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A Mexican hot chocolate recipe that requires you to just toss everything in a slow cooker and let it all cook up. This hot cocoa is made with melted chocolate, not just cocoa powder, spices like cinnamon and a hint of chili powder. The flavor is so rich and delicious, just the way hot chocolate should be!
Livin’ la vida hot chocolate.
Bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, condensed milk, and a hint of chili powder. How Ahh-mazing. <– I’m sure you’ve figured out that that is not the traditional shopping list for hot cocoa. That’s because we’re doing a twist of the traditional hot chocolate today!
Hot cocoa is the stuff that childhood dreams are made of. And if your childhood was anything like mine, then Swiss Miss hot chocolate was definitely a staple. Swiss Miss was perfect for my childhood, mainly because I didn’t know any better. I gave it a try a few years ago and honestly, I can’t figure out why I liked the stuff.It’s got the faintest hint of chocolate. I’m suspicious that I probably wasn’t a hot cocoa snob when I was 5. I don’t expect my hot chocolate to be a bar of chocolate in liquid form, but shouldn’t abeverage that’s got the word ‘chocolate’ in it’s title have a significant amount of chocolate in it’s contents? I think so.
Mexican hot chocolate is slightly different than the traditional stuff we’re used to. I find it to be a tad bit thicker, it’s spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of chili powder. Don’t worry the chili powder is no way strong enough to be spicy, it just adds a little heat. It’s comforting and cozy. The spices are meant to be subtle but add so much flavor to the chocolate.
Today’s recipe for hot cocoa is quick and easy to make. I added all the contents into a mini crockpotthat i’ve reserved for dips and drinks, like hot chocolate. It’s the perfect size for the task. I hate having to clean out my large crockpot when i’m making appetizers or hot beverages for just a few people.The ingredient list for this Mexican hot chocolate is simple:
- bittersweet chocolate
- cocoa powder
- sweetened condensed milk
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- chili powder
- milk
If you can toss everything in a crockpot and stir it twice every hour, you can make this recipe. Warm, comforting, and perfect for the holidays.
It’s kind of crazy that it wasn’t until recently that I tried to actually make homemade hot chocolate. And what’s crazier is that I didn’t even think good hot chocolate could come out of a crockpot. But, oh how I was wrong. The flavors have a chance to really sit and enhance as they are slow heated. I make this stuff all the time now.
A lot of recipes call for heavy cream or half and half, and although you can definitely add those in, I decided to go the old fashioned route and just use good ol’ whole milk. This recipe would also work with 2% or even skim. Grab a bar of your favorite bittersweet chocolate, even dark chocolate chips would work. It’s simple, clearly it’s easy to make, and way cheaper than purchasing store bought mixes. As a bonus, you skip out on all those preservatives too 🙂
Happy hot chocolating!
Yield: 4-6 servings
Mexican Hot Chocolate (Slow Cooker)
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
A Mexican hot chocolate recipe that requires you to just toss everything in a slow cooker and let it all cook up. This hot cocoa is made with melted chocolate, not just cocoa powder, spices like cinnamon and a hint of chili powder. The flavor is so rich and delicious, just the way hot chocolate should be!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 1/2 can (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 stick cinnamon(optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk (2% or skim is also fine)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the hot water and the cocoa powder, stir until smooth.
- In the base of the slow cooker, add the bittersweet chocolate, condensed milk, cinnamon stick, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, chili powder, whole milk, along with the cocoa powder mixture. Heat on low for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.
- Serve warm with marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, or chocolate shavings.
Notes
- I've used chocolate chips in the past but this can really be a hit or a miss. For best results, I suggest using chopped chocolate.
Have you made this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!
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FAQs
Mexican hot chocolate contains spices like cinnamon and chili and chopped bittersweet chocolate to create a very rich but less sweet flavor. Whereas traditional American hot chocolate is usually made with a combination of cocoa powder and/or chocolate and tends to be more on the sweet side.
What is a Mexican molinillo? ›
A molinillo is a traditional turned wood whisk used in Latin America, as well as the Philippines, where it is also called a batirol or batidor. Its use is principally for the preparation of hot beverages such as hot chocolate, atole, cacao, and champurrado.
What tool is used to make hot chocolate in Mexico? ›
And the tool used to achieve these foamy peaks is a molinillo. The molinillo, which translates to blender, is a beautiful wooden tool; even the so-called simple ones are ornately carved.
Is Abuelita chocolate Mexican? ›
Abuelita is a Mexican-style hot chocolate also known as chocolate para mesa (English: "table chocolate") owned by the Nestlé company. It was originally invented and commercialized in Mexico in 1939, by Fábrica de Chocolates La Azteca.
