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Make hot chocolate in the slow cooker with chocolate chips with this recipe. Plus all the tips to prevent them from burning at the bottom.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Chips
My family has enjoyed my homemade hot cocoa for years, and whenever I need to make more for a bunch of kids and keep it warm, I use the slow cooker. This recipe uses chocolate chips, and it’s always a hit.
While I typically use cocoa powder to make cocoa in the crockpot, using chocolate chips is the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa -either way, you’ll get a mug of the most velvety warm drink ever.
Ingredients
The four simple ingredients you need to make these warm mugs are any regular or non-dairy milk, semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, half-and-half for a super-creamy drink, and vanilla extract for extra deliciousness.
How to Make Hot Chocolate in the Crockpot
Here are the simple steps you need to follow to make hot chocolate with chocolate chips in the crockpot:
- Microwave part of the milk until it's hot but not boiling. Meanwhile, preheat the slow cooker.
- Combine the hot milk with the chocolate chips in the bowl of the crockpot and stir until melted. Add half-and-half and the remaining milk, and stir.
- Cook on high or low; that's up to you. Add vanilla right before serving. Keep the hot chocolate warm by reducing the heat so it doesn't burn.
When to Add the Marshmallows
Add the marshmallows to the slow cooker when the hot chocolate is ready to be served or directly into each mug after pouring this drink. If you add marshmallows to the hot chocolate and leave them there for too long, they will melt.
How Long Can You Keep Hot Chocolate in the Slow Cooker
Once your hot chocolate is done, you can keep it on the crockpot for about 2 hours in the warm setting or the lowest setting, coming back from time to time to stir it.
How to Serve Hot Chocolate
Hosting a party? Serve this epic hot chocolate charcuterie board filled with the best hot cocoa toppings, mix-ins, and snacks! You can also turn this recipe into a happy hour favorite, making this Tequila Hot Chocolate Recipe to die for!
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate (with Chocolate Chips)
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 8 cups milk (½ gallon), divided
- 2 cups chocolate chips, milk chocolate or semi-sweet
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep:
- Start heating up the slow cooker, either on high or low heat, to get the bowl warm.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat up 2 cups of milk for 2 minutes until it’s hot, not boiling.
- Pour the hot milk into the bowl of the slow cooker and add the chocolate chips. With a whisk, stir to start melting the chocolate chips with the hot milk. Pour the rest of the milk and half and half into the slow cooker and combine.
Cook:
- Cook on low for for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add the vanilla at the very end and stir.
- When it's time to serve it, reduce the heat to the warm setting. If your slow cooker doesn't have a warm setting, reduce it to low and stir occasionally to prevent burning at the bottom of the pot.
Serve:
- Laddle out the hot chocolate into mugs and top with marshmallows and additional chocolate chips.
Taylor says
Amazing you can make hot chocolate in the crockpot, but this WORKED!
Joyce says
Would there be any reason not to make your on the stove top cocoa and put keep that warm in a crock pot? Does your crock pot recipe come out better in a crock?
Laura Fuentes says
You can absolutely make it in the stove and transfer it to the crockpot to keep it warm. Doing it all in the crockpot eliminates washing the pot. That’s it!