This rich and creamy slow cooker hot chocolate is the perfect decadent drink for any party or special occasion. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
This is the ultimate treat for hot chocolate lovers, you’ll never want to use a dry mix again! This is one of my favorite holiday drinks along with Christmas punch, slow cooker apple cider and lime sherbet punch.
What better drink recipe for a cold day than a piping hot mug of hot chocolate? This slow cooker hot chocolate puts those little packets of powder to shame, it’s rich and creamy and perfect for a party. All it takes is 5 minutes of prep time, which is really not much more time than you’d spend making a cup of instant cocoa!
If you serve this hot chocolate for holiday parties and get togethers check out my favorite holiday entertaining recipes like chocolate covered cherries, peppermint brownies and rum balls.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Ingredients
To make luscious slow cooker hot chocolate you will need cocoa powder, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, cream, vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Have some marshmallows and whipped cream handy for a garnish.
How Do You Make Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate?
This crock pot hot chocolate recipe is pretty simple. First place unsweetened cocoa powder, condensed milk, heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract, semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in a slow cooker. Stir everything together. Heat the mixture on low for 2 hours. Stir everything again. You can use a spoon or a whisk. Turn the slow cooker to the “warm” setting. Serve the hot chocolate with your favorite toppings!
Tips For The Perfect Hot Chocolate
- If you want to cut a few calories, 1% or 2% milk is fine. I recommend against using skim milk.
- I like to use a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. You could use one or the other instead of both if you prefer.
- When you first take the lid off your slow cooker, all the chocolate chips will have melted to the bottom. Simply stir, stir, stir and after a few minutes your hot chocolate will come together into a smooth and creamy drink.
- I like to make a large batch of this slow cooker hot chocolate for the holidays. I leave it on the warm setting with a ladle and some mugs.
Quick Tip
For the creamiest hot chocolate use whole milk.
Recipe FAQs
You can keep your hot chocolate in a slow cooker on the warm setting for 2 hours. Make sure that your slow cooker keeps the chocolate at a temperature of at least 140 degrees F.
Leftover hot chocolate will stay good up to three days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you put the drink in the fridge while it is still warm, make sure is away from perishable items and leave it unsealed until it cools off.
Follow Me
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Flavor Variations
While this hot cocoa is creamy and satisfying as written, you can modify the recipe with other flavors to suit your own taste.
- Peppermint: You can add a holiday twist by adding a few drops of peppermint extract and garnishing with candy canes. I’ve done this before and it’s a big hit!
- Toppings: Marshmallows and whipped cream are the classic toppings. However, feel free to put chocolate sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, sea salt or crushed candy canes on mugs of cocoa. You can leave the toppings out so guests can help themselves to a hot chocolate bar.
- Alcohol: For an adult beverage version, try adding some Baileys Irish Cream or Peppermint Schnapps.
This slow cooker hot chocolate a fun little indulgence. It’s the best possible way to warm up on a chilly day. Throw out the hot cocoa packets and make your own delicious, creamy hot chocolate.
Other Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
Buckeye Balls (Peanut Butter Balls)
1 hr 2 mins
Christmas Crack Recipe
20 mins
Christmas Wreath Cookies
15 mins
Peppermint Bark Cookies
35 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 7 cups milk use whole milk for the creamiest hot chocolate!
- 1 cup heavy cream can use half and half, but cream gives the best results
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- Marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate chips etc. for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cocoa powder, condensed milk, heavy cream, milk, vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on LOW for 2 hours. Stir well until thoroughly mixed. Turn the slow cooker to the KEEP WARM setting until you’re ready to serve the hot chocolate. Garnish with marshmallows and/or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- For the creamiest hot chocolate use whole milk.
- If you want to cut a few calories, 1% or 2% milk is fine, but I would recommend against using skim milk.
- When you first take the lid off your slow cooker, all the chocolate chips will have melted to the bottom. Simply stir, stir, stir and after a few minutes your hot chocolate will come together into a smooth and creamy drink.
Pure perfection. This is EXACTLY what I want to curl up on the couch with every night!
Aughhh, this looks so good! I love that you can make it in a slow cooker! :] Perfect for a holiday get-together!
Perfect for the fall weather we are having! I’ve got the Bunco babes coming over and this will be fun!
I need to get a slow cooker, never even thought about making hot chocolate in a slow cooker before. This is great as I do not drink coffee or tea but I do love cocoa. Great to come home to during those winter months.
Wow. I did not know you can make hot chocolate in a slow cooker! I can just imagine my house filled with the smell of hot chocolate. Yum. Thanks for sharing the procedure. Peppermint sticks or candy canes in a cup of hot chocolate sounds delicious too!
I will definitely try this! That drink looks really comforting!!
I’m so happy to see something other than three digits in the forecast. I want to enjoy some fall, and this slow cooker hot chocolate sounds like a yummy way to do that.
What a brilliant idea! I would love to make this for me and the family when the nephews come to visit! I’m sure they’re going to love it.
Nothing beats homemade hot cocoa! Do you think this would work with almond milk as well? I’ve cut dairy out of my diet this past year and am wondering how well milk alternatives work with recipes like this.
Yes I think it would work, although you might want to add some coconut milk too in order to better replicate the whole milk!
This is perfect for the whole family! I’ve never made hot chocolate in slow cooker before so that’s really interesting! I wouldn’t mind giving this yummy drink recipe a try!
Oh wow… almost like a drinkable dessert, which sounds amazing! We have an outdoor event next week, this would be perfect for the cold mornings.
Yum, this slow cooker hot chcocolate sounds delicious. Perfect for the chilly weather we are having right now.
The temperatures have really dropped this week and I’ve been thinking that I need to load my grocery shopping list up with some good comfort foods and drinks like hot cider and hot chocolate. This recipe sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
This is going to be so nice in the winter! Gosh, it just looks so tasty. I’m definitely going to be using my crock pot for this.
I honestly never thought to make slow cooker hot chocolate. What a brilliant idea. I will have to try this, thanks for the recipe! Nothing beats hot chocolate on a cold day!
Wow, this looks beyond delicious! I’ve never thought of making my own before and the crock pot is the perfect way to do it!
This reminded me of how delicious homemade hot chocolate is. I love how rich this recipe is too.
A perfect hot drink for the cooler weather. It will go well with a nice fire in the wood stove or a fireplace!
I’ve alway wanted to try making hot chocolate in the slow cooker. This is a great recipe and I will be trying it out.
That is awesome! I love slow cooker hot chocolate. My wife used a recipe similar to this last year, and it had such a richness to it. I think we have a new recipe to try this year!