The perfect hot chocolate for a party.
Piping hot, lusciously creamy, and best sipped with holiday tunes in the background (or maybe best sipped directly from the slow cooker with a straw?), this decadent crockpot hot chocolate is my cozy drink of choice this winter!
The recipe is easy as can be and the slow cooker makes it ideal for when you’re entertaining because guests can help themselves. No playing bartender! (Christmas Punch and Rum Punch also minimize your work as a host.)
This crockpot hot chocolate also tastes magnificent. It is some of the best hot chocolate I’ve ever made, ranking right up there with my French Hot Chocolate. And since it’s made without condensed milk and heavy cream, it’s creamy without being so over the top that you can only handle a tiny cup. Fill that mug high, my friend!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chocolate. Don’t use chocolate chips! Just like store-bought shredded cheese, chocolate chips are formulated not to melt and clump in the bag—which means they don’t melt as smoothly for recipes. Buy a bar of chocolate and chop it.
- Cocoa Powder. The other half of our chocolate flavor duo. Making this crockpot hot chocolate with cocoa powder provides intensity.
- Whole Milk + Half-and-Half. In order to achieve the most smooth and creamy texture, it’s important to make crockpot hot chocolate with milk, not water. I used whole milk. I also used half-and-half to keep things a little lighter than heavy cream while still tasting indulgent. (For extra decadence, you can swap the half-and-half for heavy whipping cream.)
- Vanilla. A can’t-miss addition that gives this drink an extra layer of coziness.
- Instant Espresso Powder. While optional, it helps intensify the chocolate flavor further (it will not make the hot chocolate taste like coffee).
5 Star Review
“INCREDIBLE! Best hot chocolate we’ve ever had. It was so creamy and our friends all loved it.”
— Macy —
Ways to Flavor Crockpot Hot Chocolate
Whether it’s my Healthy Hot Chocolate, Easy Hot Chocolate, or this crockpot version, here are some of my favorite ways to give hot chocolate a little boost:
- Alcohol. Crockpot hot chocolate with alcohol would make a scrumptious adult beverage! I’d recommend Baileys Irish cream, peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, or Frangelico hazelnut liqueur. YUM!
- Coffee. Mix hot chocolate and coffee together to create a drink called café mocha. Add a shot of espresso or a pour of strongly brewed coffee to your cup, then top with as much hot chocolate as you like. We have this every Christmas morning, and it’s divine.
- Nutella. For an out-of-this-world rich and tasty hot chocolate, stir in a spoonful of Nutella.
Crockpot Hot Chocolate Toppings
Add a flourish to your mug with one of these hot chocolate toppings:
- Marshmallows. Whether you prefer mini marshmallows, regular marshmallows, or jumbo-sized marshmallows, you can’t go wrong with this classic and beloved topping.
- Whipped Cream. For a decadent treat, top your hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Chocolate Chips. A handful of milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips will take the chocolate factor up another notch.
- Caramel Sauce. A drizzle of caramel sauce on top would be tasty!
- Crushed Peppermint. For a minty and festive twist, sprinkle some crushed peppermint candies or candy canes over the top.
- Cinnamon. Finish your hot chocolate batch with a sprinkle of cinnamon. You could also add some cinnamon sticks to the pot as the hot chocolate cooks to infuse it with cozy flavor.
This creamy crockpot hot chocolate is easy to make and tastes absolutely decadent. The slow cooker is perfect for serving a crowd!
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Prevent your screen from going dark
- 3 cups whole milk must be whole for the best texture!
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream if you want to make this outrageously decadent
- 6 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate* coarsely chopped (between 62% and 70%; the darker, the more intense the chocolate flavor will be; I used 66%)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder optional for a more intense flavor
- Pinch kosher salt
- Toppings of choice: marshmallows whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, a handful of extra chocolate chips
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Place all of the ingredients except for the toppings into 3-quart slow cooker (or a 5-quart or larger if you are doubling the recipe): milk, half-and-half, chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt.
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Briskly whisk to dissolve the cocoa powder as much as possible. Keep whisking until none of it floats to the top; this may take 1 to 2 minutes.
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Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending upon your slow cooker; it may finish sooner. Once it’s hot and the chocolate is melted smoothly, you can serve it as soon as you like; I prefer to do this on low to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn). Whisk every 45 minutes or so to make sure the chocolate isn’t burning on the bottom of the crock pot. At this point, you can keep it on “low” or switch to “keep warm” if you have that setting. Do not keep it on high, as if the chocolate becomes too hot, it can burn or separate.
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Ladle into serving cups and add your toppings of choice.
- *I do not recommend chocolate chips, as they do not melt as smoothly. Since chocolate is the primary ingredient, be sure to use good quality. Lindt and Ghirardelli are both excellent. I also had good luck testing with the Baker’s brand bittersweet chocolate bar.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, whisking to combine.
Serving: 1(of 6); about 6 ouncesCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 7gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 28mgPotassium: 435mgFiber: 3gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 351IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 201mgIron: 4mg
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