Crockpot Fondue: Is It Possible?

Fondue is a delightful Swiss dish that dates back to the 18th century. It is a comforting and indulgent treat, perfect for special occasions and get-togethers. While traditionally, fondue is prepared in a communal pot over a flame, modern adaptations include using a crockpot or slow cooker, which offers convenience and ease. So, if you're looking to create this magical, melted masterpiece at home, you may be wondering: Can I use my crockpot for fondue? The answer is yes! With the right recipe and a few simple steps, you can achieve excellent results and enjoy a warm, gooey, and delicious fondue.

Crockpot fondue recipes

Cheese Fondue

A crockpot is a great alternative to a traditional fondue pot, and it is especially useful when serving fondue to a large group of people. Here are some recipes you can try:

• Slow-Cooker Fondue: This recipe uses a combination of Gruyere and Swiss cheese, cornstarch, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. The cheese is grated and tossed together with the other ingredients in a bowl. The wine is heated in the crockpot first, followed by the garlic, and then the cheese mixture is added and cooked until melted. This fondue is best served with apple slices, cauliflower florets, and bread.
• Quick Crockpot Fondue: This recipe uses Swiss cheese, dry white wine (such as Chardonnay), garlic, cayenne pepper, ground white pepper, and nutmeg. The wine, garlic, and spices are heated in a saucepan first, and then poured over the Swiss cheese in the crockpot. The mixture is whisked until smooth and served with pretzels, bread, or sausage.
• Slow Cooker Cheese Fondue: This recipe uses Swiss cheese, Gruyere cheese, cornstarch, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. All the ingredients are added to the slow cooker and cooked until the cheese is melted, stirring occasionally. This fondue can be served with a variety of dippers such as bread cubes, cured meat, apples, or pears.

Chocolate Fondue

A crockpot is also a great option for making chocolate fondue, and it can be served directly from the pot to keep it warm and silky smooth. Here is a recipe you can try:

Slow Cooker Chocolate Fondue: This recipe uses quality semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate chips, unsalted butter, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. All the ingredients are added to the slow cooker and cooked on low until the chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. This fondue can be served with a variety of dippers such as strawberries, bananas, pound cake, pretzels, marshmallows, brownies, or graham crackers.

Fondue ingredients

Fondue is a Swiss dish that originated as a way to feed families inexpensively using stale bread and melted cheese. The traditional Swiss fondue is made with a blend of firm, mountain-style cheeses, such as Gruyere, Emmental, and Appenzeller. However, other types of cheese can also be used, such as Gouda, fontina, Raclette, Vacherin, and Swiss cheese. It is important to use good-quality cheese and grate it instead of chopping it to ensure a smooth and creamy fondue.

In addition to cheese, other common fondue ingredients include:

• White wine: A dry, high-acid wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or an unoaked Chardonnay is best. The wine helps to melt the cheese smoothly and enhances the flavour.
• Cornstarch or flour: This helps to thicken the fondue and prevent the cheese from clumping.
• Garlic: Infuses a subtle, savoury depth to the cheese mixture.
• Spices: Cayenne pepper, ground white pepper, nutmeg, and black pepper are commonly used to add flavour and a bit of heat.
• Lemon juice: This can be added to keep the fondue smooth and prevent it from becoming lumpy.

Fondue is typically served with a variety of dippers, such as:

• Bread: Crusty, cubed French bread, sourdough, rye, or baguette are popular choices.
• Fruit: Apples, especially tart varieties like Granny Smith, and pears are commonly dipped in fondue.
• Vegetables: Cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, asparagus, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes provide a crunchy contrast to the creamy fondue.
• Meat: Sliced sausage, salami, and bacon are popular choices for meat lovers.
• Potatoes: Baby potatoes, either roasted or boiled, are a perfect size for dipping into fondue.

Preparing fondue in a crockpot

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

For a basic cheese fondue, you will need about 1/4 cup each of three different cheeses and 1/4 cup of white wine. You can use a combination of Swiss cheese and Gruyère cheese, or processed Swiss cheese for a creamier texture. If you prefer a chocolate fondue, you will need 18 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 16 ounces of half-and-half, and 1/2 cup of corn syrup.

Step 2: Combine the Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the grated or shredded cheese with cornstarch, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If you are making chocolate fondue, simply combine all the ingredients in the crockpot.

Step 3: Heat the Crockpot

Plug in your crockpot and turn it to the "warm" or "high" setting. If you are using a small crockpot, it is recommended to set it to "warm". For a larger crockpot, you may need to double or triple the ingredients and set it to "high".

Step 4: Prepare the Wine Mixture

In a saucepan, heat the white wine along with crushed garlic cloves, cayenne pepper, ground white pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer the mixture over medium heat for five minutes, then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

Step 5: Add the Wine Mixture to the Cheese

Place the processed Swiss cheese into the crockpot and cover it with a lid. After the wine mixture has reduced, pour it directly over the cheese. If you are making chocolate fondue, add the wine mixture directly to the chocolate chips and other ingredients in the crockpot.

