Mexican Mocha
Mexican mocha combines rich chocolate with warm cinnamon and just a bit of cayenne for a mug of coffee that’s made for chilly winter days. (But don’t worry, we have an iced option too!)
The fragrant combination of cinnamon and chocolate is hard to beat, especially when you add in a pinch of cayenne for a little extra warmth. We love it in hot chocolate, but when you need some pep in your step, it’s perfect for adding to coffee too.
This Mexican mocha is so simple to make—and so delicious!—that you won’t need to make those daily runs to Starbucks this winter. Just whip up a big batch of the Mexican chocolate mix, add it to warm coffee and milk with a splash of vanilla, and you’re set.
About this Mexican mocha recipe
A jar or tin of homemade Mexican mocha mix also makes a great homemade gift—add a tag with instructions and a festive ribbon and maybe put it in a basket with hot cocoa mix for the kids or pancake mix for the ultimate weekend breakfast?
You can use this Mexican mocha mix recipe in other ways, too. It’ll make delicious iced coffee in the summer, or you can use flavored coffee syrup or creamer with the powder to come up with your own signature fancy coffee recipe. (We love it with our brown sugar cinnamon coffee syrup and homemade caramel sauce!)
What you need
For the Dry Mix
- Cocoa powder – Dutch process or natural cocoa powder both work for this recipe.
- Coconut sugar – We like using coconut sugar because it gives this Mexican mocha a lovely caramel flavor, but you can certainly use granulated sugar or brown sugar instead.
- Cinnamon – Splurge for a high-quality Saigon cinnamon for the strongest flavor.
- Cayenne pepper – Feel free to scale this up or down, depending on your tastes.
- Fine salt – Salt enhances the overall flavor of this Mexican mocha mix.
For the Mexican Mocha
- Pure vanilla extract – Vanilla adds another aromatic element to your drink, and it’s another ingredient that enhances the other flavors in the recipe.
- Coffee – Any coffee, brewed to your liking!
- Milk – Dairy milk or your favorite creamy plant-based milk. Learn how to make almond milk and you can add your homemade almond milk to the mocha.
How to make it
Whisk the dry ingredients. Place all of the dry mix ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
Store. Transfer the dry ingredients to an airtight container; a funnel works well if the container has a small opening.
Make your mocha. Mix 2 tablespoons of the dry mix with 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and a few tablespoons of hot coffee until the mixture is dissolved.
Whisk in the rest of the coffee and milk, then serve.
How to make an Iced Mexican Mocha
Combine the dry mix, vanilla, and hot coffee. Add milk and serve over ice. For a frappuccino style drink, blend the dry mix, vanilla, cold coffee, milk, and ice in a blender.
FAQs
The most basic Mexican mocha recipe consists of coffee, milk, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne. We like to add vanilla and salt as well to enhance the flavor, while some recipes call for nutmeg and other cozy spices too.
Mocha is a coffee drink that’s made with milk and chocolate syrup or cocoa powder, so mocha flavor is that chocolate-and-coffee combination.
How to make this Mexican mocha your own
There are so many ways to customize your Mexican mocha! Here are some of our favorites.
- Make it a latte. Combine the Mexican mocha mix with 1 to 2 shots of espresso and 8 ounces of steamed milk.
- Make it a frappe. Substitute the Mexican mocha mix for chocolate syrup in our mocha frappuccino recipe.
- Make it deluxe. Top your mocha with whipped cream (or chocolate whipped cream! or cinnamon whipped cream!), a dusting of cinnamon, and shaved dark chocolate.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the Mexican mocha mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. If you have leftover brewed mocha, it will keep in the fridge for about a day; drink it cold or warm it up in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
More fancy coffee recipes
Get the Recipe: Mexican Mocha
Ingredients
For Dry Mix
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
For Mexican Mocha
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces choice of coffee (see notes)
- 4 ounces milk (see notes)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients until fully combined.
- Store in an airtight container.
- To make a Mexican mocha, mix 2 tablespoons of dry mix and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla with a few tablespoons of hot coffee until the mixture is dissolved. Stir in the rest of the hot coffee and your choice of milk, and enjoy!
Notes
- For an iced coffee, combine the dry mix, vanilla, and hot coffee. Add milk and serve over ice. For a frappuccino style drink, blend the dry mix, vanilla, cold coffee, milk, and ice in a blender.
- Alternatively, use 1-2 shots of espresso and 8 ounces steamed milk.
- You can store the Mexican mocha mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. If you have leftover brewed mocha, it will keep in the fridge for about a day; drink it cold or warm it up in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.