For this Mexican hot chocolate recipe with cocoa powder, whisk 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne and a pinch of salt with ¼ cup of just-boiled water into a paste. Whisk in 2 cups (480 ml) of milk, heat until steaming, then add vanilla and froth hard. It makes two mugs in about 10 minutes.
Two details make it Mexican-style rather than hot chocolate with cinnamon on top: the spices are bloomed in the hot cocoa paste, and the drink is frothed.
Key facts for this Mexican hot chocolate
| What | Value | Unit | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 2 | mugs, 2 cups (480 ml) total | Grevista recipe, September 15, 2026 |
| Total time | 10 | minutes (3 prep + 7 cook) | Grevista recipe, September 15, 2026 |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 3 tbsp (16 g) | tbsp (g) | Tablespoon weight from USDA FoodData Central FDC 169593, checked September 15, 2026 |
| Ground cinnamon | ¾ | tsp | Grevista recipe, September 15, 2026 |
| Cayenne | 1 pinch to ⅛ | tsp | Grevista recipe, September 15, 2026 |
| Cayenne in published U.S. recipes, for comparison | ⅛ to ¼ | tsp per 2-mug batch | Isabel Eats and Gimme Some Oven recipes, checked September 16, 2026 |
| Milk temperature | steaming, ≈160 | °F (70 °C) | Grevista method note, September 15, 2026 |
| Frothing time | ≈20 | seconds | Grevista recipe, September 15, 2026 |
| Caffeine per mug (1½ tbsp cocoa each) | ≈18 | mg | Grevista arithmetic from USDA FDC 169593, September 15, 2026 |
The amounts above are published as a recipe, not as the result of a tasting panel.
How do you make Mexican hot chocolate with cocoa powder?
Makes: 2 mugs (about 2 cups / 480 ml) · Prep: 3 minutes · Cook: 7 minutes · Total: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (16 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp (38 g) brown sugar, or grated piloncillo
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon, preferably Ceylon (canela)
- 1 pinch to ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch fine salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) just-boiled water
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bloom the spices. In a saucepan, whisk the cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne and salt with the just-boiled water into a smooth paste.
- Add the milk. Whisk in the milk and heat gently until steaming, about 160°F (70°C). Do not boil.
- Froth. Take the pan off the heat and add the vanilla. Froth for about 20 seconds with a molinillo, a whisk or an immersion blender until foamy.
- Taste for heat. You should feel a gentle warmth after swallowing. Add another small pinch of cayenne only if you cannot feel it.
- Serve. Pour into warm mugs, spooning the foam on top.
How much chile should go in Mexican hot chocolate?
Start with a pinch of cayenne for two mugs and go no higher than ⅛ teaspoon. Done well, you do not taste chile on your tongue; you feel a slow warmth at the back of your throat a moment after swallowing. If it burns right away, there is too much. Ancho or chipotle chile powder gives a smokier, milder warmth; use about twice as much as cayenne.
That range is deliberately at the low end. Published U.S. recipes checked in September 2026 use between ⅛ and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne for a batch this size, and cayenne heat varies between brands and harvests, so the safe order is: start low, taste, add.
Why is Mexican hot chocolate frothed?
Frothing is part of the tradition: a carved wooden whisk called a molinillo is spun between the palms to build foam. Practically, foam makes the drink feel lighter and richer at the same time, so the same ingredients taste fuller. A regular whisk, a handheld frother or an immersion blender all work.
Which cinnamon is best for Mexican hot chocolate?
Ceylon cinnamon, sold in Mexican groceries as canela, is the traditional choice and the softer one. Cassia — what most U.S. supermarkets label simply “ground cinnamon” — also works, but it is stronger, so use less of it.
| Cinnamon | Flavor | How to use |
|---|---|---|
| Ceylon (canela), common in Mexican cooking | Soft, floral, sweet | ¾ tsp ground, or simmer a stick in the milk |
| Cassia, sold as regular ground cinnamon in most U.S. stores | Stronger, spicier, can taste harsher in hot drinks | Use a little less, about ½ tsp |
Can you use a Mexican chocolate tablet instead of cocoa powder?
