Mexican Hot Chocolate

ByAna Frias Updated:
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5 from 40 votes

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Make THE BEST Mexican Hot Chocolate Abuelita! With a creaminess and rich chocolate flavor, this homemade hot cocoa will disappear in no time.

Two clear mugs with hot chocolate and whipped cream.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Mexican hot chocolate is the drink that you see everywhere the second the weather turns. In Mexico, cold mornings mean café de olla, horchata if it’s warm out, and this the second it drops, a thick, cinnamon-spiced chocolate whisked to a froth with a wooden molinillo. It’s not the same as the hot chocolate most people grew up with in the US. Mexican chocolate tablets come pre-mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes almonds, so the flavor is rounder and spicier straight out of the package, no extra sugar or spice needed.

This version uses a tablet of Chocolate Abuelita (or Ibarra, more on the difference below), whole milk, and a splash of evaporated milk for extra richness. Four ingredients, fifteen minutes, and a molinillo doing the real work of building that signature froth on top.

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♥️ xo, Ana

***This post was originally published on Dec 2015. It has been updated to be more helpful.

Two blue mugs with chocolate and a cinnamon stick.

Featured comment:

“I made Mexican hot chocolate for the family over the weekend and it was a hit! I thought it had the perfect consistency just like the ones I had in Mexico. I used chocolate abuelita and it was creamy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!”

LAURA M.

Ingredients

You can find the ingredients in any supermarket and it will not take you more than 20 minutes to prepare it.

  • Any Mexican chocolate tablet will do but my favorite is Abuelita as I grew up drinking this one. These tablets are already sweetened and there is no need to add any more sugar.
  • Cinnamon powder for extra flavor
  • Milk
  • Evaporated milk

Equipment

  • Molinillo, wooden spoon or a whisk
  • A medium saucepan

***Make sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the full ingredient list and written recipe.

The molinillo, and what to do without one

A molinillo is the carved wooden whisk you’ll see in almost every Mexican kitchen around the holidays. You roll the handle between your palms once the chocolate’s melted into the milk, and it whips air into the drink, building that thick, frothy top that’s half the point of Mexican hot chocolate. No molinillo? A regular whisk gets you most of the way there, or an immersion blender for 15 to 20 seconds does the job even faster.

A jar with milk, chocolate abuelita, and cinnamon.

How to make Mexican Hot Chocolate

Pouring milk into a saucepan to make chocolate abuelita.
  1. In a medium saucepan, add the milk.
Dropping a chocolate abuelita into a saucepan with milk.
  1. When it starts to boil add the Mexican chocolate tablet and mix until it dissolves. It does not take very long to melt. About two minutes only.
Sprinkling cinnamon into a pot.
  1. Sprinkle ground cinnamon powder to taste but start with adding just a little bit as the chocolate tablet already has some cinnamon in it.
Mixing chocolate in a saucepan that looks like a jar.
  1. Stir with the molinillo, whisk or wooden spoon until you have a smooth mixture.
Chocolate in a pan with a molinillo.
  1. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
Pouring hot chocolate into a mug.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
  1. Pour into in mugs hot with whipped cream or marshmallows and accompany with pan dulce or delicious traditional churros. It also goes perfect with Molletes for breakfast!

Variations worth trying

  • Dairy-free: Swap the milk and evaporated milk for almond, oat, or coconut milk. A reader made it with coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk and said it was one of the best cups she’d had, coconut’s richness fills in for what the evaporated milk was doing.
  • More spice: Cinnamon is already built into the tablet, but a pinch of chili powder, cayenne, or even orange zest stirred in at the end brings a little heat or brightness without overpowering the chocolate.
  • Too heavy or too sweet? Chocolate tablets vary in sweetness by brand, and if a batch comes out heavier than you’d like, thin it with a splash more milk rather than water, water dilutes the flavor along with the sweetness.
  • Champurrado swap: This recipe isn’t champurrado, but the two are close cousins. For a thicker, corn-based drink closer to champurrado, whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of masa harina into a little cold milk until smooth before adding it to the pot with the rest of the milk, then proceed with the recipe as written. It’ll thicken more as it simmers.
Two blue mugs with hot chocolate garnished with a cinnamon stick and pan dulce on the side.

Ana’s Recipe Tips

  • There is no need to add sugar to this recipe as the Mexican chocolate tablets are already sweetened to perfection.
  • Keep an eye on the mixture while it cooks to ensure that it does not overflow. Cleaning the stove after that happens it’s no fun!

