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Crock Pot Cocoa is made from chocolate chips, milk, cream, cocoa powder, and sweetened condensed milk. It’s creamy, delicious, and will warm you right up!
Homemade hot cocoa is so much better than the store bought packets. Once you try it, you won’t be able to turn back. Crock pot cocoa is made with milk, cream, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Throw everything in the crock pot and forget about it!
Crock Pot Hot Cocoa is best served with some Homemade Microwave Popcorn, Candy Cane Meringues, or The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you’re making it for a party, it’s a good idea to send home some Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix with your guests as a favor.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A super easy way to warm up on a cold day.
- The perfect way to serve a warm beverage at a party.
- It’s mostly hands-off – just dump everything in and warm it up.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole milk and heavy cream: You need both for the base of the hot chocolate to give it great texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk: To sweeten the hot chocolate.
- Milk chocolate chips: Helps make the hot cocoa extra chocolatey
- Cocoa powder: To give the hot cocoa its classic flavor.
- Salt: This is optional.
- Additional toppings: Such as whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or crushed peppermint candies.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
Step #1. Put the milk, cream, and sweetened condensed milk in a large crock pot and cook on low for about 2 hours – hold the chocolate.
Step #2. Add the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and salt to the hot milk mixture about 10 minutes before serving.
Step #3. Whisk to combine and then give it a stir every few minutes until the chocolate is melted and everything is combined.
Step #4. Ladle into mugs and top with additional toppings, such as whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
Recipe FAQs
Mini marshmallows, whipped cream, caramel, or peppermint are my go to add-ins for hot chocolate.
It takes about 2 hours for the cold milk to warm up from the fridge. Set your crock pot to low and then stir occasionally. You can let it rest longer but 2 hours is the shortest amount of time.
Usually hot chocolate is made from melting chocolate and hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder – this recipe calls for both! Ultimately, these words are used interchangeably and kind of depends on where you grew up.
Expert Tips
- Use Dutch processed (or alkalized) cocoa powder because it is less bitter.
- Get high-quality chocolate chips. Ghirardelli is a great brand and widely available in grocery stores.
- You can use whipping cream instead of heavy cream if you want the end product to be a bit lighter. Read more about the difference between heavy cream and whipping cream.
- Don’t skip the toppings – you can even put out a little bar of toppings so your kids or guests can customize their hot chocolate.
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Crock Pot Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, (14 ounces)
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
- additional toppings such as whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker (4 quart of larger) add the milk, cream, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for about 2 hours to warm up the mixture.
- 10 minutes before you plan to serve the hot cocoa add the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and salt if using. Whisk to combine. Stir every few minutes until the chocolate chips melt and everything is fully combined.
- Ladle the hot cocoa into mugs and serve with any additional toppings you might like.
Notes
- Don’t try to speed up the hot chocolate by turning your crock pot to high because you risk curdling the milk and cream.
- Use a cocoa powder that is labeled Dutch processed (it’s usually available in grocery stores) because it’s less bitter than regular cocoa powder.
- It’s worth splurging on high-quality chocolate chips for this beverage.
- If you have a large enough slow cooker this is a great recipe to double for a crowd. I served it at our local winter farmer’s market and it was a huge hit.
What about left overs and reusing?
I feel I either make too little or too much. Can it be reused the next day and freshened up?
I just keep it in a mason jar in the fridge then heat it up slowly on the stove for the next morning!