Mexican Hot Chocolate
Cozy up with this Mexican hot chocolate, made with 100% cacao, warm spices, vanilla, and toasted almonds for a rich, creamy, velvety sip.
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 4 cups water
- 1 Mexican cinnamon stick, (canela)
- 1 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 oz 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate bar, broken into smaller pieces
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 7 cups whole milk, divided
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- ½ cup packed brown sugar, or to taste
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Toppings (Optional)
- Whipped cream
- Semi-sweet chocolate, shaved
Instructions
Toast the Almonds & Spices
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the almonds on a sheet pan for 7–10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, toast the canela, star anise, and cloves on a dry comal or skillet over medium-low heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute, turning and stirring frequently. Remove from the heat as soon as they’re ready.
Infuse & Blend
- Add the water and toasted spices to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and keep it there over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes to infuse with the spices.
- Add the cooled toasted almonds and 4 cups of the whole milk to a blender. Blend until very smooth.
- Strain through a nut milk bag or a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, pressing to extract the liquid. Discard the almond solids.
Finish the Hot Chocolate
- Remove the whole spices, reserving the cinnamon stick. Whisk in the chocolate until melted, then add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
- Pour in the almond-milk mixture, remaining 3 cups whole milk, and evaporated milk. Add the scraped vanilla seeds and vanilla bean, brown sugar, salt, and reserved cinnamon stick. Whisk until well combined.
- Heat over medium to medium-low heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Keep it there, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching, alternating between a whisk and spatula. Do not boil.
- Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, or until the hot chocolate is smooth, velvety, and slightly thickened. It should remain light and pourable, not thick like atole.
Serve
- Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
Notes
Chocolate bar: Semisweet chocolate can be used instead of the 100% cacao chocolate bar. If using it, reduce the added sugar and adjust to taste.
Other Sweeteners: Use piloncillo, granulated sugar, or a sugar-free alternative like allulose, monk fruit, or stevia. Adjust to taste, as the flavor may vary slightly. If using piloncillo, add it to the water while infusing the spices so it dissolves.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla paste can be used instead of the vanilla bean.
Stirring: Alternate between a whisk and spatula. The spatula provides better contact with the bottom of the pot to help prevent scorching, while the whisk helps create a frothy finish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 15gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 240mgPotassium: 636mgFiber: 4gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 514IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 480mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and intended as an approximation only.