Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Best Ever Recipe

Sometimes we just have to find a way for winter to work for us, and that is SO what this recipe is all about. Giving ourselves a little lift, treating our friends and family, and allowing ourselves the ultimate comforting beverage. Of course, it has to be… the classic hot chocolate. This recipe has just five ingredients and what’s best is, this is Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate, which means we can make ahead and keep it warm for when it’s time to pour! I love the idea of serving this up to visitors or even on a cold and wet Saturday when you just can’t wait to get home and cosy up under a blanket with a heavenly cup of something. This is also a perfect addition to a Halloween party or even as a Christmas Eve tradition for the whole family.

Why you’ll love this recipe

⭐️ Easy preparation ⭐️ A hug in a mug ⭐️ Creamy, sumptuous – just a big treat This can also be used to create a festive grown-up drink too by making it slightly boozy for those days when it’s called for. Yes, slow cookers can even make alcoholic drinks. For a real treat, try my Baileys Hot Chocolate in the slow cooker or try out your own combo. How about adding rum or amaretto? This is also a simple chocolatey hot chocolate, but you can also add a bit of flavouring if you like with the pieces of chocolate you love the most. I know people love Galaxy, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Nutella, Terry’s Chocolate Orange and Lindt, so give them a go if that’s what you love.

What you’ll need

Milk – Full fat milk works best for this Cocoa powder – Use the best quality you can afford. I use Organic Fairtrade Cocoa Powder Single cream – Regular type from the fridge or a dairy free alternative Milk chocolate – The same applies to the chocolate you use. I always use Callebaut Belgian Chocolate (as it’s great value for very high quality when you buy in bulk) Vanilla extract – Be sure to use vanilla EXTRACT not ESSENCE. Extract is the natural, purer, stronger flavour To serve – My suggestions include whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles and gingerbread men on the side (oh, perhaps brandy or Baileys too!)

Substitutions

Milk – You could go for skimmed or semi skimmed instead of whole if you want, but be aware it will be a thinner consistency. Cream – The same goes for the cream. If you skip it, just use extra milk, but it won’t have the creamy texture or smooth depth of flavour if you do. Make this vegan – Swap the milk for a good barista plant-based milk and the cream for dairy-free cream. Go for a vegan chocolate too (the best is ‘accidentally’ vegan, meaning it’s just very high cocoa solids which means no dairy products are added. You’ll need to add more sugar with this to taste – about 3-4 tsps).

This is not a super sweet hot chocolate, but it does depend on the chocolate you use. If you want it to be sweeter when you taste it at the end, you can add a 2-3 tsp caster sugar, or even better, soft light brown sugar for a richer flavour. Why not set up a little station at a party with the hot chocolate, cups, toppings and side treats so people can serve themselves? (As long as it is safe!) I serve it with some extra dark chocolate curls on top. Make these by putting a bar of chocolate in the fridge and then using a vegetable peeler to ‘peel’ it into curls.