This slow cooker hot chocolate recipe is the BEST! It is the perfect consistency, right between thin and thick. It is soft, rich and drinks like velvet.
The rich semi-sweet dark chocolate combined with heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk is unlike anything those boxed hot chocolate blends have to offer!
Have you ever tried making hot chocolate from scratch? It’s surprisingly easy and doesn’t consume as much time as you might think, and with the use of your cooking pot, it’s as simple as tipping over, stirring, and you’re done!
This slow cooker hot chocolate recipe is the BEST! It does not use any mixture or packets of hot cocoa powder, but relies on heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, semi-sweet dark chocolate and cocoa powder for your complete chocolate in a liquid flavor.
The result is a rich and creamy drink that will please your taste buds. The ingredients are combined in a clay pot over low heat for 3 hours or high for 1 hour.
You know I’m a fan of making things for zero, like the way I encourage you to use my brownies “better than the box mix”? This is one of those cases.
So grab some ingredients and get ready to make this cozy winter gift for you and your family!
Equipment you’ll
need
You really only need two things (well, maybe three!) to make this clay pot hot chocolate recipe
.
- Beat – to really incorporate all the ingredients.
- with slow cooker setup – that’s the slow cooker I use and love. I have that IP too, but I’ve never used the slow cooker feature.
- Serving ladle – to serve all that chocolate goodness.
Slow cooker or instant cooker
Ingredients for your thick
slow-cooker from scratch hot cocoa
cream
- : Sometimes called thick whipped cream, heavy cream has a higher fat content than regular milk, making it extra rich and creamy.
- – Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whole milk – Again, whole milk has more fat than, say, 2%, which adds to the creaminess. If you like thinner hot chocolate, you can use 2% or low fat.
- – Sweetened condensed milk is milk in which water has been removed and sugar added. It is thick and rich and comes in a can in the baking aisle.
- Chocolate Bar – Use your favorite chocolate bar(s) for snacking. You can use chocolate chips, if that’s what you have, but I highly recommend using a high-quality chocolate. Ghirardelli makes a great baking bar. Semi-sweet, sugar-free, or 70% works well.
- – I know it’s expensive, but whenever possible, use real vanilla extract instead of imitation. You can do it yourself to save some money.
Cocoa powder
.
Sweetened condensed milk
Vanilla extract
How to Make the Perfect Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate with Sweetened Condensed Milk
STEP ONE: First, whisk the cocoa powder into half of the heavy cream in the slow cooker bowl. This step ensures that cocoa powder is evenly distributed.
STEP
TWO: Next, add the remaining cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk, chopped chocolate and vanilla, and stir to combine
.
STEP THREE: Finally, cover and simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. You’ll want the chocolate to be completely melted and smooth.
Serve
and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Serve Serve
directly from the slow cooker set HOT until 3 hours after the initial cooking time. If the hot chocolate gets too thick while settling, you can stir more milk to the desired thickness.
Can I use white or milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate in this hot chocolate recipe?
yes! If you use white chocolate, what you will like most is to reject sweetened condensed milk and replace it with thicker cream, as white chocolate tends to be very sweet.
Something to keep in mind about white chocolate is
that it is very temperamental when it comes to melting. You can also use a combination of semi-sweet and white chocolate if you wish!
If you decide to go with milk chocolate, reduce the sweetened condensed milk in half and replace the other half with thick whipped cream.
Even though this recipe calls for dark chocolate, It doesn’t have that bitter aftertaste due to sweetened condensed milk. It tastes like a rich hot hot milk chocolate.
How long is this slow cook hot chocolate good?
If you have leftovers, you can store hot chocolate in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat a cup whenever you feel like it.
Do I need clay pot liners?
I personally don’t find them necessary, for any slow cooker recipe, but it’s your cooking, right, Boo?
They will keep your slow cooker/clay pot clean and free of burnt chocolate in case you forget to remove it, but I highly recommend Dawn Powerwash if that happens.
Can I use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk?
No, evaporated milk will not work in this recipe. They are not the same and evaporated milk does not have the same sugar content as sweetened condensed milk.
You can replace sweetened condensed milk with heavy cream if necessary, but you’ll end up with truer dark chocolate due to sugar loss.
Do I have to add vanilla extract, or can I leave it out?
The addition of vanilla is purely optional but highly recommended! The taste really rounds out the taste of chocolate in this slow cooker hot chocolate recipe.
Can I add red wine to this hot chocolate recipe?
Yes, you sure can! If you’re having an adults-only holiday party, you can add about a cup of red wine to this recipe for a fun twist.
What can I put on top of hot chocolate?
Marshmallows are the obvious choice (mini size is great), but also try mini chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, whipped cream, dark chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, or even flaky sea salt (it’s a great contrast to sweet).
Need more chocolate recipes? Try these:
Cosmic Brownie Hot Cocoa BombsHot Chocolate Poke CakeSour Cream Chocolate Bundt CakeEasy Chocolate BrowniesCoconut Oil Brownies
Need more holiday drink recipes? Try these:
Cranberry
and orange ciderMedicine ball teaProsecco SpritzerCranberry CredberryHomemade
Apple Cider Hot Chocolate Mix (Great for Gifts!)
