These Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies are rich, fudgy, and spiced just right with cinnamon, cayenne, and a generous dose of Abuelita chocolate. Each bite brings cozy heat and deep, nostalgic flavor—like your favorite childhood treat, but all grown up. If you're craving a dessert with a little kick, this one delivers.
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The taste of Mexico continues with these spicy Mexican brownie recipe! The thought to create these came once I had completed the Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies, and this updated version is I hope easier and more delicious than the previous. This recipe takes the traditional brownies recipe but with a delicious twist - making them full of spices and Mexican chocolate!
If you are a coffee or espresso lover, then I also recommend trying my Fudgy Espresso Chocolate Brownies! They pair perfectly with a delicious cup of coffee every time.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
So Much Flavor! They are fudgy and creamy, plus sweet with a small bit of salty from the flaky sea salt. The cayenne pepper gives the brownies the perfect subtle spicy kick too!
For the chocolate lovers. These brownies use a combination of natural cocoa, dark chocolate and Mexican chocolate that all balance together to a sweet and delicious treat. It gives Mexican hot chocolate flavor that you crave alongside some pan dulce.
Easy To Make! You can use a whisk, or hand mixer for this recipe. It is an easy dessert recipe that comes together in about an hour - but make sure to allow it to cool completely before enjoying!
For more delicious chocolate desserts, I highly recommend my Black Cocoa Cookies Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies, or Chocolate Coffee Cookies. Or you can try cinnamon based cookies such as my Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies or Mexican Cinnamon Cookies!
Ingredients
Please read through the ingredients list so you can familiarize yourself with each ingredient, along with suggestions or recommendations during the preparation or baking process. Please see the Recipe Card for all details.
Mexican Chocolate. I use Nestle Abuelita Hot Chocolate - a combination of cocoa, sugar and cinnamon. This helps add more depth of flavor to the brownies.
Natural Cocoa Powder helps enhance the chocolate flavor of the brownies, but you can substitute with dutch cocoa if need be.
Dark Chocolate Morsels. I prefer dark chocolate in my bakes due to the bitter notes, but you are welcome to substitute with milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter flavor.
Cayenne Pepper. You only need ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper to really get the kick in every bite. You can also substitute with chili powder as 1:1.
Espresso Powder helps elevate the chocolate flavors and intensify just a bit. This ingredient is optional but I do highly recommend.
Sugar. I use granulated sugar or cane sugar only to help provide sweetness from the bitterness of the dark chocolate. No substitutions.
Butter. I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter. Omit sea salt if you do.
Pre-Baking Tips
Use Kitchen Scale. The greatest advantage you can give yourself when baking is using a kitchen scale. It helps more accurately measure ingredients by weight vs. volume.
Spoon and Level Flour. If you do not have a kitchen scale, then spoon and level your flour to ensure you are not adding too much.
Make sure eggs are room temperature before beginning. This will help them emulsify much better and allow the other ingredients to come together easier.
Brown the butter in advance. Or if you chose not to, just begin with 1 stick of butter (½ cup) plus 6 tablespoons. Use a medium saucepan or pot to brown butter.
How To Make Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies
These Mexican Brownies Recipe uses baking tools and ingredients that can be found in most homes. Please see recipe card for full list of equipment and ingredients.
Step 1: Brown the butter in a light colored medium sized pot, place butter inside and cook on low medium heat. No need to stir consistently, just allow the butter to melt and begin cooking.
Step 2: About half way through the butter will begin to foam up a bit, but you only need to take your rubber spatula and give it a stir to bring it back down a bit. Continue to cook on the same heat, and about 6 to 7 minutes in you will begin to see light foaming on the top.
Step 3: You will notice the along the edges browning, and if you stir the butter there will be small browned pieces at the bottom. Begin stirring at this point until the color is a light to medium color and you smell the nutty flavor of the butter.
Step 4: Remove from heat and pour into heat safe bowl. Add dark chocolate morsels to hot butter and make sure they are completely covered. Allow to sit for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350 F. While chocolate sits in hot butter, in a separate bowl combine flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper.
Step 6: Sift in cocoa powder to remove any clumps.
