It's the perfect day to make crock pot hot chocolate - News from Rob Rains, STLSportsPage.com

Editor’s Note: if you are reading this on a snowy day and you can’t get out to the store…you can improvise. Do you have packets of instant hot chocolate mix? Do you have K-cup hot chocolate? Any hot chocolate can be made ahead of time and warmed up in a crock pot. Even if you just make your instant and put it in the crock pot, you will enjoy reading this article and looking over Becky’s website. She has an amazing cooking site and she lives in St. Lous and allows us to share some of her recipes with our readers.

Recipe supplied by Becky Hardin, The Cookie Rookie

If you’re looking for an easy drink recipe for your next holiday get-together, this slow cooker hot cocoa is the perfect choice. It’s super hands-off, stays warm for hours, and can be adapted to suit any taste. Plus, it has the creamiest texture that makes it extra comforting. Don’t forget to pile up every cup of hot chocolate with fluffy marshmallows.

On a cold, snowy day, you never know when you will crave a cup of hot chocolate. Did you know you could make hot chocolate in a crock pot? You will have it ready for you any time you want it.

If you are out shoveling the driveway or playing in the snow with the kids or grandkids, you come back into the house freezing and wishing you had nice warm cup of cocoa.

When you were a kid, maybe your mom had a cup of cocoa waiting for you. Well, this is almost as good.

It would be great to have in the crock pot any day, but if you are having a party or entertaining friends or family it would be a nice addition.

Ingredients

½ cup unsweetened cocoa power 1 cup heavy cream 7 cups whole milk 2/4 cup milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 t pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt marshmallows, mini and large

Instructions

Add the cocoa powder and heavy cream to the Crockpot.

½ cup unsweetened cocoa power,1 cup heavy cream
Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Then, whisk in the whole milk, chocolate chips, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.

7 cups whole milk,¾ cup milk chocolate chips,¼ cup maple syrup,2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract,¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. At the 1 hour mark, whisk the mixture to incorporate the melted chocolate chips. Continue cooking until the hot chocolate is heated through to your liking.
Ladle the hot chocolate into mugs and top with marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Along with the hot chocolate Becky Hardin, who runs The Cookie Rookie website, advises to jazz it up with extras.

“Any kind of chocolate chips will work,” she says. “And marshmallows and dollops of whipped cream. Add some crushed candy canes, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a drizzle of caramel sauce to take it to the next level.You can also swap the heavy cream for half-and-half for a slightly lighter beverage. Other sweeteners that work well in this recipe include agave syrup and honey.”

You can even store crockpot hot chocolate (fully cooled) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan or a crockpot set over low heat until warmed through.

Check out Becky Hardin’s website: TheCookieRookie.com

Shop from Home… CLICK HERE

Welcome to our Store!

Shop FANATICS. Shop Foco. Click on our links and it takes you directly to their sites. All sales are through them and we have no responsibility for the sales, however Rains Media will receive the royalty payment that the big box stores would have gotten. Thank you for shopping “local.”