Mexican Hot Chocolate – Simply Scratch

This deliciously spiced Mexican Hot Chocolate served with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream will warm you up on a chilliest of days! A velvety homemade hot cocoa is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice and a pinch of cayenne. This recipe yields 4 cups and will serve 4 (8-ounce) to 8 (4-ounce) servings depending on mug sizes.

NOTE: This hot chocolate is pretty decadent, so I personally recommend the 4 ounce serving.

I love a new year.

We spent the first week of the new year taking down the tree and packing away Christmas decorations. It’s strange because I do love having the tree up and the cozy lights twinkling. But the moment I have my house back in order, I let out a sigh of relief and am secretly (or not so secretly) glad the holidays are over.

After packing away Christmas, Pat built us a toasty fire, my girls were downstairs to do their own thing. I plopped down on the couch to write my year in review post and together Pat and I simply relaxed. It was great. What would have made the day even more perfect, would be a glass of this Mexican hot chocolate – preferably spiked with Khalua, but sadly I didn’t have any of the ingredients.

This cup-of-cozy is creamy, chocolaty and is delightfully spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice and a pinch of cayenne – which gives you some subtle heat at back of the throat. And instead of the traditional marshmallow toppers, I whipped up a homemade cinnamon whipped cream. To. Die. For.

To Make This Mexican Hot Chocolate You Will Need:

for the hot chocolate:

• granulated sugar (white) – Lends sweetness and enhances flavor.
• unsweetened cocoa powder – Gives the hot chocolate that chocolatey flavor. (I use Ghirardelli’s. – not sponsored)
• cinnamon (ground) – Lends a distinct warm and woodsy flavor.
• ginger (ground) – Gives a pungent, spicy and sweet flavor.
• fine salt – Enhances the flavor in this recipe. Use sea salt or pink himalayan.
• allspice (ground) – Lends notes of black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, nutmeg and star anise.
• cayenne pepper (ground) – Gives this spice blend its heat.
• heavy cream – Lends richness.
• whole milk – Also lends richness and creaminess.
• vanilla – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe.

for the cinnamon whipped cream:

• heavy cream
• powdered sugar
• cinnamon
• vanilla

Make The Hot Chocolate:

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, measure and add in 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of fine salt, allspice and cayenne.

Next, pour 1/3 cup of warm water.

Whisk to combine.

Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking often, until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove off of the heat and pour in the 2 cups of whole milk and 2 cups of heavy cream.

Lastly, measure and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Stir and heat through over low to medium-low heat but make sure not to re-boil.

Make The Cinnamon Whipped Cream:

A little trick I like to do when I’m making whipped cream, is to chill the bowl and beaters in the freezer for about twenty minutes or so beforehand. The cream will set up and thicken faster this way. It’s not crucial or anything, so if you don’t have the time, you don’t have to.

Into your chilled bowl, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream.

Then, with your mixer or hand mixer on low, start to whip the heavy cream. Increase the speed gradually. Stop whipping the heavy cream once the cream starts to thicken, but isn’t completely thick yet. Then add in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and sift in the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Continue to whip until it becomes thick and fluffy.

Stir the hot chocolate before ladling into mugs. Add a dollop of the cinnamon whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon and cocoa powder if desired.

Creamy, dreamy, warm chocolaty goodness is just what you need to warm up on a cold day.

I really love the spice. It warms the back of my throat and is pretty delicious. You can’t go wrong with a warm mug of Mexican Hot Chocolate. And maybe some of these Mexican hot chocolate toasted pecans too?!

Enjoy! And if you give this Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

This recipe was originally posted on January 02, 2014 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.