Mexican Mocha Recipe (Aztec Mocha)
This Mexican Mocha (also known as Aztec Mocha) tastes like “your coffee met hot chocolate”! With a kick from spices like cinnamon and cayenne pepper and chocolaty flavors from cocoa powder, this Latin-inspired mocha will keep you warm on cold winter or rainy days.
If you want to treat yourself to a great cup of coffee, try these recipes: Iced Horchata Coffee, Iced Vanilla Latte, Caramel Latte, Café-Style Cold Coffee, and Vietnamese Iced Coffee.
A Quick Look At Mexican Mocha Recipe
- Flavor: Rich, chocolatey, and warmly spiced with cinnamon and chili
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 4 minutes
- Serves: 1
- Skill Level: Easy
- Diet: Vegetarian, gluten-free
- Equipment: Saucepan, whisk, mugs
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A cozy blend of coffee, chocolate, and warm spices—perfect for chilly mornings or festive evenings.
- Inspired by traditional Mexican flavors, with a hint of chili heat balanced by cinnamon.
- Quick and easy: ready in just 5 minutes with simple pantry staples.
- Completely customizable—adjust sweetness, spice, or use your choice of milk.
- A delightful homemade café-style drink that feels indulgent but is effortless to make.
Mohit and I are more tea people than coffee people. We start our mornings with a tall mug of Ginger Green tea or Masala Chai. However, a few days ago, I came across a recipe for Mexican mocha, which sounded exciting. So I gave it a try, and since then, we have been sipping on it on and off. In this post, I am sharing my version of this recipe with you all!
About Mexican Mocha
Mexican Mocha, also known as Aztec Mocha or Oaxacan Latte, is a traditional mocha with warm and rustic spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper.
The spices add an extra layer of warming flavor to this rich and chocolaty drink, making it especially satisfying on cold days. We love to sip on it at home with my Almond Cookies and Banana Cookies.
It is super easy to make, not overly sweet, and tastes out of this world!
A regular mocha uses chocolate syrup for the rich, chocolaty flavors. However, my version includes cocoa powder, which makes it even better.
I have shared the recipe for making 1 cup of coffee, but you can scale the recipe as needed.
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. You can easily make it vegan as well.
Ingredients
Coffee – Brew strong coffee using your favorite method.
A mocha pot, a French press, or a regular coffee machine works fine. I like to use double the amount of coffee powder to brew a strong concoction.
If you have an espresso machine, use 2 espresso shots instead of brewed coffee. Add some water to the shots to make up for the quantity.
You can also use instant coffee powder dissolved in water to make this Mexican coffee.
Nespresso, Aeropress, and other similar devices can also be used.
Tip – Freshly grind the coffee beans for the best taste.
Cocoa Powder – A high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder makes a noticeable difference in the taste. I prefer using the Hershey’s brand.
Spices – Fragrant spices like ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper give this coffee drink a warm, spicy kick, making it unique.
Milk – I prefer using whole milk (full-fat milk) to make this drink rich and creamy, but you can also opt for skim milk or low-fat milk.
Plant-based milks, such as coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk, also work great in this recipe.
Sugar – Use confectioner’s sugar to sweeten the coffee. It contains a small amount of cornstarch, which makes the drink exceptionally creamy.
Adjust the quantity of sugar as per your taste.
You can use regular white sugar or brown sugar if the confectioner’s sugar is not easily available.
Use honey or maple syrup for a variation.
A little bit of vanilla extract makes the difference. Try it!
Whipped Cream – It is optional, but a bit on the top makes it look so good.
How To Make Mexican Mocha Coffee Recipe – Step By Step
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the following ingredients.
- 2 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Your mocha mix is ready.
Step 2: Add 6 oz (200 ml) of strong, brewed coffee to a saucepan, along with the mocha mix, and stir until well combined.
Step 3: Heat on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
Step 4: While the coffee mixture is heating, froth ¼ cup of hot milk using a handheld electric frother or a frothing machine.
Note: If you are using plant-based milk, it may not froth as well as regular milk.
Step 5: Pour the coffee mixture into a large coffee mug or 2 small cups.
Step 6: Pour foamy milk on top. Top with whipped cream (optional) and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to make a big batch of Mexican mocha mix and store it in an airtight container. Whenever I feel like sipping on this drink, I add 2-3 tablespoons of this mix to brewed coffee and pour frothy milk on top; my Mexican spiced mocha is ready in no time.
Mix 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl. Store the mocha mix in a glass container in a cool and dry place for up to 15 days.
Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of this mocha mix with 6 oz of brewed coffee and ¼ cup of milk. You can also adjust it according to your taste.
This mix makes for a great edible gift during festivals, birthdays, or special occasions.
To make this drink, you can replace the cocoa powder with Mexican chocolate; it will taste even better. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped Mexican chocolate to the milk in a saucepan and turn on the stove. Heat it on medium heat until the chocolate has melted and is completely mixed with the milk. Now, pour in the brewed coffee and spices and mix well. Froth the coffee using a frother and serve hot, topped with whipped cream.
Don’t have a fancy steamer or frother? Then, use an immersion blender, a regular stand blender, or just a jar with a lid to froth the milk.
You can also make an iced version of this Mexican-spiced mocha. Prepare the coffee mixture and let it come to room temperature. Pour it into a serving glass filled with ice cubes. Top with frothy milk. Stir and serve!
Serving Suggestions
This spicy coffee drink is perfect to serve on cold fall or winter days. It is my favorite drink to sip on while sitting on the Christmas tree during the holiday season.
You can also serve it after a Cinco de Mayo feast.
Use a cinnamon stick as a stirrer for your Mexican-spiced mocha. As you stir, the cinnamon stick will infuse the drink with additional warmth and aroma.
You can add a shot of whiskey or tequila for an adult twist. It adds depth and complexity to the drink, making it a perfect evening indulgence.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to turn your Mexican mocha into a dessert. The contrast of hot and cold, along with the flavors of chocolate and coffee, makes it a delightful treat.
Storage Suggestions
This hot coffee tastes best when made fresh. You can’t store and reheat it because it will change the texture of the mocha.
However, you can prepare a large batch of mocha mix and use it to make the drink whenever you feel like sipping it.
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Mexican Mocha Recipe (Aztec Mocha)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 6 ounces strong brewed coffee (200 ml)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup hot milk (whole, skim or plant-based)
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together confectioner’s sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Your mocha-mix is ready.
- Add brewed coffee to a saucepan along with the mocha mix and stir well. Heat on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
- While the coffee mixture is heating, froth hot milk using a handheld electric frother or a frothing machine.
- Pour the coffee mixture into a large coffee mug.
- Pour foamy milk on top. Top with whipped cream (optional) and serve immediately.
i love this recipe so much !! it’s such a good balance of flavors
if i wanted to use more than 6 oz for the coffee, like 12 oz for example, how would that affect the mocha mix ratio? would i just double everything?
Not double but you can increase it by 20%.
Delicious, indulgent and easy. I brewed the coffee in a French press, then mixed the milk, cocoa and spices in a frother to warm and incorporate rather than on stove top. Worked perfectly and has the exact right amount of spice.
Thanks for your generous words Lauren
I have always had my coffee with a pinch of cayenne. Just found out it is common in Mexico. I thought I was just a bit different b4 finding the M Mocha recipe.