My homemade Mexican hot chocolate recipe is rich, creamy, and perfectly-spiced! Made with two types of chocolate, real cinnamon, and a mix of whole milk and heavy cream, this hot cocoa is better than any store-bought packet. It only takes 25 minutes to make this cinnamon-spiced chocolate drink on the stovetop!
Creamy Mexican-style Hot Cocoa with Cinnamon
I love using my hot cocoa mix any chance I get, but this homemade Mexican-style hot chocolate is perfect when I want a little upgrade. I infuse my warm milk with heavy cream, sugar, and cinnamon for the most deliciously sweet and creamy base. Then I mix in melted chocolate and let it simmer on the stovetop. It’s the simplest process, but it turns into cozy cups of cinnamon hot cocoa that taste better than any pre-made mix. This drinking chocolate is always a hit for holidays like Cinco de Mayo and Christmas!
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Make it Boozy!
I don’t know about you, but I love a boozy hot chocolate for special occasions. My favorite additions to Mexican hot chocolate are rum and vanilla vodka. But liqueurs, like Kahlua, Godiva, or Bailey’s, are also delish. I usually add it into individual cups instead of the whole pot, that way everyone can decide how much or how little they want. But you can add about 1½ cups of alcohol to the hot chocolate at the end of simmering if you want to spike the whole batch.
Homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk divided*
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups heavy cream **
- ¼ cup granulated sugar ***
- 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks
- 8 ounces dark chocolate 2 (4-ounce) bars; chopped****
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate 2 (4-ounce) bars; chopped****
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 teaspoon of milk with the ground cinnamon to make a paste.½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add the cinnamon paste plus the rest of the milk, heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon sticks to a large pot or Dutch oven, and stir to combine.4 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks
- Heat over medium heat until it’s about to boil.
- In the meantime, boil 3 inches of water in a saucepan, then place a heat-proof glass bowl on top to make a double boiler.
- Add the dark and semisweet chocolate to the bowl, and stir continuously until fully melted.8 ounces dark chocolate, 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
- Turn the heat off and pour in 3-4 ladles of the milk mixture, whisking the entire time until the chocolate is very runny.
- Pour the chocolate into the large pot of milk, and whisk to combine.
- Then continue whisking over medium heat until it is heated through but not boiling.
- Serve immediately with a dash of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick for garnish if desired.
Notes
- Make the ground cinnamon with a bit of milk before adding it to the whole pot to prevent it from clumping!
- Instead of using a double-boiler on the stovetop, you can microwave the chopped chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring frequently, until it has melted.
- Feel free to steep in other whole spices, such as star anise, cloves, or nutmeg for a different flavor!
- For spicy hot chocolate, add a pinch or two or cayenne pepper!
- Feel free to add a shot of alcohol to individual cups, or add 1½ cups of vodka or rum to the whole batch!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate: I use a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks. I recommend using a good quality baking chocolate, like Baker’s or Ghirardelli. Many recipes take a shortcut with Mexican hot chocolate bars or tablets, but I like spicing it myself.
- Cinnamon: I use both ground cinnamon and whole cinnamon sticks. You can use Ceylon cinnamon for a sweeter, less intense flavor.
- Milk: Whole milk will give you the creamiest result, but low-fat and non-dairy milks can be used instead.
How to Store
- Fridge: Store cooled Mexican hot cocoa in an airtight container or sealed jar, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: For long-term storage, pour cooled hot chocolate into the wells of an ice cube tray to create easy-to-thaw portions. I like to add a handful of ice cubes to a blender with some milk to make frozen hot chocolate!
- Reheat: Reheat hot chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, or on the stovetop over medium heat, until warmed through.
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