How To Store

  • Fridge– Once the hot chocolate has cooled down, you can refrigerate in a glass jar with a lid or an airtight storage container for up to a week.
  • To reheat:
    • On the stove: Place the leftover chocolate in a heavy bottom saucepan and heat through just until hot. Reheat it slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steamed through.
    • In the microwave: Place the desired amount of hot chocolate in a microwave-safe cup or mug and heat for 30 seconds at a time until fully warm.
Two clear mugs with hot chocolate and whipped cream.
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Two clear mugs with hot chocolate and whipped cream.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Make this Mexican Hot Chocolate at home in minutes and skip the coffee shop lines and make your own! Full of the flavors that reminds us of Mexico this will be your new favorite hot chocolate recipe!
5 from 40 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Ana Frias

Equipment

  • Molinillo, whisk or wooden spoon
  • Medium saucepan

Ingredients 

  • 1 Mexican chocolate tablet
  • 2 cups milk - 2% or whole milk
  • 1 cup evaporated milk - (or just add another cup of regular milk)
  • Cinnamon powder - to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, add the milk
  • When it starts to boil add the Mexican chocolate tablet and mix until it dissolves.
  • Add cinnamon powder to taste
  • Stir with the molinillo, whisk or wooden spoon until you have a smooth mixture.
  • Continue to cook for another 5 minutes on low heat-medium heat 
  • Serve hot with whipped cream and accompany with pan dulce or delicious traditional churros.

Notes

Keep an eye on the mixture while it cooks to ensure that it does not overflow. 
There is no need to add sugar to this recipe as the Mexican chocolate tablets are already sweetened to perfection.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cups | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 350mg | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 46IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 207mg

FAQs

Can you make Mexican hot chocolate with almond milk?

Absolutely you can! In fact, the almond flavor will add an extra depth that regular milk may not. If you make it with almond milk please report back how it turned out…I would love to know!

What’s the difference between Mexican hot chocolate and regular?

Usually Mexican hot chocolate comes in round tablets that are ready to be mixed with hot milk. The round tablets are made of sugar, cocoa and cinnamon.

The regular hot chocolate does not contain cinnamon and usually has less sugar. But this means it’s not as flavorful as Mexican hot chocolate. If you haven’t tried the latter one, I truly recommend you do!

What is the name of a Mexican hot chocolate drink?

When someone asks for hot chocolate in Mexico, most likely they’re referring to Chocolate Abuelita. Another popular brand is Ibarra but the most popular one is Abuelita.

What’s the difference between Abuelita and Ibarra?

Both are Mexican chocolate tablets. Abuelita is more widely available and sweeter. Ibarra is a Mexican-owned brand since 1925, less sweet, and slightly grainier in texture. Either works in this recipe.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Add the milk and chocolate tablet to the slow cooker on high, stirring occasionally as the tablet melts, about 1 to 1½ hours. Whisk well before serving to bring back the froth, slow cookers won’t build it the way a molinillo does.

Can I use this to make champurrado?

Not as written, but it’s an easy swap. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of masa harina into a little cold milk before adding it to the pot, then proceed with the recipe. It’ll thicken into something much closer to champurrado as it simmers.

More Hot Drinks

A blue mug with Chocolate Abuelita and a cinnamon stick.

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5 from 40 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




44 Comments

  3. 5 stars
    So delicious! I didn’t have evaporated milk however I had some coconut milk and used it. One of the best cups of hot chocolate!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Yum! This is the best hot chocolate ever!! I love that it only requires 4 ingredients so it’s really easy to toss together.

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    So easy, creamy and delicious – perfect for the horrible weather we are having in the UK right now.

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    This is so easy to make, and I really like that it is a small batch recipe. The cinnamon gives the chocolate an extra pop that I love.

    Reply

  16. Excited to try this. Can this be adapted to make atole champurrado? Would you still use all milk, just extra, or part water, part milk?

    Reply

  17. 5 stars
    You’re meant to use evaporated milk not sweetened condensed milk. I also added leftover egg nog and a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder and it tasted great!

    Reply

  18. 5 stars
    I made Mexican hit chocolate for the family over the weekend and it was a hit! I thought it had the perfect consistency just like the ones I had in Mexico. I used chocolate abuelita and it was creamy and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  19. Too heavy. Instead of putting 1 cup as suggested, I put less about 3/4 of a cup and 2 tablespoons of condensed milk, yet it was very heavy. After I tasted it I didn’t want more. I had to add about 2 bottles of water to dilute the overly sweet chocolate.
    Sorry, I was really looking forward to it, but it was a let down, in my personal experience.

    Reply

  24. 5 stars
    Such chocolatey goodness! YUM! It seldom gets below 40 degrees in AZ but the past few days its been in the 30s! Excuse me, but I need to go make myself a cup right now. Bye!

    Reply

    1. Hi Emmeline! I how you do! If you don’t, just add some cinnamon to regular chocolate. This will give you the hint of Mexican Chocolate. Enjoy all the way in Sweden!

      Reply

  26. 5 stars
    I love this Mexican hot chocolate! It is creamy and so comforting during the cold mornings. I will definitely be enjoying this all season long!

    Reply

  27. 5 stars
    My sister is coming to visit for the holidays and I cannot wait to make this for her. We are big fans of all your recipes, they are simply delicious!

    Reply