A typical cup of hot chocolate is filled with sugar and milk, which are definitely not Paleo! To make yours healthier without sacrificing taste, we created a PaleoFLEX™ Mexican hot chocolate recipe that uses just a little bit of maple syrup as sweetener, healthier dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, and coconut milk in place of dairy milk. The end result? A rich, creamy, just-sweet-enough hot chocolate you’ll want to savor!
It’s really easy to bring this homemade hot chocolate together. Simply add coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cacao powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne to a saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil, then cover and simmer for five minutes to allow the flavors to marry and to evenly heat the hot chocolate all the way through.
You can pour your hot chocolate into mugs and serve immediately, or go the extra mile and add a bit of coconut milk froth. To make it, simply add a bit of coconut milk to a jar, then cover tightly and shake until frothy. Pour it over your hot chocolate, and garnish with finely chopped dark chocolate and a shake of cinnamon.
For an extra cozy experience, enjoy with PaleoFLEX™ almond shortbread cookies for dunking!
Tip: Want your Mexican hot chocolate extra spicy? Add another dash of cayenne or a bit of chile powder to the mix. You can also skip the cayenne entirely if you don’t want yours spicy at all.
PaleoFLEX™ Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Recipe by: Jess Case
- Serves: 2
- Meal: Dessert
- Serves: 2
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk, plus more for topping
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 oz 85% dark chocolate, plus more for garnish
Directions
Whisk all ingredients in a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour the hot chocolate into two mugs. Add extra coconut milk to a jar, cover, and shake until frothy.
Pour milk evenly over each mug, then add finely chopped dark chocolate and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
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