How is Abuelita hot chocolate different? ›
How is Mexican hot chocolate different from other hot chocolates? Mexican hot chocolate has a different taste than other hot chocolates, as it has a bold chocolate taste and incorporates spices and flavors like cinnamon.
Why is my Abuelita hot chocolate grainy? ›
It has a noticeably grainy texture because it's processed only to the “liquor” stage, before it's poured into the disk-shaped molds to cool and harden. Classically, it's flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. To make the drink, this solid chocolate is broken into pieces, then just melted into a pot of hot milk.
What is Abuelita made of? ›
SUGAR, NONFAT MILK, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, COCOA, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND/OR PALM KERNEL, AND/OR SOYBEAN), DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, AND LESS THAN 2% OF CELLULOSE GUM, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM CASEINATE, SALT, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SUCRALOSE.
What is Champurrado made from? ›
Champurrado is a warm Mexican drink made by heating milk, Mexican chocolate, piloncillo, and Mexican cinnamon together. It's then thickened with a mixture of water and masa harina.
What whisk is best for making hot chocolate? ›
A Molinillo Whisk Is Essential for Making the Best Hot Chocolate - Eater.
How did the Aztecs drink hot chocolate? ›
Their drinking chocolate cup of choice? Large vessels with spouts, coveted, yet not so practical. To create a foam they would pour liquid back and forth between bowls from a height – like ancient baristas.
Mayan Origins of Hot Chocolate
They would make chocolate into a drink by fermenting, roasting, and grinding cacao and then mixing it with water, cornmeal, chili peppers, and other spices (source). The drink didn't have any added sweetener so it was much more bitter than any hot chocolate you've probably tried.
Why is Abuelita hot chocolate discontinued? ›
Nestlé USA claims that Mexican products distributed by the two companies like Nescafé, Abuelita, Nido, Media Crema, Carnation, and La Lechera should only be sold in Mexico. In its complaint, Nestlé USA says the have harmed their business because they are confusing consumers.
Is Ibarra or Abuelita hot chocolate better? ›
Unlike Abuelita, Ibarra drinking chocolate has a grittier texture and makes for a more traditional cup of chocolate. Many tasters agree that Ibarra also has a richer, deeper chocolate flavor, which makes this brand ideal for people who love dark chocolate.
What's the difference between Abuela and Abuelita? ›
Abuela is just the neutral term for grandmother while abuelita is like an endearing term for your grandma, like “granny” or “nana” or something. If you were talking to your own grandma, you may refer to her as “abuelita.” But referring to someone else's grandmother, you would likely use “abuela.”
What makes Mexican chocolate different? ›
Mexican chocolate is made with cacao, sugar, and cinnamon. It boasts a grainier texture than other types of chocolate thanks to all of the extra added sugar. While cacao nibs, sugar, and cinnamon form the base of traditional Mexican chocolate, you may also see it made with almonds, vanilla, or even chiles.
Why does Mexican hot sauce taste different? ›
Typically, the combination is made up of habanero, chipotle, pequin, and jalapeno chilies, as Taste of Home notes. Arbol pepper is also used in Cholula's original hot sauce blend. Mexican-style hot sauce frequently has a thinner consistency than some other sauce brands, and they do not ferment their peppers.
Why does Mexican chocolate taste better? ›
In the tradition of Mexican chocolate, there is no conching (long, thorough mixing), no intensive refining, no addition of cocoa butter. What you end up with is a chocolate that feels and tastes truer to the bean than its velvety counterparts on the other side of the pond.
What's the difference between Mexican chocolate and American chocolate? ›
Mexican chocolate is a paste made from cacao nibs, sugar and cinnamon. Its texture is very grainy compared to normal baking or milk chocolate due to the high sugar content. Very often, other flavors are mixed in to create an even more complex flavor.
Livin’ la vida hot chocolate.
Mexican hot chocolate is slightly different than the traditional stuff we’re used to. I find it to be a tad bit thicker, it’s spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of chili powder. Don’t worry the chili powder is no way strong enough to be spicy, it just adds a little heat. It’s comforting and cozy. The spices are meant to be subtle but add so much flavor to the chocolate.
The ingredient list for this Mexican hot chocolate is simple:
It’s kind of crazy that it wasn’t until recently that I tried to actually make homemade hot chocolate. And what’s crazier is that I didn’t even think good hot chocolate could come out of a crockpot. But, oh how I was wrong. The flavors have a chance to really sit and enhance as they are slow heated. I make this stuff all the time now.
