Kid-Friendly Crockpot Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Easiest Homemade Christmas Drink
This creamy, minty hot chocolate is made in the slow cooker for a set-it-and-forget-it holiday treat. It’s kid-approved and parent-praised, with a perfect balance of rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 pinch salt
- Whipped cream, for serving
- Crushed candy canes, for serving
- Mini marshmallows, for serving
Instructions
- Prep your crockpot: rinse and dry the insert, then set it to low heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and about ½ cup of the whole milk until smooth paste forms.
- Pour the remaining milk and half-and-half into the crockpot. Add chocolate chips, sugar, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, salt, and the cocoa paste. Whisk until combined.
- Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to ensure chocolate chips are fully melted and mixture is smooth.
- Taste and adjust: add more chocolate chips for richness, more peppermint extract for mintiness, or more sugar for sweetness.
- Switch crockpot to warm setting to keep hot chocolate perfect for serving for up to 4 hours. If it thickens, stir in a splash of milk.
- Ladle into mugs and top with whipped cream, crushed candy canes, and mini marshmallows. Serve immediately.
Notes
For dairy-free version, use full-fat oat milk and canned coconut cream, and ensure chocolate chips are dairy-free. For lower sugar, use monk fruit sweetener. Peppermint extract is potent; start with ½ teaspoon and adjust to taste. Crush candy canes in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin for easy prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
Keywords: peppermint hot chocolate, crockpot hot chocolate, slow cooker hot chocolate, Christmas drink, kid-friendly hot chocolate, homemade hot chocolate