Spanish Hot Chocolate, or simply "chocolate caliente" in Spanish, is one of my favorite hot drinks.
Hello my friends! I have been waiting for a long time to post my favorite hot drink that I always get the second I land in Barcelona, Spain whenever I visit my sister. A super rich, thick, decadent authentic Spanish Hot Chocolate. If that's not tempting enough, this dreamy drink must go with sugary CHURROS. YES, I made Churros too!
Related: Pumpkin Spice Mocha | Churros Dipped in Salted Caramel Sauce
Early in the morning, right after they pick us up from the airport, the first thing my sister and brother-in-law do is stop at one of the street vendors in beautiful Barcelona. The vendor only sells churros and the traditional thick Spanish hot chocolate. I have never tasted chocolate so amazingly delicious!
One of the best benefits of traveling from the United States at night and arriving in Spain early in the morning is that we arrive just in time for a very satisfying, chocolatey and sugary breakfast. Can I tell you again?... I die for this Hot and Thick Chocolate!
Barcelona is our favorite city to visit. Even when our plan is to go to other countries in Europe, Barcelona is a “must stop” on our way in or out of Europe.
We have a lot of fun visiting my sister and brother-in-law, and my three beautiful nieces. Did I mention they are triplets? Yes, they are identical and I have trouble getting their names correct. They love to tease us and get us frustrated trying to figure out who is who.
Let's Play a Game Today
One day, I decided to take them to the park for a fun full day with their uncle and their "Principe" - that's what they call Geoffrey. At the same time, I was afraid because I didn't know if I was able to handle three girls without it going out of control. You know what? I got a fantastic idea, and it worked out to perfection.
I told them: “Let's play a game today. We all will start the day with 100 points and every time somebody doesn't follow the rules, I will deduct points. By the end of the day, whoever has the most points will win a surprise gift.” They got so excited about the game, and we had one of the most fantastic (and easy) times together.
Throughout the day they kept asking me how many points they have, and what was the score, and what was the surprise. They looked so happy and excited, and I was over the moon with them. I love them so much. (Just to clarify, I have two more nieces and I love them all equally.)
We did everything at the park; we took a small row boat and rowed around a small lake, we ate ice cream, we jump over and around a big tree like monkeys, we laid in the grass, and at the end of the day we went to eat dinner. Dinner time was the time to tell which one of them was the winner, and the awarded gift. After the restaurant, we went to a toy store, and I finally told them: “You all are winners!! Go through the store and get whatever you want!” ...and I really did say “anything”!!!
The Best Day Ever!
But the most emotional and humble moment for me from the whole day is when at the toy store, with everything in the store to choose from, Laia, Anna, and Sofia each came to me with a tiny toy animal and said this is what they wanted. They were so adorable, and from such an early age they learned to value things that are important to them and not the material things. The next day my sister told us that the triplets said they had the BEST DAY EVER! You can imagine how I felt because I achieved my goal to spend quality time with them.
I hope I didn't bother you too much with my long story, but every recipe that I cook has a special story and place in my heart. I wanted to share this with you.
And finally... here is my new twist to the authentic Spanish Hot Chocolate.
When I was researching the recipe for an authentic Spanish Hot Chocolate. I started to get different ideas such as Mexican Hot Chocolate. I had to pull myself back because I wanted to stick with my original idea. First, I thought that the secret ingredient to make this thick, rich, tasty chocolate was using cream and a lot of chocolate tables but I was wrong. The secret ingredient is cornstarch! Also, you can use xanthan gum or a gluten free alternative like chia and flax seed. These ingredients are used for baking or in soup as a thickener or binding agent.
For this recipe, I made several changes to adapt the chocolate to be more seasonal and add a little bit of my Caribbean flair.
You need to get a good quality chocolate bar and it doesn't need to be expensive. My suggestion is to get a dark raw chocolate bar without sugar or spices added. This way you can control the flavor profile that you want to achieve. This is my preference because I can decide how much sugar or how many spices I want to add.
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First, in a medium saucepan combine the whole milk, coconut milk, and warm on low to medium heat. Then add the chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, sugar, vanilla, and instant espresso powder. Stir until the chocolate melts and the other ingredients combine.
To thicken the hot chocolate, spoon some of the hot milk chocolate liquid into a small cup, add the cornstarch and mix well until the lumps disappear. Then, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and stir until reaching the thickness and creamy consistency that you want.
In a large coffee mug pour in the hot chocolate, add some whipped cream, sprinkle some coconut flakes and drizzle with Cinnamon Infused Vermont Maple Syrup (our gracious food product suppliers will give you great deal on this) or you can also drizzle caramel sauce on the hot chocolate. Go ahead and indulge yourself. We won't tell.
Enjoy this wonderful hot chocolate with CHURROS which you can make with my Churros Dipped in Salted Caramel Sauce recipe.
If you got all the way to the end of this post, I want to THANK YOU for reading, and I hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing this for you.
We are excited for you to try this recipe at home. Share your creations with us on social media by tagging us @Spoonabilities on Instagram. Don't forget to share your feedback and variations in the comments section below!
