A boozy Aztec Kahlúa Hot Cocoa for the adults that is a delicious warming. Omit the Kahlua for the kiddos. Just a few ingredients are needed to make a delicious mug of hot cocoa with flair.
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I am a fan of hot cocoa. I don’t mean the powdered stuff that you add hot water to. I’m talking about melting semi sweet chocolate into rich whole milk for a mug full of chocolate-y deliciousness. There’s nothing better on a cold and blustery winter day.
Now imagine, if you will, adding Mocha Kahlúa and cayenne pepper to your chocolate milky concoction. It takes the ordinary to whole new level of delicious.
The History of Hot Chocolate
The first hot chocolate beverage was created by the Mayans over 2000 years ago and cocoa beverages were an essential part of the Aztecs culture. If they had Kahlúa in 1400 AD, I bet it would’ve been added to their cocoa.
Each year during the holidays, we get together with our neighbors for what we call Yule Bakken. It’s an evening spent eating finger foods and sipping holiday beverages at several homes in the neighborhood. Along the route to the next house, we sing Christmas carols loudly with a merry caravan of holiday spirited adults and children alike. It’s an evening we all look forward to that usually ends at our house. Guitars come out and we all squeeze into our livingroom with mugs of warm cocoa (some spiked, most not) and sing along like the most perfect Norman Rockwell depiction of the best Christmas ever. I can’t wait to have a big pot of this Aztec Kahlúa Hot Cocoa waiting for my Yule Bakken guests this holiday.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk: your favorite type of milk will work.
- Heavy Cream: really adds the richness to this drink. If using plant based milks, you’ll want to substitute it for the heavy cream.
- Semisweet Chocolate: for best results, use a bar of semisweet chocolate as it’s not coated like chips.
- Instant Espresso Powder: omit if you’re making for kids, but definitely add for the adults. Chocolate and coffee together create a rich and delicious flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: use a good quality ground cinnamon or baker’s cinnamon.
- Cayenne Pepper: adds a little zing, omit if you don’t like heat.
- Kosher Salt: optional
- Kahlúa: coffee liqueur, optional
- Marshmallows or Whipped Cream: optional but will make this drink even more fun!
How to Make Aztec Kahlua Hot Cocoa
- In a large saucepan, add the milk, heavy cream, chocolate, espresso powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Warm slowly over medium-low heat, until chocolate is melted. When warm enough to serve, add the Kahlúa and stir to combine.
- Ladle into mugs and serve immediately with marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream.
More Recipes We Love
- Kahlua and Coke
- Pumpkin Spiced Hot Buttered Rum
- Hot Sriracha Artichoke Dip
- Kahlua Pumpkin Pie Martini
- Kahlua Mexican Crema
Aztec Kahlúa Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch kosher salt, optional
- 1 cup Mocha Kahlúa, or regular Kahlúa liqueur
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add the milk, heavy cream, chocolate, espresso powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Warm slowly over medium-low heat, until chocolate is melted. When warm enough to serve, add the Kahlúa and stir to combine.
- Ladle into mugs and serve immediately with marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream.
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Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Please Leave a Review & Star Rating!Disclaimer: This was a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kahlúa. The opinions and text are all mine.
Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
I really love this recipe and hope you will too!
Oh a cup of this would be amazing right now – it’s foggy and windy here on MV!
Gosh I could use a cup of this!