Crock Pot Hot Chocolate
This decadent Crock Pot Hot Chocolate recipe is one I turn to time and time again! It’s such an easy way to make hot cocoa for a crowd.
Snowy days, Christmas, cozy nights in … there are so many reasons to enjoy hot chocolate! This Crock Pot Hot Chocolate makes whipping up a big, rich batch super easy – and it’s rich, creamy, and super chocolatey. Plus, we’re talking just a couple minutes prep time and only 5 ingredients!
Table of Contents
How to Make Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
The Story Behind the Recipe
I wanted to create a large-batch hot chocolate recipe that was super easy to make, stayed nice and warm for whenever the crowd is ready to start sipping, and was pretty hands-off. Needless to say, the Crock Pot was the answer!
I strived to keep this Crock Pot hot chocolate recipe as simple as possible. If you’re using the Crock Pot, you’re probably already looking for hands-off and easy. I know I am! So I pared it down to what, I feel, are only the necessary ingredients yet still deliver a creamy, dreamy, chocolatey hot cocoa situation.
And you can even pare down even further, if you like, by subbing milk for the whipping cream and using a sweeter chocolate chip then skipping the sugar.
Ingredients
Heavy whipping cream – Rich and creamy heavy whipping cream makes a luxurious hot chocolate. If you want a simpler, lighter hot cocoa, you can sub in 2 additional cups of milk.
Milk – Whole milk or 2%, preferably.
Chocolate chips – I like to go with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Sugar – Start with two tablespoons, then stir in a third if you think it needs to be a bit sweeter.
Salt – Optional, but a hefty pinch of salt helps to highlight the chocolate flavors while helping tame the sweetness.
Pure vanilla extract – Adds another note of sweet, cozy flavor.
Adaptations/Variations
Vegan/dairy-free hot cocoa: Substitute the whole milk and heavy whipping cream with 6 cups of full-fat unsweetened oat milk and make sure your chocolate chips and whipping cream are dairy-free. If vegan, skip the marshmallows or buy vegan marshmallows like Dandies brand.
Almond hot cocoa: I once accidentally dumped almond extract into a warm batch of Crock Pot hot cocoa. Almond extract is strong – you need a lot less of almond vs. vanilla! But when I cautiously tasted it to see if I could salvage it, it was absolutely delicious! Though I recommend maybe only 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of the full teaspoon if you try this.
How to Make Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
It’s super easy to make this hot chocolate recipe in the Crock Pot. Just add all of the ingredients, except the vanilla, to your Crock Pot, and turn it up to high. Stir every 30 minutes or so until steaming hot and the chocolate chips are melted. Switch the Crock Pot to the “warm” setting to keep the hot cocoa warm without it boiling.
Add the vanilla extract, taste and add more sugar if you like, and serve with copious amounts of whipped cream and/or marshmallows!
Tips for Success
This is more of a hands-on Crock Pot recipe than most. While it is super simple and easy, you’ll want to be around so that you can stir it every 30 minutes or so to help the chocolate chips melt and distribute without sticking to the bottom of the Crock Pot.
Make it a hot cocoa bar. Serve the warm Crock Pot of hot cocoa alongside a variety of toppings like marshmallows, whipped cream, candy canes, nuts, toffee, cookies, coffee syrups, chocolate syrup, and more. You can even provide disposable travel mugs with lids and sleeves if they need to take their hot cocoa on the go!
I hope you love this Crock Pot Hot Chocolate recipe as much as we do! It’s simple and easy, the perfect way to get piping hot cocoa into the hands of a gaggle of kids or group of grown-ups.
More Crock Pot Drink Recipes
Crock Pot Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Vegan/dairy-free option:
Substitute the whole milk and heavy whipping cream with 6 cups of full-fat unsweetened oat milk and make sure your chocolate chips and whipping cream are dairy-free. If vegan, skip the marshmallows or buy vegan marshmallows like Dandies brand.
Nutrition
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