Spice up your hot chocolate with the winning combo of mocha and peppermint in this creamy, dreamy Slow Cooker Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate. I was in charge of planning and hosting a hot chocolate bar at work last year for about 75 people and this version ran out completely – people were raving about it! If you’re hosting a hot chocolate bar with kids in attendance, be sure to clearly mark that this one has coffee in it and let parents know so you don’t end up with kids literally bouncing off the walls.
How to host a
Hot Chocolate Bar
Get everything you need to host a memorable and delicious event, including printable signs, stickers, and table tents to set the vibe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Slow Cooker Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate:
- Milk – Whole milk will give you the creamiest, most decadent hot chocolate, but you could use 2% or even fat free if you want to lighten things up a bit.
- Heavy cream – Another key to making this hot chocolate super creamy. Again, you could use something lower in fat like half and half if you want to lighten it up.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This is the main sweetener in this hot chocolate, so I don’t recommend swapping it out. It also helps make a silky smooth drink.
- Coffee – You really want to go for a bold roast or very strong brewed coffee here so the taste still comes through the chocolate and peppermint flavors. I actually used a bottle of Starbucks Unsweetened Dark Roast Iced Coffee since I don’t have a regular coffee maker at home, just a Keurig. You could also mix instant espresso into water for an easy option (you’d need about 2 tbsp for 6 cups of water in this recipe).
- Chocolate – I call for chopped chocolate bar here rather than chocolate chips because chips have extra stabilizers added to them that interfere with smooth melting. If you want to use chocolate chips instead of chopping up a chocolate bar, I recommend using a 12 oz bag of Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.
- Cocoa powder – Regular old unsweetened cocoa powder, but dutch cocoa powder will work too.
- Peppermint extract – You could skip it if you want to just make a mocha flavor hot chocolate, but I think the peppermint is so good!
Customize your hot chocolate:
Toppings Ideas
Here are some toppings and pairings ideas to help inspire your hot chocolate creations:
- Cinnamon sticks
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate sauce
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
- Crushed candy canes
- Pirouette cookies
- Sprinkles
Shop for This Recipe
Mugs: I got the mug pictured here at World Market (I think) several years ago, but you can find similar ones from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Anthropologie. The one pictured in the links below is from West Elm.
Slow Cooker: The slow cooker in the photo is my 3.5 qt Cuisinart one , but it’s actually not big enough for a full batch – my favorite larger slow cooker is linked instead. And it’s 61% off at Target for Black Friday!!!
Slow Cooker Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 6 cups whole milk, (48 fl oz)
- 6 cups bold roast or strong brewed coffee, (48 fl oz)
- 2 cups heavy cream, (16 fl oz)
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 3 4 oz bars Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped, (12 oz total)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and set to low for 2 hours (or 1 hour on high), stirring frequently to ensure the chocolate melts evenly and to prevent burning.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
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