Spooky Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
There’s something magical about a warm drink on a cold October night — especially when it’s rich, velvety, and tastes like melted chocolate dreams.
This Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is everything you want from a fall treat: creamy, cozy, and dangerously good.
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween movie night, passing out candy, or warming up after a chilly walk through crunchy leaves — this recipe delivers all the comfort and a little bit of Halloween fun.
🎃 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A make-ahead crowd-pleaser: Toss it in the slow cooker before guests arrive — it stays hot and silky for hours.
- Decadent but simple: Only five ingredients and zero fuss.
- Perfect for all ages: Make it classic for kids or spike it with Baileys, Kahlúa, or rum for grown-ups.
- A hug in a mug: Rich, smooth, and just thick enough to feel like dessert.
- Halloween-ready: Serve with whipped cream ghosts, candy eyes, or a drizzle of orange-colored white chocolate.
🍫 Ingredients
- 30 g (1 oz) cocoa powder — use the best you can, like Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa.
- 1 L (4 ¼ cups) whole milk — creamy and rich; skip skim.
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) single cream (or heavy cream for extra indulgence).
- 200 g (7 oz) milk chocolate, chopped — I use Callebaut Belgian Milk Chocolate Callets; they melt perfectly.
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract — choose Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract.
Optional (for fun):
- 1–2 tbsp Baileys, dark rum, or amaretto for adult versions.
- Black food coloring or orange-tinted white chocolate drizzle for Halloween flair.
- Marshmallows, whipped cream, candy eyeballs, or crushed Oreos for topping.
🫕 Equipment
- A 6-quart slow cooker — the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker keeps it warm all night.
- A stainless steel whisk to dissolve cocoa lumps.
- Heatproof mugs or mason jars for serving.
- Optional: mini cauldron mugs for a spooky touch.
👻 How to Make It
1. Mix the cocoa paste
In a mug, whisk the cocoa powder with a few tablespoons of warm milk until smooth.
This simple trick prevents lumps later — don’t skip it.
2. Add everything to the slow cooker
Pour in the cocoa paste, the rest of the milk, cream, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract.
Stir until well combined.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 1–2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes to melt the chocolate evenly.
3. Keep warm & serve
Once everything’s silky and steaming, switch your slow cooker to Warm.
It’ll stay smooth and pourable for hours — perfect for parties or cozy nights in.
Serve straight from the pot with a ladle and a stack of mugs.
Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, or even crushed cookies for that haunted-house energy.
💀 Halloween Serving Ideas
- Witch’s Brew Bar: Set up a mini hot-chocolate station with toppings — whipped cream, mini marshmallows, chocolate shavings, and candy eyes.
Use a black tablecloth, orange mugs, and call it your “Potion Bar.” - Drizzle Magic: Melt white chocolate chips, tint with orange food coloring, and drizzle over each cup.
- Boozy Potion: Add a splash of Baileys Original Irish Cream or dark rum right before serving (stir well).
- Monster Marshmallows: Draw faces on large marshmallows with edible markers or stick candy eyes on top of whipped cream.
☕ Make It Vegan
Swap the milk for barista oat milk or almond milk, use dairy-free cream, and pick a dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa (many are “accidentally vegan”).
You might want to sweeten it with a spoonful of light brown sugar or maple syrup to balance the bitterness.
🧊 Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stove or microwave — any lumps will melt out.
- Cold version: Chill it overnight and serve as a thick chocolate milkshake with whipped cream on top.
🎃 Top Tips
- Keep stirring: Cocoa tends to settle — stir every 20–30 minutes to keep it smooth.
- For sweeter results: Taste near the end; add 2–3 tsp of sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup if you want it richer.
- Whipped cream hack: Use disposable piping bags to pipe neat swirls on top — way prettier for parties.
- Chocolate curls: Chill a bar of dark chocolate and “peel” curls with a vegetable peeler for garnish.