Hot Tip! Cocoa powder can tend to clump together in the container, so sifting it helps ensure that you evenly distribute through the dessert and avoid any unnecessary clumps post bake!
Step 7: Whisk dry ingredients until well dispersed. Set aside.
Step 8: Mix butter and chocolate mixture until smooth and shiny. Set aside.
Step 9: In a separate bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Then grate the Abuelita Mexican chocolate into bowl.
Step 10: Whisk egg and sugar mixture vigorously until well combined - about 2 minutes.
Step 11: Slowly add butter chocolate mixture into egg sugar mixture, making sure to whisk as you pour.
Step 12: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
Step 13: Use a rubber spatula to gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Continue to fold until all flour has been incorporated.
Step 14: Line a 8x8 square baking pan with parchment and baking spray.
Hot Tip! Lining baking pan with parchment makes it easier to remove brownies after baking. Simply lift along the edges once cooled to cut and serve. Using metal clips helps secure the parchment against the baking pan.
Step 15: Pour brownie batter into baking pan and use spatula to spread evenly.
Step 16: Bake for 22-23. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack before removing from baking pan. Top with flaky sea salt if desired. Allow to cool completely before cutting into brownies.
Variations & Substitutions
- Cocoa Powder - I used unsweetened natural cocoa powder in this recipe, but you can substitute with dutch cocoa powder 1:1.
- Dark Chocolate Morsels - I prefer dark chocolate, but you can substitute with preferred chocolate. Substitute 1:1.
- Cayenne Pepper - This ingredient is key to creating that subtle spiciness in the brownies, but you can omit if you prefer non-spicy brownies.
Storage
Post bake storage is best in a ziplock bag or airtight container. Store for up to 5 days at room temperature.
If you'd like to freeze, place in a freezer safe ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature before enjoying.
FAQ
No, but I do highly recommend it to help add a delicious, nutty flavor to the brownies. If you chose not to, then simply use ½ cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons.
The brownies didn't to have sufficient time to cool and solidify. These are fudgy brownies, and need to cool completely before enjoying.
You need to make sure the eggs and sugar are beat very well where the sugar is fully dissolved to ensure a crinkle top. You can either whisk vigorously by hand for a few minutes, or use a hand mixer to beat the egg and sugar mixture.
If you have tried this Mexican Chocolate Brownies recipe, or any other recipe on this website, please don't forget to leave a star ⭐️ review! Your feedback and comments are appreciated!
Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies
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Equipment
- mixing bowls
- kitchen scale optional but recommended
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- parchment paper optional for lining pan
- 8x8 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter for browning 185g browned butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate morsels
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp natural cocoa powder sifted
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp espresso powder optional
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ tab Nestle Abuelita Chocolate grated
- 1 tsp Mexican Vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a light colored medium sized pot, place butter inside and cook on low medium heat. No need to stir consistently, just allow the butter to melt and begin cooking.
- About half way through the butter will begin to foam up a bit, but you only need to take your rubber spatula and give it a stir to bring it back down a bit. Continue to cook on the same heat, and about 6 to 7 minutes in you will begin to see light foaming on the top.
- You will notice the along the edges browning, and if you stir the butter there will be small browned pieces at the bottom. Begin stirring at this point until the color is a light to medium color and you smell the nutty flavor of the butter.
- Remove from heat and pour into heat safe bowl. Add dark chocolate morsels to hot butter and make sure they are completely covered. Allow to sit for 2 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. While chocolate sits in hot butter, in a separate bowl combine flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt and cayenne pepper.
- Sift in cocoa powder to remove any clumps.
- Whisk dry ingredients until well dispersed. Set aside.
- Mix butter and chocolate mixture until smooth and shiny. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Then grate the mexican chocolate into bowl.
- Whisk egg and sugar mixture vigorously until well combined - about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add butter chocolate mixture into egg sugar mixture, making sure to whisk as you pour.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
- Use a rubber spatula to gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Continue to fold until all flour has been incorporated.
- Line a 8x8 square baking pan with parchment and baking spray.
- Pour batter into baking pan and use spatula to spread evenly.
- Bake for 22-23. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from baking pan. Top with flaky sea salt if desired. Allow to cool completely before cutting into brownies.
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