This lightly spiced Mexican hot chocolate combines semisweet vegan chocolate with dairy-free milk – then lightly spiced with cinnamon and a hint of chili for a delicious winter warming drink! Prepare this spiced vegan hot chocolate using regular vegan chocolate or Ibarra Mexican chocolate tablets either on the stovetop or in a crockpot!
With the weather cooling down as we inch closer and closer to winter, it’s the perfect time to grab the ingredients to make a big batch of golden milk and homemade Mexican chocolate. With a combination of chocolate, cinnamon, and warming chili powder, this creamy vegan hot chocolate will warm your bones in no time – while also appealing to your sweet tooth!
Whether you're looking for a versatile party drink (perfect for potlucks and dinner parties), entertaining, or simply want to enjoy a warming vegan hot chocolate while getting cozy with a blanket and a book (or tv), this warming vegan Mexican hot chocolate recipe fits the bill. It's easily scalable, not overly sweet but easily adapted based on how sweet, spicy, and 'spiced' you prefer.
Mexican hot chocolate refers to a drink popular in Mexico that is the ‘Mexican style’ of preparing hot chocolate (usually just called Mexican chocolate). It is generally prepared with Mexican chocolate 'tablets' (made with unrefined ground cocoa/ cocoa liquor) that are melted in water or milk and combined with sugar and spices – usually cinnamon and Chile powders. The result is a thicker and slightly grainy warming chocolate drink with a heat that lingers on your tongue without overwhelming your palate in comparison to 'regular hot chocolate'.
Within this post, we’ll take you through two versions of preparing this vegan hot chocolate drink: one from scratch with cocoa powder (not as authentic, but delicious) and one using Ibarra’s ‘accidentally vegan’ Mexican chocolate tablets.
Once you try this Mexican chocolate drink, you’ll never want to have to rely on lackluster hot chocolate mixes again. It’s not overly sweet, creamy but not too rich, and lightly spiced with ‘just enough’ heat. The result is a vegan hot chocolate you never knew you needed – but will never want to go without again!
One of our favorite things about homemade hot chocolate from scratch is being able to load our mugs up with plenty of toppings/garnishes like:
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
When using the Ibarra Mexican chocolate tablets, it should say the directions on the box. However, there's a couple of tips we like to use. Plus, since the tablet is already spiced, you’ll need to adjust how much additional spice (if any) that you add to this vegan Mexican hot chocolate version!
While Mexican hot chocolate tastes best when fresh, you can allow any leftovers to cool. Then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
You might also enjoy browsing through our entire collection of vegan Mexican recipes!
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
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