Mexican Spiked Hot Chocolate Cocktail or Mocktail

A spiked hot chocolate cocktail is rich and creamy, with spicy heat! Easy to make in a crockpot, make this recipe with or without alcohol.

The first snow of the season makes me want to cuddle up by the fire with a good book and hot beverage. To me, it’s also a sign that the holidays are near and a reminder to savor the season. Sip and savor!

And this warm drink is delicious to serve on Christmas morning, or for a small holiday gathering. It’s vegan friendly, and super chocolaty. It’s SO easy to make in a slow cooker, and after that, keep it there so it stays warm.

It’s also really easy to adapt as a mocktail for any non-drinkers. Just serve the kiddos and non drinkers first, then spike it with alcohol for those who want a hot chocolate cocktail.

It’s rich in flavor and GASP… made with all natural ingredients! I made two batches of the hot chocolate cocktails; once for a few neighbors, and then to share with my family. One batch was made with Lily’s sugar free baking chocolate to reduce the sugar intake.

Ingredients for Mexican hot chocolate

Except for the alcohol, you’ll need all of these ingredients for both the spiked hot chocolate and the mocktail version.

• almond milk– I’m sure the drink will taste great with any other dairy free milk too, but I’ve only used almond milk
  
• coconut cream or canned coconut milk– If you use coconut milk, be sure to discard the water on top first
  
• chopped bittersweet chocolate– Chocolate chips can be used instead of a bar, but you will have to stir it often to prevent it from burning. Bars, chopped into small pieces will give you the best results.
  
• unsweetened baking chocolate or semi sweet chocolate– Feel free to use a dairy free variety if you need or want to
  
• ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks
  
• ground nutmeg– I recommend grating nutmeg fresh for the best flavor, but ground powder is fine
  
• chili powder– If you want to kick up the spice level, use half chili powder and half cayenne pepper!
  
• vanilla extract
  
• agave or maple syrup– Another option is to replace the agave with ½ to ⅔ cup sweetened vegan condensed milk for extra creaminess.
  
• unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• gold tequila– Depending on the manufacturer, this variety of tequila gets its amber color from the infusion of either caramel or agave syrup
  
• chocolate liqueur or liquor–
  • For the cocktail version, I used Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur, which is dairy free, 72 % cacao, and also lower in sugar than regular chocolate liqueur. You can find it most liquor stores.
    
  • For the mocktail version, or really, either version, you can use chocolate liquor.
    
    Unlike chocolate liqueur, there is no alcohol in chocolate liquor. Also known as cocoa mass or cocoa liquor, it’s an alcohol-free base for making all forms of chocolate.
    
    It’s made from cocoa beans that are fermented, dried, roasted, and hulled, and it contains roughly 55% cocoa butter and 45% cocoa solids.
    
    You can buy it online at places like Amazon, and specialty chocolate shops usually carry it as well.
    
• Toasted marshmallows– these are my favorite vegan marshmallows, or you can make homemade marshmallows

How to make non-alcoholic or spiked hot chocolate

It doesn’t get much easier than this, y’all… Check out this RECIPE VIDEO!

1. Add ingredients to a crockpot / slow cooker.

Dump everything except for the alcohol and marshmallows into your slow cooker. Use a whisk to combine everything. This way, you can be sure that the cocoa powder is incorporated. Otherwise, it tends to float on the top.

2. Cook on high setting for 1 hour, stirring often.

After that hour, remove the cinnamon sticks and flip the crockpot to the low setting. Then, let it cook for another 1 or 2 hours, or until chocolate melts completely. 

3. Add the chocolate liqueur and booze (if desired).

Stir in the tequila and chocolate liqueur (if desired) and then lower the slow cooker to its low or keep warm setting.

4. Serve with toasted vegan marshmallows on top.

I like to use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows.

Just set them onto a baking pan and pass the flame over the top of the marshmallows.

I’ve seen people try to do it fire pit style, using a gas flame stove, but that seems super dangerous to me! Be careful, people! Haha.

If you need other drink ideas for the holidays, I have a couple of great recipes! Check out this paloma cocktail recipe, and this turmeric pineapple shrub.

Mexican Spiked Hot Chocolate Cocktail or Mocktail

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★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Lindsay Cotter
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 – 8 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

A spiked hot chocolate cocktail is rich and creamy, with spicy heat! Easy to make in a crockpot, make this recipe with or without alcohol.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 ½ cups coconut cream or canned coconut milk (water on top discarded)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces baking dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate (dairy free if needed), chopped
• ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon chili powder* (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ to ½ cup agave or maple syrup* (see notes)
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup tequila gold
• ⅓ cup chocolate liquor (non alcoholic) or dark chocolate liqueur (with alcohol)
• Toasted marshmallows- these are my favorite vegan marshmallows, or make my homemade marshmallows

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Instructions

1. Place all ingredients except for the tequila, chocolate liqueur, and toppings into a slow cooker. Whisk to get the cocoa powder as mixed in as possible. 
2. Cook on high setting for 1 hour, stirring often. After 1 hour, remove cinnamon sticks, stir, then cook on low setting for another 1 or 2 hours, or until chocolate melts completely.  
3. Stir in the tequila gold (if desired) and chocolate liqueur, then turn slow cooker down to “warm”.
4. Serve with toasted vegan marshmallows on top.

Notes

• For additional spiciness, substitute all chili powder for a 50-50 blend of chili powder and cayenne pepper.
• Chocolate chips can be replaced with a baking chocolate bar, but you will have to stir it often to prevent it from burning. Bars, diced into pieces work best.
• Agave may be replaced with ½ to ⅔ cup sweetened vegan condensed milk for extra creaminess.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: drinks
• Method: slow cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup with alchohol
• Calories: 317
• Sugar: 14.7 g
• Sodium: 133.9 mg
• Fat: 16.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 9.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 23.3 g
• Fiber: 4.3 g
• Protein: 4.2 g
• Cholesterol: 0.3 mg

Keywords: spiked hot chocolate, hot chocolate cocktail, Mexican hot chocolate, dairy free, vegan, gluten free, cocktails, mocktails

Alright, who’s ready to hand me their cup? Your christmas morning miracle drink awaits. 😉

Cheers,

LC