Host the ultimate hot chocolate bar at work or for family and friends at home with 3 easy slow cooker recipes, plus all the printables you need for a cozy winter wonderland vibe! This post has been in the works for over a year at this point and I’m so excited to finally share it with you.

I was in charge of planning and hosting a hot chocolate bar at work last year for about 75 people and I ended up making all 3 hot chocolate recipes featured here, with a double batch of the classic-flavored Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate. That one ended up almost all gone and we completely ran out of the Slow Cooker Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate, so I should have made double of that as well. The Dairy Free Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is a great option for those who are lactose intolerant, or just are looking for something a little less indulgent (ie. no heavy cream!). Depending on the crowd, this one might be super popular or not so much – but I love to have the option available for those who need it.

You might be wondering – what’s the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? Well, hot cocoa is the powdered mixture of cocoa and sugar that you stir into a hot liquid to dissolve it, whereas hot chocolate is just that – chocolate that’s heated up in liquid to melt it. All the recipes included in this post are for hot chocolate, but I’ll use both terms interchangeably here, mostly because shorter names are a little more compact and easier to fit in tight, made-for-mobile spaces 😉

If you’re hosting a small hot chocolate bar for close friends and family, you can probably just make one kind of hot chocolate and could even do it on the stovetop if you don’t mind the chocolatey mess on your stove. Otherwise, slow cookers are the way to go! Instant Pots will work as well, but just be careful to stir frequently since they tend to get hotter on the bottom, even on the slow cook setting.

Don’t forget the ladles, napkins, spoons or tongs for the toppings, and of course – the mugs! If you don’t have enough mugs for all, you can ask guests to BYOM – Bring Your Own Mug. Here are some toppings and pairings ideas to help inspire your hot chocolate bar:

• Marshmallows
• Chocolate sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Whipped cream
• Crushed candy canes
• Pirouette cookies
• Cinnamon sticks

You can even make your hot chocolate boozy with a few other adult options like:

• Bourbon
• Irish Cream
• Peppermint schnapps
• Whipped cream vodka
• Coffee liqueur

I absolutely loved the winter wonderland theme of my hot chocolate bar pictured here, so I’m hooking you up with the free printable sign, stickers, and table cards so you can recreate those vibes! Some flocked garland or mini trees with white and silver ornaments match really nicely with it. Flocked just means it has that fake snow on it. If you’ve never heard the term before, do feel bad – I only learned this when I was shopping for a new Christmas tree a couple years ago.

Once you snag your free printables, here are some goodies that will help put the finishing touches on your hot chocolate bar decor:

These recipes are all made in the slow cooker to make hosting easier!