A Classic Spanish Hot Chocolate Recipe For A Velvety Hot Beverage!
Looking to fill a chocolate craving and want a hot drink at the same time? A traditional Spanish hot chocolate is definitely the treat for you!
Made from melted chocolate and milk, this thickened beverage – also known as Chocolate A La Taza Casero or Chocolate Caliente – is just like drinking a chocolate bar… because it basically is.
Spanish hot chocolate is super smooth and creamy, decadently sweet, and warms you up. It’s perfect for date night, holiday guests, or just to enjoy bundled up on the couch by a fire!
Spanish hot chocolate is extremely popular across many parts of Spain. It enjoyed in cafes or even at home for breakfast. Lisa had it many times while living in Spain.
Of course, it’s hard to imagine a mug of Spanish hot chocolate without it’s sidekick – churros!
Spanish hot chocolate and churros go together perfectly. The soft and fried dough dips into the creamy chocolate like it was made for dunking.
You can check out our recipe for Spanish churros to go along with the hot chocolate. Trust us, you’ll be coming back for more bite after bite.
Our Spanish hot chocolate recipe is really easy to make.
The most important thing to remember is to have a decent quality melting chocolate, enough milk to spare, and corn starch to thicken it.
With those ingredients taken care of, you’re basically good to go.
Just remember that this is a thickened hot chocolate. This Spanish hot chocolate will likely end up much thicker and richer than the hot chocolate you’re used to (if you’re in North America)!
How to Make Spanish Hot Chocolate – Step-by-Step
If you want a smooth cup of Spanish hot chocolate, you can follow the recipe card in the bottom of this post.
And if you want to be able to see the recipe process steps as you make your hot chocolate, you can check out the process photos below.
This way, you’ll know whether or not you are on the right track!
First, break your chocolate bar into smaller pieces. We like using chocolate with at least 70 % cocoa but you can experiment with this and adjust it to your preference.
If you use chocolate with less cocoa or milk chocolate, your hot chocolate will end up being sweeter.
Pour the milk into a small pot and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir occasionally.
Once the milk is boiling, remove the pot from the heat and add the chocolate pieces.
Let the chocolate melt while stirring regularly.
Wait until the chocolate is fully melted.
If the milk gets too cold while you wait for the chocolate to melt, you can place it back on the stove for a minute or two.
However, usually the chocolate melts quickly enough and this step is not necessary.
In a mug, dissolve the cornstarch in a little bit of milk. Stir rigorously to make sure that there are no lumps.
Add the milk with the dissolved cornstarch into the pot once all the chocolate has melted.
Also, add the sugar if you want your hot chocolate to have a slightly sweeter taste.
Then place the pot back on the stove on low heat and whisk for 5-10 minutes until the hot chocolate has thickened.
Once the Spanish hot chocolate has thickened, pour it into two mugs and serve it right away. It taste great with some Spanish churros!
Related Recipes
For more great Spanish recipes, check out these tasty favorites:
- Spanish Flan
- Leche Merengada
- Magdalenas
- Polvorones (Spanish Shortbread)
Spanish Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 5 ounces dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional
Instructions
- Break up the chocolate into small pieces.
- Pour the milk into a small pot and bring it to a boil on the stovetop.
- Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and add the chocolate pieces. Let the chocolate melt and stir occasionally. If the milk gets too cold while you wait for the chocolate to melt, place it back on the stove for just a minute (this shouldn’t happen though).
- In a mug, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of milk. Add the dissolved cornstarch to the pot once all the chocolate has melted. Also, add the sugar if you want your hot chocolate to taste slightly sweeter (optional).
- Place the pot back on the stove on low heat and whisk constantly for 5-10 minutes until the hot chocolate has thickened. You’ll notice the hot chocolate thickening by watching the simmering bubbles come up through the liquid.
- Remove the pot from the stove once the hot chocolate has thickened and pour it into mugs. Serve right away – it tastes great with homemade churros!
Notes
- The cornstarch can take a few minutes to thicken the hot chocolate. At the same time, don’t leave hot chocolate that has thickened on the stovetop for much longer – it can thin again.
- Remember that it is much thicker and richer than hot chocolate in many other countries – so you likely don’t need a lot of it.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
Yummy!
For an interesting twist and trip to North America, add cinnamon and chile powder (not chili powder the kind used to make the dish chili). Anything from arbol to habanero works well. My favorite is just a touch of habanero for it’s heat and fruitiness .
That sounds tasty – thanks for sharing, Bill! /Lisa