Mexican mocha (or Mayan mocha) is a playful and warming twist on the classic mocha. Infused with warming spices and a subtle kick of chilli, this spicy coffee drink is deeply comforting.
It pairs wonderfully with sweet treats such as my Mexican spiced chocolate coffee cake, espresso brownies or Aztec truffles.
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What I love about this drink
Sweet coffee crushes, I have a few. My latest is this Mexican mocha. It's a bold and lively twist on the classic mocha, blending rich, strong coffee, dark chocolate and a handful of warming spices in style. Here are a few reasons why it's worth making:
- Warming: This bold drink is no wallflower. Spices take centre stage, delivering warming, tingly heat in every sip of this spicy mocha.
- Adaptable: Vary the spice level to suit your own tastes and feel free to use your favourite dairy-free milk.
- Balanced flavour: This Mayan mocha is not an overly chocolatey or sugary drink. A hint of honey adds gentle sweetness that lets the coffee, chocolate and spices shine.
- Rich but light: Whilst this Mexican mocha coffee tastes rich and indulgent it is lighter than a classic mocha as there's less chocolate involved.
- Inventive: Coffee, chocolate and spice might sound unlikely, but they work together beautifully in this truly divine drink.
- Versatile: This rich and comforting spicy mocha is perfect for cooler days but it's equally delicious served as an iced Mayan mocha on warmer days.
Jump to:
What is Mexican mocha?
A Mexican mocha is a blend of coffee, chocolate, milk and select spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla and chilli or cayenne pepper are often incorporated into the drink.
This spicy coffee drink can also go by the following names: spicy mocha, chilli mocha, Mayan mocha, Aztec mocha, Oaxacan latte or Oaxacan mocha.
Whilst the terms are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between a Mayan mocha (or Aztec mocha) and a Mexican mocha. Mayan mocha typically includes dark chocolate and specific spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, chilli or cayenne). Mexican mocha, however, is typically made from chocolate powder and can include a broader range of spices.
This Mexican mocha recipe sits somewhere between the two. It uses dark chocolate like a Mayan mocha but a wider selection of spices for a bold and comforting flavour.
When I created this spicy mocha I didn't focus on strict authenticity. Instead, I put the emphasis on creating a decadently delicious drink bursting with flavour.
Feeling adventurous? Take things up a notch with my Ancho Reyes espresso martini. It's a spicy spin on the the classic coffee cocktail.
And if you enjoy getting creative with your daily cup of Joe, don't miss my other flavoured coffee drinks. Start with a white peppermint mocha, caramel mocha or Biscoff latte then gravitate towards something a little different such as cardamom almond milk latte. There's a flavour for every mood.
Ingredients notes
Coffee: Brew strong coffee using around 18g of ground coffee per 75ml. There's no need to go for anything too expensive. Pick a coffee that you enjoy drinking. If it has notes of chocolate or cinnamon all the better for this Mexican mocha coffee.
Chocolate: If you can't find Mexican chocolate use dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids. It works well with the spices to create an Aztec mocha with rich, bold character and just enough sweetness to balance the heat without it becoming cloying.
Spice: I kept the classic combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and chilli but added a touch of allspice for its sweet, comforting character.
Chilli: I plumped for ancho chilli, which offers a gentle kick of heat paired with subtle sweet notes. It's mild enough not to overpower the drink but still imparts that signature warmth that makes a Mayan mocha so distinctive.
Sweetener: I opted for honey as its sweet mellowness complements the bold flavours in this Aztec mocha recipe beautifully. Demerara sugar (to taste) would be a good alternative.
- Step 1: Warm the milk to hot (but don't let it boil). Take it off the heat and stir in the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and chilli powder. Leave it to infuse for 15 minutes.
- Step 2: Strain the milk through a piece of muslin or a nut milk bag and return the infused milk to a clean pan.
- Step 3: Chop the chocolate and add it to the pan with a pinch of salt. Heat to melt the chocolate, stirring constantly until the temperature reaches around 70°C (158°F). Take it off the heat.
- Step 4: Brew the espresso and pour it into the pan.
- Optional: froth the spicy mocha drink with the steam wand on your coffee machine, a dedicated milk foamer or a stick blender.
- Pour the drink into warmed mugs or coffee glasses and serve.
Expert tips
- Warm your cup: Fill your serving cup/ glass with freshly boiled water while preparing the drink. This helps keep your Aztec mocha at the perfect temperature for sipping.
- Heat gently: Avoid boiling the spiced milk. Overheating can make the drink too hot and may cause the coffee to taste bitter. Aim to heat the milk to around 70°C (158°F).
- Sweeten with care: Go easy on the sweetener. The charm of this spicy coffee drink lies in the balance of robust coffee, rich chocolate and enchanting, warming spices, gently rounded out with subtle sweetness.
- Adjust spiced thoughtfully: Tweak the spices to your own tastes, but do so cautiously. Adding too much or swapping in boldly flavoured spices may overpower the drink's delicate harmony of flavours.
Frequently asked questions
It could be argued that for this spicy coffee drink to truly be a Mexican mocha it should be made with authentic Mexican chocolate. However, this ingredient can be hard to find in the UK.
