Large Batch Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe

This recipe is as simple as adding ingredients into a pot or crockpot. Whichever method you use, it needs to be kept at a low temperature to insure you don’t scald the dairy products, or burn the chocolate.

Ingredient Notes

• Chocolate. Dark chocolate, bittersweet and semisweet are virtually the same. Just make sure you DON’T use sweetened candy bars or chips, or milk chocolate. Use a bag of baking chips or a baking bar and give it a rough chop so it melts easier.
• Sweet condensed milk. This is a super concentrated sweet product. You don’t want to add anything to the recipe that will elevate the sugar level or it will be overkill.
• Vanilla Extract. Add the vanilla at the end so it doesn’t dissolve and lose its flavor.
• Salt. A little salt helps bring out the sweet chocolatey goodness.  

Tips & Tricks

Try peppermint extract or almond extract as a substitute for the vanilla.

Add some spicy heat with a little cayenne pepper, about 1 to 1¼ teaspoons.

Use whole milk instead of half-and-half. It will be slightly less creamy. Note that any non-dairy substitute will alter the creaminess and taste of the finished drink.

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a decadent milkshake-style drink. You can add it to the hot mug or to a glass of cooled hot chocolate.

How to Serve Hot Chocolate At a Party

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There are a few different ways to serve hot chocolate for a party crowd. The length of time it will stay hot will vary according to the method.

• Keep a large pot on the stove. A Dutch oven is an attractive pot to use while entertaining.
• Use a slow cooker on low or warm setting, depending on how hot your model runs. Even if you make it on the stove, you can transfer it to the slow cooker to stay warm.
• I have a couple of these white thermos carafes that look pretty on a hot chocolate bar. Easy to pour and the white goes with all types of décor. These are also pretty and a little more modern and stylized.
• Pour it into a ceramic soup tureen and use a ladle to scoop it into cups.
• Serve in batches using a china coffee pot or vintage hot chocolate pot. You’ll need to refill the pot as necessary, but the “pretty” factor is worth it.
• Use a large chafing dish with sterno canned heat, on a buffet table. Use a ladle to serve.
• Use a stainless steel thermal pump server for convenience and to keep the hot chocolate hot!

What to do With Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat, or heat a cup at a time in the microwave for about a minute or until warm.

• The best thing about storing leftovers in the fridge is that it will thicken slightly, and you can eat it with a spoon. It’s like pudding!
• When the recipe is chilled completely you can make this frozen hot chocolate shake. It’s so good!

Serving Suggestions

This is a terrific drink for entertaining kids and adults alike; my family couldn’t stop raving about it! It’s a great recipe to use for a hot chocolate bar during Christmas parties or a Halloween pumpkin carving party.

There’s something so nostalgic about enjoying a cup of hot chocolate outside, whether you’re sitting on the patio around a fire pit, going to an outdoor ice skating rink, playing in the snow, sledding, or having an old fashioned sleigh ride or hay ride.