Mexican hot chocolate is the perfect blend of sweet, spiced, and warm. It’s the perfect trio to help combat the cold winter months!
Mexican hot chocolate is one of our favorites, next to Irish coffee, and other hot chocolates like classic hot chocolate, white hot chocolate, and CrockPot hot chocolate. The warm, earthy notes from cinnamon and cayenne add such an interesting and delicious flavor to the hot cocoa.
What Is Mexican Hot Chocolate
Mexican hot chocolate isn’t to different than standard hot chocolate, but the difference is in the spices added. Mexican sweets generally include chili powder or cayenne pepper, for a more sweet and spicy flavor.
This Mexican hot chocolate includes a subtle addition of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a delicious, earthy and full bodied taste.
Mexican hot chocolate ingredients include:
- Milk – the base of Mexican hot chocolate
- Heavy cream – to add richness
- Cocoa powder – for more chocolate
- Sugar – to offset the bitterness of cocoa powder
- Bitter sweet chocolate chips – adds more richness and they double as a topping
- Spices – add a subtle, earthy kick
- Vanilla – rounds out the flavors
How To Make Mexican Hot Chocolate
To make homemade Mexican hot chocolate:
- Combine milk, cream, and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved in a medium pot. Heat hot chocolate over medium – low heat, so the milk and chocolate don’t scald or burn.
- Add cocoa powder and cinnamon sticks. Whisk until the cocoa powder has combined and no lumps remain. The heat will help with this.
- Add the vanilla, spices, and chocolate chips. Continue stirring until the chocolate has completely incorporated into the milk mixture.
- Once mixed, remove the cinnamon sticks, and garnish with fresh ones or your other favorite hot chocolate toppings.
Tips For Making Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Taste it as you go. You may want a little extra cayenne pepper or to add an extra cinnamon stick while it cooks.
- More or less sugar can be added to taste. Mexican hot chocolate is usually less sweet than classic hot chocolate.
- Once the chocolate is added, stir constantly to avoid it burning to the bottom of the pot.
- Cocoa powder can be tough to incorporate to liquids, but the heat will help while whisking. It usually takes a couple minutes.
- If garnishing with cinnamon sticks, for best presentation throw the ones simmered in the hot chocolate away and use fresh ones.
More Delicious Beverages
- Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Hot Chocolate Mix
- Peruvian Pisco Sour Recipe
- Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
- Love Potion Drink
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a medium pot on low heat, combine milk, cream, and sugar.
- Once heated, whisk in cocoa powder. Add cinnamon stick and vanilla.
- Add bittersweet chocolate and cayenne pepper. Stir until fully incorporated.Serve with favorite hot chocolate toppings
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