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Create the creamiest, most decadent drink for a crowd with Crockpot Hot Chocolate. This easy slow cooker recipe will be a hit at your next holiday party or a cozy treat after a day of playing in the snow.

a grey speckled mug of slow cooker hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and cocoa.
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Create the creamiest, most decadent drink for a crowd with this easy crockpot
hot chocolate recipe.

Made with chopped chocolate (I love using either dark or semi-sweet chocolate), milk, heavy cream, evaporated milk, and a couple more simple ingredients, this delicious hot chocolate comes together simply.

Making 15 servings, it’s an easy slow cooker recipe that’ll be a hit at your next holiday
party, or a cozy treat after a cold weather day

Need a faster version of this? Try my Instant Pot hot chocolate recipe.

Ingredient highlights

milk, cream, vanilla, and chocolate on a marbled board.

This recipe uses:

  • Heavy cream – aim for 36-40% milkfat
  • Milk – I recommend 2% or whole milk
  • Evaporated milk – not to be confused with sweetened and condensed milk. They’re two very separate things!
  • Chocolate – I recommend a mix of semi-sweet or dark, and milk chocolate.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon – we’re using it in stick form. Pinkies out, we’re feeling fancy.

How to Make Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.

This homemade hot chocolate with semisweet or dark chocolate recipe is ridiculously easy. It’s one of my favorite time-saving crockpot recipes.

Start by combining the heavy cream, milk, and evaporated milk in your slow cooker.

Roughly chop the chocolate into small pieces, and add it to the slow cooker along with the vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks.

Cook everything on low for 3-4 hours, or 2 hours on high. Stir it once during the warming process.

2 photos showing the process of making cocoa in a slowcooker.

Just prior to serving, vigorously stir it to incorporate all the chocolate. Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cocoa powder, and maybe some ground cinnamon.

How to Store and Reheat

Storing Leftovers: Allow the hot chocolate to fully cool before storing it in an air-tight container(s) in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Reheating Leftovers: You can reheat it in the slow cooker, or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If you plan to transport the hot chocolate in the crockpot, I highly recommend getting a slow cooker with lid locks on it.

Variations

  • Set up a toppings bar – think crushed candy canes, chocolate sauce, caramel, cinnamon, marshmallows (try homemade marshmallows!) or, whipped cream, sprinkles, etc.
  • Feel free to leave out the cinnamon sticks if you want a basic homemade hot chocolate recipe.
  • Want to make this a spicy/Mexican hot chocolate? Include the cinnamon sticks, add 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper. Taste, and adjust to your preference.
  • Feel free to add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder for an even deeper chocolate taste. You will need to put a bit more effort into mixing it, as the cocoa powder isn’t easily incorporated. If you have an immersion blender, it would be useful here.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes:

  • Chocolate recommendations – if you have the choice, I would opt for a mixture of chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate and some milk chocolate. The mix helps the hot chocolate not become overly sweet.
  • I used whole milk for this recipe, but use whatever you have/prefer. Non-fat will yield a less creamy result, so you may want to bump up the heavy cream by 1/3 cup.
  • The top of the hot chocolate may develop a “skin” of chocolate on the top. Simply stirring or whisking it will return the cocoa to a smooth uniform appearance.
a ladle of hot chocolate being poured into a mug.
5 from 4 ratings

Big Batch Crockpot Hot Chocolate (15 Servings)

Servings: 15
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 5 minutes
a grey speckled mug of slow cooker hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and cocoa.
Create the creamiest, most decadent drink for a crowd with crock pot hot chocolate. This easy slow cooker recipe will be a hit at your next holiday party or a cozy treat after a day of playing in the snow.

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Combine heavy cream, milk, and evaporated milk in a slow cooker.
    1 cup heavy cream, 5 cups milk, 1 can evaporated milk
  • Add chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon sticks. Stir and put the lid on.
    1.5 cups chocolate, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 3 cinnamon sticks
  • Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours. Stir once during the cooking process, and stir vigorously just prior to serving.
  • To serve: (optional) top mugs with whipped cream, some cocoa powder, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Notes

  1. Once cooked, this hot chocolate will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or 2 months in the freezer.
  2. The top of the drink may develop a “skin” of chocolate on the top. Simply stirring it will return the cocoa to a smooth uniform appearance.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 68mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 420IUVitamin C: 0.6mgCalcium: 175mgIron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!

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About Sarah Cook

I'm here to help you make easy, seasonal, and no-fuss recipes for yourself and your family.

Whether it's a quick one-pot dinner or if I am teaching you how to can and preserve local produce, you can consider me your elder millennial grandma

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5 from 4 votes

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9 Comments

  1. Perfect recipe for my party this weekend. I paired with peppermint sticks, whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles, and adult mix ins on the side to make it both kid and adult friendly.

    It was definitely a hit. I probably should have made at least a double batch. Deep and creamy chocolate flavor that had people coming back for more. 5 stars

  2. So funny seeing this today specifically – we are having hot chocolate day at work tomorrow! But we already assigned everyone ingredients, so we’ll have to use your recipe for next year’s hot chocolate day…looks delicious!

      1. We know how to keep it festive in our office! We had all the fixings too…peppermint stir sticks, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, whipped cream, cinnamon, even some cayenne in case anyone wanted to try that. We also brewed coffee so some could make “poor man mochas” 🙂5 stars

  3. I’m addicted to hot coco! Pretty much from September to March we drink it almost daily. Having been in the bus and not having a real kitchen, then being in Louisiana where one day is cold and the next is hot and muggy I have not been indulging 🙁 and my slow cooker is back in Washington! I’m going to try your recipe on a stove top in a camper where we are staying for the winter. I’m sure it will get a lot of use. I am no where near a Costco anymore and can’t find the Starbucks hot chocolate I usually buy in those big tins. Ghiradeli is my go to chocolate to use in all recipes. Thankfully I can still find that!5 stars

    1. I’ve never tried the Starbucks cocoa because in general, I think Starbucks stuff is gritty and taste burned. But I suppose it is hard to “burn” cocoa, right?

      I think Ghiradeli would be amazing in this!