Pitchfork Foodie » Course » Drinks » Creamy Crockpot Hot Chocolate
By: Amy on  |Updated:
This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy for details.
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Ditch hot cocoa powder packets and make homemade hot chocolate in the Crockpot instead! It’s as easy as adding everything to the slow cooker and letting it go!
This hot chocolate recipe is made with chocolate chips and heavy cream which means it’s ultra-creamy and decadent!
A huge part of life on the farm is taking care of the animals regardless of how cold it is. We don’t get to curl up inside and read a book because it’s cold outside. There are always chores to be done and animals to take care of. My boys LOVE coming in the house and warming up to a mug of hot chocolate! It literally warms them up from the inside out!
And I promise once you try this from-scratch version of hot cocoa, you’ll never go back to the powdered stuff again! This recipe is easy to make and is TOTALLY worth the little bit of extra effort! It’s my boys’ favorite hot winter drink!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple ingredients! You probably have already have everything on hand or can easily get it from the grocery store.
- Easy to make! You literally add everything to the Crock-pot and let it go!
- Thick and creamy! No watery hot chocolate here! This stuff is so decadent!
- Make it for a crowd! Make it in the slow cooker and let everyone add their favorite toppings. No need to have individual mixes.
This recipe can also easily be cut in half to make a small batch!
Homemade Hot Chocolate Ingredients:
Let’s talk about the ingredients for just a minute. They’re really simple, but as usual, I’m going to give you ideas for substituting.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Dutch or natural cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips – milk chocolate works too. Or you can use chopped up chocolate candy bars. Sometimes I use leftover candy bars from Halloween.
- Heavy Cream
- Whole milk – You can also use evaporated milk if you want. It will taste a little differently though.
- Vanilla
- Mini Marshmallows
This recipe is written without sweetened condensed milk, but it can be easily be used instead of sugar. Simply, omit sugar and add a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk instead. When I make cocoa with sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, I like to warm two cups of the whole milk and whisk the cocoa into the milk before adding the other ingredients. This helps the cocoa to dissolve without getting lumpy.
How to Make Hot Chocolate in the Crock Pot:
I’m not kidding you when I tell you this recipe is almost as easy as opening a cocoa mix packet. I actually think it is easier if you’re making it for several people.
STEP 1: In a slow cooker, whisk granulated sugar and unsweetened cocoa together. This helps the cocoa dissolve without getting lumpy. Add chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate candy bars). Stir together.
STEP 2: Add heavy cream and whole milk to the Crock Pot. Cook on low for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
STEP 3: Add vanilla. You can also add mini marshmallows right now if you want. Or, ladle it in mugs and add marshmallows and other toppings then.
Recipe FAQ’s:
Can leftover hot chocolate be reheated?
Yes! Store leftover hot chocolate in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4 days. To reheat on the stovetop add hot chocolate to a saucepan and slowly heat over medium heat until warmed through. Hot chocolate can also be warmed in the microwave. Add to a microwave-safe mug and heat in 30-second increments until it’s warmed. Heating time will vary depending on the power of the microwave.
How long can I keep hot chocolate warm?
Good question! It’s okay to warm milk in the Crock-pot, but you don’t want to “cook” it because it can separate as it cooks. Be sure to warm the hot chocolate over LOW heat. The recipe suggests letting it warm in the slow cooker for 2 hours. You could turn the heat setting to WARM and leave it for one more hour if needed, although I suggest staying close to the two-hour mark.
FUN TOPPING IDEAS:
You can go as crazy as you want with fun toppings for hot chocolate! Here’s a list of our favorites to get you started!
- Mini Marshmallows
- Whipped Cream
- Caramel Sauce
- Flavored Syrups
- Coffee Creamer
- Crushed Candy Canes
- Crushed Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Toffee Chips
- Cinnamon
- Chopped Candy Bars
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Course Sea Salt (think salted caramel)
- Toasted Coconut
Other Easy Warm and Gooey Chocolate Recipes:
Here are a few more recipes that have warm, gooey chocolate! If you love chocolate as much as I do, you’ll want to serve them with this drink!
I love it when you make my recipes and give me feedback! If you have a minute please comment below and leave a star ranking! Also, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook!
Crockpot Hot Chocolate
4.25 from 12 votes
Servings 12 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Making Crockpot Hot Chocolate from scratch is so easy you'll never want to make it from a powder packet again! Throw everything in the slow cooker and be prepared for the most creamy, decadent hot cocoa of your life!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cup marshmallows optional
Instructions
Whisk sugar and cocoa together in the base of a slow cooker. This will help eliminate getting lumps in the cocoa. Add chocolate chips and stir.
Add whole milk and heavy cream. Stir.
Cook in slow cooker on LOW for 2 hours. Whisk occasionally to make sure the chocolate incorporates with the milk as it melts.
10 minutes before serving add two cups of marshmallows to the slow cooker. Put the lid on and let hot chocolate sit for 10 minutes. Gently stir the marshmallows and they’ll make your hot chocolate extra decadent!
Serve with any, or all, of the desired toppings. Store leftovers in the refirgerator and microwave to reheat when you’re ready to serve.
Notes
Chocolate: Semisweet or milk chocolate chips are both great options. You can also use chopped plain chocolate candy bars. Sometimes I want to get rid of leftover Halloween candy and this is a great way to use it!
Sugar:You can substitute a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) for granulated sugar. If you’re using sweetened condensed milk, warm a cup of the whole milk and stir the cocoa into it before adding the rest of the ingredients. This helps the cocoa dissolve without getting lumpy.
Store hot cocoa in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat just until warmed through. Or, heat in a microwave-safe mug in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
I don’t recommend leaving the hot chocolate in the warm CrockPot for longer than 3 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 1mg
Reader Interactions
Comments
Tammy says
This taste good rich chocolate but Too much chocolate and too much caffeine for children my 9 year old granddaughter complained it made her feel weird after she had a 6oz cup she drank her cup of hot chocolate after playing outside around 6pm and she was so hyped up she couldn’t go to sleep at her bedtime at 9pm. I’m guessing it’s the caffeine from the chocolate. I wouldn’t recommend this recipe for children or anyone sensitive to caffeine.Reply
Amy Engberson says
This hot chocolate is very rich and decadent. I’m not sure of the amount of caffeine in chocolate chips. We eat chocolate chip cookies and drink hot chocolate at our house. I suppose if you’re sensitive to caffeine you might want to drink it earlier in the day or eliminate all foods with chocolate.
Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
