Mexican Coffee

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/8/22
mexican coffee in a mug

 The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
217 Calories
12g Fat
25g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 217
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 53mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 160mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Mexican coffee is the perfect combination of strong, freshly roasted coffee, chocolate, and cinnamon. We topped it with whipped cream for a decadent breakfast drink or afternoon pick-me-up. It’s like a perfect marriage between hot chocolate and coffee, making it the ultimate sweet hot drink.

You’ll love the sweet and spiced flavors if you’re a fan of coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate. The cinnamon is brewed right with the coffee grounds and gives the coffee a delicious and spicy flavor without adding the texture of a ground spice to the finished drink.

This coffee is super simple to make and doesn’t require any extra skill or finesse. You just need a coffee pot and a small saucepan. Serve it alongside other chocolate or cinnamon treats like snickerdoodles, chocolate cake, or tres leches. Or enjoy it at brunch alongside bacon and eggs.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup ground coffee, regular or decaffeinated

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

  • 5 cups water

  • 1/2 cup whole milk

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/3 cup chocolate syrup

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • Cinnamon sticks, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, optional, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Mexican coffee ingredients

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  2. Add the coffee grounds and cinnamon to the filter basket of your coffee pot. Then add the 5 cups of water to the pot and brew as you normally would. 

    coffee grounds and cinnamon in coffee pot

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. While the coffee is brewing, bring the milk, heavy cream, chocolate syrup, and brown sugar to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. Make sure to cook on low heat so you don’t burn the mixture. 

    milk and chocolate mixed in a saucepan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Remove from the heat and add the brewed coffee to the milk mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract. 

    Mexican coffee in a saucepan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  5. Divide the coffee among 4 cups and top with whipped cream and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or chocolate shavings, and add a cinnamon stick, if desired. Enjoy immediately. 

    Mexican coffee topped with whipped cream

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

Recipe Variations

  • You can make this coffee a boozy cocktail by adding 2 ounces of Kahlúa and 2 ounces of tequila to the finished mixture.
  • You can add more chocolate or omit it altogether if you wish.
  • You can add a little more spicy by sprinkling a pinch of cayenne pepper into the mixture.
  • You can also enjoy it iced! Allow the mixture to cool completely and then pour it over ice. Include the whipped cream on top or leave it out. 

Recipe Tips

  • Brew the coffee stronger or weaker depending on your tastes. We like to brew it on the stronger side so that the milk and other ingredients don’t water down the coffee flavor.
  • You can use any kind of coffee pot you want. You can use a French press, percolator, or regular coffee pot. If you only have a single brew you can just add a cinnamon stick or a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to the cup and allow the hot coffee to brew over the top.

Does Mexican Coffee Have Caffeine?

Mexican coffee, when made with caffeinated coffee, has as much caffeine as a typical coffee drink such as a latte. You can use decaffeinated coffee to make this drink—note that decaf still contains a small amount of caffeine.