Step 6: Whisk and Combine

Use a whisk to combine the cheese with the wine mixture. It may take a few minutes for the mixture to come together smoothly. If there are still large chunks after whisking, turn the heat up to high and cook for 5-10 minutes, whisking until smooth.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Once the fondue is smooth and creamy, it is ready to serve! Serve it with a selection of items for dipping. Bread cubes, pretzels, cooked potatoes, sliced apples, pears, cornichons, pickled onions, sausage slices, and salami are great options for cheese fondue. For chocolate fondue, marshmallows and fruit are perfect dippers. Enjoy your delicious crockpot fondue!

Dipping options for cheese fondue

Cheese fondue is a delightful dish, perfect for a cosy night in or a celebration. The best part about it is the variety of foods you can dip into that warm, gooey, cheesy goodness. Here are some ideas for your next fondue night:

Breads and Crackers

A classic choice for dipping into fondue is bread. Go for a crusty, fresh baguette, or a simple, no-knead peasant loaf. Sourdough is a great option, as are rye bread, pumpernickel, brioche, and ciabatta. Toasting your bread is recommended to prevent it from falling apart and creating a mess. You could also try breadsticks, bagels, English muffins, tortillas, or pretzels. For a real treat, make your own homemade pretzels!

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits pair surprisingly well with cheese fondue. Try sliced apples, pears, or grapes. Crisp, tart Granny Smith apples and Bosc pears with cinnamon and nutmeg undertones are especially good choices.

For vegetables, go for something fresh like broccoli or cauliflower florets. You can dip them raw, or lightly steam them first to reduce bitterness. Bell peppers are another tasty option, and if you slice them into strips, you won't even need skewers. Asparagus, zucchini, artichoke hearts, mini sweet peppers, carrots, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, mushrooms, and green beans are also great choices.

Meats

Fully cook your meats before dipping them into the fondue. Good choices include marinated sirloin, filet mignon, herb-roasted chicken, prime rib, mini meatballs, beef jerky, miniature smoked sausages, duck breast, ham, salami, chorizo, pepperoni, or prosciutto.

Seafood

For seafood lovers, cooked shrimp, salmon, lobster tail, crab legs, and Ahi tuna are excellent choices to dip into that cheesy goodness. Don't forget to cook your shrimp with a bit of garlic and parsley for extra flavour!

Other Options

Other fun ideas to dip into your fondue include potstickers, pickles, pasta (especially large shapes like shells or rigatoni, or ravioli), roasted jalapeño peppers, and tater tots. Get creative and use your imagination! Anything that sounds good with cheese will probably be delicious.

Dipping options for chocolate fondue

Chocolate fondue is a great way to elevate simple treats and make them even more indulgent. There are endless options for what you can dip into chocolate fondue, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Fresh Fruit

Chocolate-covered strawberries are a classic fondue choice, but you can also use bananas, apples, pears, orange segments, pineapple, or mango. For a winter fondue, try dipping some tropical fruit like papaya or pineapple to bring some summery vibes to your snack.

Dried Fruit

If you want to prepare your dipping options in advance, dried fruit is a great option as it lasts longer than fresh fruit. Try dried apricots, mango, or papaya.

Marshmallows

Marshmallows and chocolate are a match made in heaven! Use larger marshmallows for easier dipping, and you can even smoosh them between graham crackers for a s'mores-like treat.

Cookies

Small cookies or cookie pieces are perfect for dipping. Try Oreos, gingernuts, custard creams, biscotti, or shortbread.

Brownies

Cut up some brownies into small pieces so they're the perfect size for dipping.

Mini Donuts

Buy mini donuts, or break larger ones into small pieces for dipping.

Cake

Cut mini cakes, cupcakes, or small slices of cake into cubes for dipping. Try vanilla cake, chocolate loaf cake, or Biscoff cupcakes.

Rice Krispie Treats

Make your own Rice Krispie treats, or buy some from the store, then slice them into dippable pieces.

Cheesecake

Cut a large cheesecake into little squares, and carefully dip them into the chocolate fondue.

Honeycomb

Honeycomb is often found already coated in chocolate, so it's a great choice for fondue.

Pretzels

The mix of sweet chocolate and salty, crunchy pretzels is delicious. You can use classic pretzels or the stick variety.

Popcorn

Use sweet, salty, or a mix of both. Caramel popcorn is a great option for a sweet and salty treat.

Fudge

Buy some fudge or make your own, then dip it into the chocolate fondue for an extra indulgent treat.

Mini Pancakes and Waffles

Mini pancakes and waffles are a fun choice for fondue, and you can make them yourself or buy them from the store.

Nuts

Any kind of nuts would be great with chocolate fondue, but stick to larger nuts that are easier to put on a skewer, like pecans or hazelnuts.

Frequently asked questions