Yes, but it works differently. Mexican chocolate tablets already contain sugar and cinnamon, so sweetness and spice are fixed. Starting from unsweetened cocoa lets you set the sugar, cinnamon and heat separately, which is the point of this recipe.
Is Mexican hot chocolate the same as champurrado?
No. Champurrado is thickened with masa harina (corn flour dough), which turns it into a much heavier, almost porridge-like drink. It shares the chocolate and cinnamon flavors but has a very different body. This recipe is the lighter version.
How can you adapt this recipe?
| If you want… | Change |
|---|---|
| Dairy-free | Use oat milk, or half water and half almond milk; froth well |
| No heat | Leave out the cayenne; add a pinch of nutmeg instead |
| Less sugar | Start with 1½ tbsp (19 g) sugar and adjust |
| Thicker drink | Whisk 1 tsp cornstarch into the paste and simmer 1 minute |
For the plain base without spices, see our hot chocolate recipe with cocoa powder.
Who is this recipe for, and when should you skip it?
Skip this version if you are serving young children or anyone who dislikes chile (make the plain base instead), if you are sensitive to caffeine in the evening — each mug carries about 18 mg — if you need a thick, spoon-coating drinking chocolate, which takes melted chocolate rather than powder, or if you want an authentic tablet-based chocolate de mesa, which is a different product with sugar and often almond already in it.
| A good fit if you… | Choose something else if you… |
|---|---|
| Like warm spice and a little heat | Are serving young children or anyone who dislikes chile: leave out the cayenne |
| Want a lighter, foamy drink | Want something festive and minty: try peppermint hot chocolate from scratch |
With cinnamon and chile in the cup, a flat cocoa gets lost. The cocoa Grevista distributes is unsweetened, non-alkalized, single-origin Vietnamese Trinitario cocoa with a bright, full flavor. If you would like to make this recipe with it, the 200 g (7 oz) pouch is.
Frequently asked questions
What makes hot chocolate “Mexican”?
Cinnamon, often a little chile, and froth. Traditional versions use Mexican chocolate tablets; this recipe builds the same flavors from unsweetened cocoa powder.
How much cayenne goes in Mexican hot chocolate?
A pinch to ⅛ teaspoon for two mugs. You should feel warmth after swallowing, not heat on your tongue.
Can I use a cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon?
Yes. Simmer one stick in the milk for 5 minutes, then remove it before whisking the milk into the cocoa paste.
Is Mexican hot chocolate spicy?
Not at this amount. A pinch of cayenne for two mugs reads as warmth after the sip rather than heat, and you can leave it out entirely and still have a cinnamon-forward drink.
Can I make Mexican hot chocolate with water?
Yes. Use 2 cups (480 ml) of hot water, add 1 extra tablespoon of cocoa, and froth well; the foam gives a water-based cup more body.
What should you read or do next?
- Hot chocolate recipe with cocoa powder — go here if you want the same technique without the spices, or if your paste came out grainy.
- Vietnamese salted cocoa — try this if you enjoy cocoa with a savory edge rather than a spicy one.
- Peppermint hot chocolate from scratch — make this when you want the holiday version instead.
- The best cocoa powder for hot chocolate — read this if the cocoa disappeared under the cinnamon and chile.
- All cocoa powder recipes — browse this to use the rest of the tin.
Need a cocoa with enough flavor to stand up to cinnamon and chile? The Grevista 200 g (7 oz) unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa powder.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central: Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened (FDC ID 169593), portion weight, checked September 15, 2026.
- Isabel Eats. Mexican Hot Chocolate, cayenne amount, checked September 16, 2026.
- Gimme Some Oven. Mexican Hot Chocolate, cayenne amount, checked September 16, 2026.
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated September 15, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.