Naturally Sweetened Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Are you looking for the best slow cooker hot chocolate recipe? This naturally sweetened slow cooker hot chocolate is creamy and luscious. Plus, hot chocolate in the slow cooker is the perfect way to make hot chocolate for a crowd!

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Whether you need to make hot chocolate for a large group, are looking for a way to keep hot chocolate warm during a party, or simply want an easy recipe that will fill your home with the delicious smell of chocolate, this recipe is exactly what you need.

In our home, it is a tradition to eat popcorn while we sip our hot chocolate. It makes for the perfect cozy evening.

I have been perfecting my personal hot chocolate recipe for years. Through a lot of trial and error I have figured out what makes the best hot chocolate.

I love making hot chocolate in my slow cooker because it is a relatively hands off way to make hot chocolate.

I used to make hot chocolate on the stove, but I never enjoyed the process of babysitting the hot chocolate. I did not want the milk to burn, so I always had to stand guard over the hot chocolate. Plus, I always got impatient as I waited for the hot chocolate mixture to warm up.

After trial and error, I found that making hot chocolate in my slow cooker is my favorite way to make hot chocolate. While it still requires a little bit of attention, slow cooker hot chocolate is a pretty hands off process.

My whole family loves this rich, delicious, and creamy hot chocolate. I promise you, this is the best hot chocolate!

Do You Use Milk or Water for Hot Chocolate?

For this slow cooker hot chocolate you will need milk and cream. Most instant hot chocolate mixes that you purchase in stores have powdered milk in them. That means you can simply add hot water to the mix.

Unless you make your own homemade hot chocolate mix with powdered milk, you will need to use milk for hot chocolate.

My recipe includes some cream as well, as it creates a lovely thick and creamy hot chocolate.

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate Without Sweetened Condensed Milk

A lot of recipes for slow cooker hot chocolate call for sweetened condensed milk. I always prefer to make more wholesome food for my family.

That means I wanted to create a naturally sweetened slow cooker hot chocolate recipe. While this hot chocolate is still a rather decadent treat, I feel good making this naturally sweetened version for my family.

I tend to add less sweetner to my recipes than most people. I find that when you reduce the sweetener in recipes, that the true flavors of the dish shine through.

For this recipe, I used a 1/4 cup of maple syrup. If you sample the hot chocolate and feel that it needs to be sweeter, you can add an additional 1/4 cup of maple syrup to the hot chocolate.

The addition of heavy cream makes this hot chocolate thicker, which also creates a more similar texture to hot chocolate that does have sweetened condensed milk.

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Powder

This slow cooker hot chocolate recipe uses both cocoa powder and chocolate chips to create a luscious, rich hot chocolate drink.

I find that together they make the perfect balance in chocolate flavor. The melted chocolate chips really enhance the texture of the slow cooker hot chocolate.

I am a big fan of dark chocolate, so of course I used dark chocolate chips in my recipe. If you prefer a lighter chocolate taste you can substitute milk chocolate chips in place of the dark chocolate chips.

What Can I Add to Hot Chocolate to Make it Better?

There are two ways to add to your hot chocolate to make it better.

The first way is to make sure the hot chocolate has a few key ingredients.

My hot chocolate has heavy cream in it to create a thick, creamy texture.

It also has vanilla, maple syrup, and salt to add depth to the flavor. I also like to use dark chocolate to create a more rich hot chocolate flavor.

Cinnamon is another excellent flavor to add to hot chocolate to create a delicious twist! I include cinnamon as an optional ingredient in my recipe.

The second way to make your hot chocolate better is to consider your toppings. In my opinion, the absolute best way to make hot chocolate better is to top it off with homemade whipped cream.

The whipped cream adds the perfect balance to the rich chocolate flavor of the hot chocolate.

Store bought whipped cream does not compare in the slightest to the amazing flavor of homemade whipped cream. It really is worth taking the few extra minutes to whip up your own whipped cream. It is so simple to make!

Here is a link to my delicious homemade whipped cream recipe!

Other toppings to consider are marshmallows and depending on the season, crushed up up candy canes.

How Do You Keep Hot Chocolate Warm for a Party?

This recipe is perfect for a party because a slow cooker is a great way to keep hot chocolate warm for a party. Once your hot chocolate is ready to serve, simply turn your slow cooker to the “Keep Warm” setting and your hot chocolate will stay warm for your party.

Though keep in mind, you will need to stir your hot chocolate regularly while it remains in the crock pot, even when it is on the “Keep Warm” setting.

I prefer to use a whisk when stirring my hot chocolate in the slow cooker. I find that it does a better job of incorporating the ingredients, especially as those chocolate chips begin to melt.

Naturally Sweetened Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients:

-6 cups whole milk

-2 cups heavy cream

-4 tbsp cocoa powder

-2 cups dark chocolate chips

-1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your hot chocolate, I use 1/4 cup)

-1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

-1/2 tsp salt

-2 tsp vanilla

Method:

Place milk, cream, cocoa powder, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon (if using) in the slow cooker. Whisk together.

Add the chocolate chips and stir.

Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring with a whisk every 20-30 minutes.

Once chocolate chips have melted, stir in vanilla.

Serve, or set slow cooker to Keep Warm until ready to serve. Stir mixture before serving.

Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, or crushed candy canes.