Wishing you tasty happenings,
Carlos Leo
Your Recipe Concierge
Spiced Spanish Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
This thick, rich and decadent Spiced Spanish Hot Chocolate recipe is my favorite hot drink. Inspired by authentic Spanish Hot Chocolate, it is enhanced with the flavors of coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, instant espresso powder, and both coconut flakes and Cinnamon Maple Syrup drizzle on top. I always get a Spanish Hot Chocolate the second I land in Barcelona, Spain whenever I visit my sister. Now you can make it in your own kitchen!
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Ingredients
- 3 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 8oz Dark Chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- ¼ cup Sweet Coconut Flakes
- Whipped Cream
- Organic Cinnamon Infused Vermont Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Warm the milk and coconut milk in a large saucepan on low-medium heat.
- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, and instant espresso powder. Stir constantly to make sure everything is combined.
- Pour some of the hot milk in a cup and mix with the cornstarch until the lumps dissolve. Add the mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk until the cornstarch is well mix and there is not lumps.
- Add the dark chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.
- Keep stirring until you get the thickness desired. It may take between 5 and 10 minutes to reach a thick consistency.
- Serve in a large mug and add a spoonful of whipped cream, sprinkle on some coconut flakes and drizzle on some Cinnamon Maple Syrup.
Notes
The whipped cream and other toppings not included in the nutritional facts
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: heating
- Cuisine: Spanish
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Hey there, I'm Carlos, a food and drink enthusiast, recipe blogger and 
Barbara
I didnt get bothered at all with the long story - I enjoyed it. There is nothing like quality time with family and friends.
Geoffrey Swetz
Thanks for mentioning you liked the story Barbara. We need to remove some of it to make the post more about the hot chocolate, but we'll keep the highlights in just for you ;)
Laura
I love this recipe. But I also loved reading the story. Fantastic family and adorable triplets. Did I tell you my boys are twins?
Geoffrey @ Spoonabilities
Thank you so much Laura for reading the whole story. Yes, the triplets are adorable for sure. No, we didn't know your boys are twins. How cool!
Richa
This hot chocolate is so perfect for the weather today! It's one of those stay at home in a blanket kinda day here. And BTW, that game is such a fun way to keep kids in control and let them have fun. I'll probably try it some day!
Carlos Leo
Hello Richa, Thank you for stopping by. You are right! This hot chocolate is the best idea for that kind of weather:). Try the game and you will see how works!
Sara Welch
What a great recipe for fall! This will be a great way to warm up when it's chilly out! Delicious!
Geoffrey Swetz
Get ready Sara. Depending on where you live, the chilliness is coming. Glad you are keeping the recipe for those times. Enjoy!
Andrea Metlika
I love stories behind recipes. Sounds like wonderful times. All the spices in this hot chocolate sound divine.
Geoffrey Swetz
Yes, my trips to Spain to see my family are very special. Enjoy the spices!
Sharon
This Spanish hot chocolate looks like a great afternoon treat! It looks like your family had a wonderful trip too.
Geoffrey Swetz
Yes Sharon, it is an awesome afternoon treat. We have a very hard time not having coffee mid-afternoon, and this hot chocolate is a nice change of pace.
Lauren Vavala | DeliciousLittleBites
Perfect time for me to stumble across this recipe! I was just thinking I wanted to try a spiced hot chocolate! Great recipe!
Geoffrey Swetz
Perfect timing indeed. DO give it a try Lauren, and let us know what you think.
Annissa
Wow! That hot chocolate looks like the thickest and richest version ever! I've never been to Spain, but it's on my bucket list.
Geoffrey Swetz
Oh you must go Annissa. It's a great country. Meanwhile, you can make this Spanish Hot Chocolate and be transported there.
Judy
Years ago I visited Barcelona and the first thing I noticed was the cleanliness. The people took pride in their shops, walks were swept often, street gutters were clean as well. We never saw trash on the ground, not even a cigarette butt!! Have you been to the zoo? In the 70's it was named the most beautiful in the world.
Geoffrey Swetz
Yes, the people in Barcelona are great and take prides in their city. We've been to a few of the parks there, but not the zoo. We'll have to put that on the list for the next trip. Thanks for the suggestion.
Patty
I loved your story and how much spending time with your nieces meant to you! This chocolatey hot drink looks amazing -- oh don't even get me started on churros! I pretty much need to have this every day of my life going forward. LOL :)
Carlos Leo
Thank you, Patty! That really mean a lot to me that you love my story:). Look out for the churros recipe soon.
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
Ohhh I loved reading this post!!! I haven't been to Spain yet - I once had a trip booked but had to cancel at the last minute :( I'm sure it will be everything I dream it to be. And I'm already planning my first stop to be at a churros stand and will DEFINATELY add the hot chocolate to my order!! Thanks for there recipe, I've never actually tried it. :) You have a beautiful family, it was lovely to see how much fun you have with them! N x
Carlos Leo
Hello Nagi - I'm so excited that you visited my site and for loving my post. This really mean a lot to me Thank you so much.
You will love Barcelona, it's a fantastic city.:)