Healthy Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe with Dairy-Free Options

Weather here in our neck of the woods is very distinct.  It often reaches the hundreds in the summer and doesn't rain for months.  In the winter, we can get dustings of snow and the wood stove has a fire in it's belly every evening.

We have a tradition on the first day of the rainy season.  The children never ever forget it.  When they see that first dark cloud in the sky, one of them asks, "If it rains, will you make hot chocolate?"  The answer is always yes.  I suddenly have four meteorologists outdoors trying to detect the faintest mist so we can declare it the first rainy day and justify a big pot of hot cocoa.

This year I spiced things up a bit and made Mexican hot chocolate.  The brightness in their eyes at the first sip and shrieks of this is the best hot chocolate EVER! clued me in that it was a success, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  If you need to stay away from dairy, simply use coconut or almond milk.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 3 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes, Serves 6

• 2 rounds of organic Mexican chocolate (Trader Joe's also sells some)
• 6 cups milk (dairy, coconut, or almond)
• 1/4 cup rapadura
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pinch cayenne powder

1. Break apart chocolate into pieces and put in saucepan.  Add remaining ingredients.
2. Stir constantly over medium to medium/high heat until steamy but not boiling.  Pour into six mugs and top with whipped cream, if desired.  You may also sprinkle a little bit of nutmeg on top of the whipped cream to make it extra pretty.

Two years ago: Perfectly Frothy Raw Hot Cocoa

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I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday, SImple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Fight Back Friday.