Instant Pot Hot Chocolate

This easy Instant Pot Hot Chocolate is rich, creamy, flavorful, and only takes 15 minutes to whip up for a warm drink on a cold day! You can easily double or triple the recipe for family gatherings and holidays.

Just when I thought hot cocoa couldn’t get more delish, I started making hot chocolate in my Instant Pot. It only takes a few minutes to make and 100% tops any of the stuff you pour out of a pouch in the box at the grocery store.

No offense, Swiss Miss, even though your teeny tiny mini marshmallows were cute back in the day. But this is the best hot chocolate I’ve made to date and I think it's time for me to scale up.

Friends, I totally thought of you when I was putting this recipe together. I've talked a lot about my love for Instant Pots. Heck, some of you bought them because of me.

We have our Instant Pots available, so let’s put them to use!

I love making it in the electric pressure cooker because there’s no jockeying around for stovetop real estate at parties. No open flames, either because....egg nog.

Seriously, it’s the easiest way to make hot chocolate for a crowd. And this time of year is made for comfy cozy drinks.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Hot Chocolate

I’m calling this a 5 ingredient Instant Pot hot chocolate and it's made with real ingredients. No rif raf here with hard to pronounce ingredients.

I’m saying five ingredients, because I didn’t want to scare you away. If I was like, here's a six ingredient hot cocoa recipe, you might have bolted. But 5 ingredients...well, that’s doable, don't you think?

So here's what you'll need:

• unsweetened cocoa powder
• granulated sugar
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• water
• milk (I used 2%)
• heavy cream

I think you’ll agree that water for sure doesn’t count and salt shouldn’t either.

There’s a hint of cinnamon in this recipe. Just a touch, because warm spices like cinnamon give a little extra something-something to the hot chocolate. Try it.

How to Make Hot Chocolate in the Instant Pot

While we’re not cooking our hot cocoa under pressure, we are using the Instant Pot’s ability to quickly come to temperature, as well as to keep hot chocolate warm. 

This is a much faster way to make hot chocolate than in the slow cooker. Because after all, it is called slow….and we don’t want slow while our family is waiting for a cup of hot cocoa on Christmas morning.

Step 1. First, we’ll mix all our dry ingredients together. This is what we’d normally pour from a pouch, at least at my house. The cocoa keeps everything nice and rich!

Step 2. Pour the water and the cocoa powder mixture into the pot and turn the heat on by pressing the saute button. As the pot continues to heat, you’ll give it a good stir and then stir, stir, stir.... It’ll start to get nice and thick.

Step 3. Then, add the milk and heavy cream and keep on mixin’...we don’t want our mixture to come to a boil. The point here is to incorporate all the hot chocolate goodness together while it heats.

Step 4. Finally, turn off the Saute function. Remember that part, so you don’t boil it when you step away to grab your favorite coffee mug.

Of course, you can find the printable with full instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to serve Instant Pot Hot Chocolate

Oooh, this is the fun part and probably the real reason we’re making hot chocolate, if we’re being honest. The add-ins!!!

Brace yourself because I have LOTS of ideas!

There are lots of fun ways to serve up your hot cocoa in your favorite coffee mugs.

• Some of my favorite toppings, of course, are a nice dollop of whipped cream or some marshmallows dunked on top.
• Next up, you could do some chocolate shavings or even stir in a little hazelnut spread (yes, Nutella, I’m talking to you…)
• Candy canes make festive stirrers at Christmastime, or you can crush some peppermint candies to sprinkle over the whipped cream.
• The kids love to add some chocolate syrup, or sprinkles to the top or stir in white chocolate chips for a mocha hot chocolate.
• And of course, you could make an adult hot chocolate and add a little peppermint schnapps to your individual mug. I think Santa will thank you!

And sprinkle cookies or chocolate covered strawberries along the side are a nice touch, too 🙂 

They call the holiday season the most wonderful time of the year for a reason!

How to Make Hot Cocoa for a Crowd

You can double or even triple this easy recipe, depending on the size of your Instant Pot. If you need more hot chocolate, just stir up another batch of hot chocolate!

Easy peasy, especially since it only takes a few minutes.

You could go all out and make a hot chocolate station with printables, too!

SO. MUCH. FUN!!!!

FAQS

How to meal prep hot chocolate mix:

You can take dry ingredients - the hot cocoa mix - ahead of time and store in a covered bowl or mason jar.

How can I store Hot Chocolate?

If you should happen to have leftover hot chocolate, you can store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar) and keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can rewarm it on the stove top on medium low until warmed throughout.

If you make this easy hot chocolate recipe, leave a recipe review or comment below. I’d love to hear from you!