Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
This slow cooker hot chocolate is the easiest way to serve a crowd — chocolate, milk, and cream go into the crock pot, melt together into something rich and silky, and stay warm for hours while you get on with everything else. No standing over the stove, no scorched milk, no last-minute rush when guests arrive.
It is genuinely hands-off: ten minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does the work over about two hours. The result is thick, creamy hot chocolate that tastes like it came from a café — and because it holds so well on warm, it is made for Christmas parties, carol evenings, and cold nights by the tree.
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 2 hours on LOW Servings: 8 cups
What You’ll Need
- 6-quart slow cooker
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Mugs for serving
A reliable slow cooker makes all the difference for recipes like this — see our guide to the best slow cookers for a family of 4 for models that hold temperature evenly and are easy to clean.
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
- Mini marshmallows, for serving (optional)
- Chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the liquids. Pour the whole milk, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk into the slow cooker and whisk until combined.
- Add the chocolate. Stir in the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until the cocoa is mostly dissolved — a few small lumps are fine, they will melt.
- Cook on LOW. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours, whisking every 30 minutes. The chocolate should be fully melted and the mixture smooth and glossy by the end. Do not cook on HIGH — it can scorch the milk.
- Whisk until smooth. Give the hot chocolate a final vigorous whisk to bring it all together into a silky, even texture.
- Hold on warm. Switch the slow cooker to the WARM setting. It will hold perfectly for up to 2 hours — stir occasionally so a skin does not form on top.
- Serve. Ladle into mugs and top with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or a dusting of cocoa.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
- Use good chocolate chips. Cheap chips can turn waxy in the slow cooker — a decent semisweet chip melts into a much smoother, richer drink.
- Keep it on LOW. High heat scorches milk and can make the chocolate seize. Two hours on LOW is the sweet spot, and the WARM setting holds it beautifully after that.
- Make it your own. Stir in a pinch of cinnamon, a splash of peppermint extract, or a spoonful of peanut butter for a flavored twist — or set out toppings and let guests build their own mug.
Rich, creamy, and completely hands-off — this slow cooker hot chocolate is the drink Christmas parties deserve.
