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.

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

Mexican Hot Chocolate

If there is something that Mexicans like, it’s drinks! From cafe de olla, Ponche Navideño, Rompope, Champurrado, Atole to a delicious & refreshing Horchata. That is why when the temperature in Mexico barely goes down, the first thing we want to drink is hot chocolate or anything warm.

There are many ways and recipes to prepare this chocolate drink, and today I’ll show you how to make the authentic Mexican hot chocolate made with the most common brand Chocolate Abuelita. It’s very simple to make and delicious!

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.

A jar with milk, chocolate abuelita and cinnamon

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How to make Mexican Hot Chocolate

  • In a medium saucepan, add the milk
  • 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.
  • Sprinkle ground cinnamon powder to taste but start with adding just a little bit as the chocolate tablet already has some cinnamon in it.
  • Stir with the molinillo, whisk or wooden spoon until you have a smooth mixture.

Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat.

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!

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 blue mugs with hot chocolate garnished with a cinnamon stick and pan dulce on the side.

Cook’s Notes

  • 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!

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.

Two clear mugs with hot chocolate and whipped cream.

I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact  me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana

Print Recipe:

Two clear mugs with hot chocolate and whipped cream.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Servings 3 cups
Ana Frias
5 from 34 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
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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!

Equipment

  • Molinillo, whisk or wooden spoon
  • Medium saucepan
3 cups

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.

Muy Delish 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

The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.

A blue mug with Chocolate Abuelita and a cinnamon stick.

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Recipe Rating




37 Comments

  2. 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

  4. 5 stars
    So easy, creamy and delicious – perfect for the horrible weather we are having in the UK right now.

    Reply

  7. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  20. 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

  22. 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

  23. 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