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Indulge the spicy team with this easy hot chocolate recipe. It has all the goodness of classic hot cocoa and a little heat to wake up your taste buds!
Spicy Hot Cocoa
While my famous hot cocoa is always a hit, I can’t get enough of hot chocolate variations! That’s why I decided to make this easy spicy hot chocolate recipe with a hint of cayenne pepper. It’s out of this world!
If you have heard about Mexican hot chocolate, you’ll love this recipe. It’s just as delicious, but I use cayenne instead of chili powder and cinnamon for a simpler yet spicier flavor.
Ingredients
The base of this recipe is unsweetened cocoa powder. For sweetness, I use brown sugar because its molasses balances out the spice, but you can use white sugar instead. You’ll also need hot water, a pinch of salt, cayenne pepper, any regular or non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract.
How to Make Spicy Hot Chocolate
Here are the steps that make these delicious mugs possible:
- Combine cocoa powder, sugar, water, salt, and cayenne pepper, and cook until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture simmers. Remember to stir constantly.
- Add milk to the mix and bring it to a simmer, making sure it doesn't boil. Add the vanilla after turning off the heat.
- Serve into mugs and add the best toppings, such as whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon powder, or marshmallows.
More Ways to Make Hot Chocolate
With so many hot chocolate recipes in this blog, where to start? Well, if you’re all about holiday flavors, you need to try this pumpkin spice hot chocolate, this peppermint hot cocoa, and this delish gingerbread hot chocolate!
Spicy Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup brown sugar, or white sugar
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups milk, any
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cook:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cocoa powder, brown sugar, water, salt, and cayenne pepper over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has fully dissolved into the cocoa and the mixture is simmering.
- Pour in the milk and mix it with the chocolate. Bring it to a simmer but do not boil.
Serve:
- Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot chocolate into mugs and serve immediately.
Leslie says
I loved this spicy hot chocolate recipe..it had just the right amount of kick! So delicious!
Donna says
My husband is a self-proclaimed hot chocolate aficionado and absolutely loved this recipe. The subtle hint of heat was perfect.
Petra says
This hot chocolate is rich, smooth, and finishes with just the right spicy kick. It’s a fun twist on classic cocoa that warms you up and keeps things interesting…love it!
Loise says
I’m interested in trying this spicy hot chocolate tonight. Adding a bit of heat to a traditional warm drink sounds like a great way to change things up. It seems like a very cozy option for a cold afternoon.