Hot chocolate is a treat, especially in the winter after skiing, skating, or playing in the snow. This crockpot hot chocolate recipe checks all the boxes: it’s easy, delicious, rich, and makes enough for a crowd. Milk, cream, sugar, and a combination of chocolate chips—dark or semisweet—and cocoa powder give this hot chocolate its rich, chocolatey flavor. It certainly beats store-bought hot cocoa packets!
If you decide to make old-fashioned hot chocolate on the stovetop, you’ll find the slow cooker is a great way to keep it warm for serving.
There are several additional ways you can flavor this basic recipe. Turn this hot chocolate into a more intense drink with a bit of espresso powder, or you might add a dash of ground cinnamon for Mexican hot chocolate. You might even spike it with brandy or coffee flavored brandy for adults!
If you're planning a party, it's easy to scale the recipe up for a larger crowd, and many foods pair well with hot chocolate. Sweet desserts and fruits are naturally good with hot chocolate, but salty or spicy foods can add a delicious flavor contrast. Salted nuts, pretzels, and crackers are just a few of the many possibilities.
“The slow cooker makes it easy to whip up a big batch of hot cocoa for a crowd. I used the slow cook function on my Instant Pot; it worked great! The combination of cream and milk made for an extra-decadent drink. It never formed a skin on top, as sometimes happens with stovetop cocoa.”—Danielle Centoni
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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6 cups whole milk
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2 cups heavy cream
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1/4 cup sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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1 1/2 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chips
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3 tablespoons regular or Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
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2 cups mini marshmallows, for serving, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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In a 3-quart (or larger) slow cooker, or Instant Pot (using the slow cook function), combine the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, and cocoa. Stir to combine.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring after 15 minutes and then every 30 minutes to keep the chocolate chips from scorching as they melt.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Ladle the hot chocolate into cups or mugs and garnish it with mini marshmallows or other toppings of your choice.
Hot Chocolate Board
Create a serve-yourself hot chocolate bar for friends and family. Arrange mugs and spoons around the crockpot with various toppings. Here are a few fun and creative ideas:
- Mini marshmallows or homemade marshmallows.
- Peppermint candy canes or crushed peppermint candies.
- Mini bottles of liqueur or liquor, such as Bailey’s, schnapps, bourbon, or brandy.
- A bowl of fresh sweetened whipped cream or thawed frozen whipped topping.
- Sprinkles or chocolate shavings.
- Cinnamon sticks for stirring.
- Graham cracker chunks or cinnamon-graham type of cereal.
- Extra chocolate chips or chunks.
- Toasted coconut flakes or shavings.
Recipe Variations
- Add a few drops of peppermint extract, to taste.
- For sweeter hot chocolate, add an extra tablespoon or two of granulated sugar.
- Replace 1 cup of the cream or milk with Bailey's creamy flavored liqueur.
- Spike the hot chocolate with about 3/4 cup of liquor or liqueur.
- Add 1 stick of cinnamon to the pot and, optionally, about 3/4 teaspoon of chili powder.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk Version: Omit the sugar and add one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk to the pot and increase the unsweetened cocoa powder to 5 tablespoons.
How to Store
- Refrigerate leftover hot chocolate in airtight containers or canning jars with screw-top lids for up to 4 days.
- Reheat cold hot chocolate in a saucepan on the stovetop until hot.
What is the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa?
Many people use the terms interchangeably, but hot cocoa is usually a sweeter, thinner drink made with cocoa, sugar, and water or milk. Hot chocolate is a richer, thicker beverage typically made with melted chocolate and, depending on the sweetness of the chocolate, little or no added sugar.