Mexican chocolate typically contains sugar and cinnamon and can have a coarser texture than regular chocolate. Whilst some recipes use cocoa powder as a substitute, I prefer to stick with dark chocolate, adding cinnamon and honey to replicate the flavour.
The perfect chilli powder to use in your Mexican mocha coffee comes down to personal taste. Whilst some recipes call for fresh red chilli, its heat can vary widely, so I prefer the consistency of chilli powder. Here are a few great options to consider:
Mild chilli powder: A widely available, reliable choice and a great starting point.
Cayenne pepper: Adds a medium-hot kick of heat. Adjust the amount used depending on your taste preference.
Ancho chilli: Delivers a sweet and mild heat with rich flavour. It's perfect for a gentle buzz of warming, tingly heat in your spicy coffee drink.
Chipotle chilli: Imparts pronounced heat along with sweet, smoky and slightly bitter notes too.
Have fun experimenting and tailor your Mexican mocha coffee to your perfect spice level.
Yes, you can. The result will be a sweetly spiced coffee drink, still with the warming, cosy notes of the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice but without the spicier heat of the chilli.
Of course. Try mixing the following measures up and storing in a screw top jar for up to 3 months: 3 teaspoons of ancho chilli powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and 1 teaspoon of ground allspice.
Yes, you can, and it's easy to do so. Just ensure you use de-caff espresso when making this drink.
Yes, you can. Brew your espresso coffee in a cafetiere (French press) instead. You may need to make a larger batch of espresso coffee to make this a worthwhile option, but you can batch-make this spicy coffee drink and store it in the fridge for another day.
At a pinch, you could use instant coffee granules. Make sure it's strong, so go for 3 teaspoon dissolved in 75ml of water that has been boiled and allowed to sit in the kettle for 10 minutes.
Variations
- Alcohol - try adding a splash of brandy or bourbon to your Mexican mocha coffee for a truly decadent twist on a cold, dark winter's evening.
- Whipped cream - I don't always advocate extravagant toppings on my coffee creations but whipped cream dusted in cinnamon or chilli powder is amazing here - it pairs beautifully with the chilli heat.
- Make it an iced Mayan mocha - make the spiced chocolate milk using just half of the milk. When the chocolate has been melted into the spice-infused milk top up with the remainder of the milk to cool it down. Pour the coffee and the milk into a tumbler filled with ice.
- Ice cream float - yes, really. This is immense fun whether you're serving your Aztec mocha hot or over ice.
- Swap the spices - use my recipe as a guide and have a spice adventure fooling around with it.
- Make a vegan Mexican mocha - ensure that your chocolate is vegan, swap regular milk for your favourite vegan-friendly milk of choice and switch the honey for demerara sugar or maple syrup.
More mochas and lattes to try
Have you made this Mexican mocha recipe? I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know how you got along by leaving a comment or rating below - it would mean so much to me if you did.
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Mexican Mocha
Ingredients
- 150 ml Strong coffee freshly brewed using 18g ground coffee per 75ml
- 300 ml Milk full fat
- 30 g Dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Ground allspice
- ¾ teaspoon Ancho chilli powder or other chilli powder of your choice
- Pinch of salt
Optional Garnishes (any of the following)
- Whipped cream
- Grated chocolate
- Ancho chilli powder
- Ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Warm the milk (but don't let it boil). Take it off the heat and stir in the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and the chilli powder. Leave it to infuse for 15 minutes.
- Strain through a piece of muslin or a nutbag and return the infused milk to a clean pan.
- Chop the chocolate and add it to the pan with a pinch of salt. Heat to melt the chocolate, stirring constantly. Take off the heat when the temperature reaches 70C/ 158F.
- Brew the coffee and pour it into the pan. Stir.
- Optional: froth the spicy mocha drink with the steam wand on your coffee machine, a dedicated milk foamer or a stick blender.
- Pour it into warmed mugs or coffee glasses.
- Top with cream (if desired) and garnishes then serve immediately.
Notes
- Don't allow the milk to boil. It will just make the drink too hot to enjoy and may turn the coffee bitter. Instead, aim to heat the milk to around 70C/ 158F.
- Do warm your serving cup by filling it with freshly boiled water while the drink is prepared. Your mexican mocha will be a better temperature if you do.
- Adjust the level of sweetener cautiously. The charm of this Mexican mocha recipe is the perfect balance of robust coffee and chocolate flavours, kicked up with enchanting spices and just a hint of sweetness. Less is more here.
- Similarly, the spices should be adjusted thoughtfully. It's fine to swap some out or increase or decrease them, but be mindful of overpowering the other flavours in your Mayan mocha if you do so.
- If you leave out the chilli the result will be a sweetly spiced drink, still with the warming, cosy notes of the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice but without the more spicy heat of the chilli.
- Try different chilli powders such as chipotle, cayenne or supermarket standard mild chilli powder.
- To make an iced Mexican mocha make the spiced chocolate milk using just half of the milk then strain away the spices and top up with the remainder of the milk to cool it down. Pour the coffee and the milk into a tumbler filled with ice.
- To make a vegan spicy mocha use a vegan-friendly milk, vegan dark chocolate and replace the honey with maple syrup or demerara sugar.
Jane Coupland says
This is the ultimate mocha - loaded up with fabulous flavour and entirely different to anything the coffee shop typically offers. Enjoy.